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MG MGA - Toe gauge

See pic.
It slides under the car, flip it up into position, adjust the screw to touch the inside of the tyre.
Stands up on its own
measures at wheel cetre height.
Cheap.


Art Pearse

Hi Art,
Very nice - Thank you!
Bayard
Bayard DeNoie

Thanks for sharing that Art. Don't you just love simplicity, especially when it will work perfectly with our zero toe-in. Now where's that saw !
Pete
P N Tipping

Hi Art, looks a useful tool, it's just what I need right now. Would you be good enough to post a better pic, a bit clearer, so that I can make a copy of the tool. A short write-up would also help. Sorry to impose. Thanks.

Frank
F Camilleri

OK, I'll do that for all, here.
Art Pearse

I have an aluminum one that I purchased from Moss.
sell it for $25.00 plust postage.
Sandy
ss sanders

OK, as promised, more photos:

This one shows the adjustable end, just a 1/4" x 3 lag bolt, but make it easy to rotate by hand, but not loose. That way you can feel the head touch the tyre easier.

The end posts are 12" high. The the basic frame is a 40" long piece of 1 x 3 lumber.

The posts are braced. The ends must be rigid, test by feel with a tape across and give it a yank.

You can see the feet so it stands up on its own


Art Pearse

This shows the bracing and one foot

Art Pearse

This is the "dead" end, just slide the gauge until it meets the inside of the tyre. Must be square to the axis.
About 3" wide x 2" deep.

Art Pearse

Overall pic.
The fancy piece on the table is the cover for the body mounting bolts, just ahead of the A pillar. (made from soffit aluminium)

Art Pearse

Thanks Art, now it is very easy to make as it's very easy to follow. I will start the project tomorrow, but first I have to take the wood to my carpenter friend across the road from me, to get it all planed smooth.

Frank
F Camilleri

Art, do you first adjust the screws to the rear rims having slid it under the car and then offer it to the front rims and readjust the screws as necessary? How do you measure any difference - verier gauge?
J H Cole

In operation, its a back and forth procedure. Start with front or back, doesn't matter. Lets say youu start at the rear and set the screw to the distance between the tyres, then go to the front. If you find its too tight, then adjust the tie rod ends to open up the front a bit and vice-versa if you find its too loose.
After making a rod adjustment, its a good idea to push the car back and forth a couple of feet to relieve the strain in the tyre to ground contact.
Keep doing this until the gaps are the same, for zero toe, or you can use a shim, say 1/32 if you want a bit of toe in.
You have to loosen the boot clamps on the tie rods of course.
The gauge works on the tyre, not the rims. I suppose if you want to register on the rims the design could be modified. But the road sees the tyres, not the rims.
Art Pearse

Interesting that you measure off the tire, I would have thought that this might lead to inaccuracies, on the other hand measuring off rims assumes they're true.
J H Cole

If you are really fussy, you can always repeat the test with the tyres in a different rotated position. I think the edges of the rim are not so even on the MGA, ie they are as rolled and not machined. The inside where the beads sit is accurate but inaccessible!
And as I said, its the tyre (tire) that sees the road!
Art Pearse

> Interesting that you measure off the tire, I would
> have thought that this might lead to inaccuracies, on
> the other hand measuring off rims assumes they're
> true.

Yup, there are inaccuracies on both the tire and the rim. The equipment that an alignment shop uses attaches to the rim, but it has an adjustment mechanism that the operator uses to zero out the projectors so they are essentially reading only the axle position. I would not personally use any of the DIY alignment methods for any purpose other than getting the toe close enough to drive to the alignment shop.
Del Rawlins

This thread was discussed between 07/04/2014 and 13/04/2014

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