Alignment out of whack question

[Black1987Stang]

K so my front tires which are skinnies for right now are getting REAL bad with the alignment and the car is pulling to the right and the passenger tire is wearing alot on the outside. I think you're supposed to use cc plates with skinnies but it's so bad it's killing my normal tires. How can I fix this? I'm going to have to get new tires but I don't want to ruin the new ones....Is this the caster, camber, or toe? How do I fix this without an alignment machine? I was going to measure the distance from the front and back of the front rims and see how off it is....? what can I do?

 

[JDelaney]

Caster and camber can each cause a vehicle to pull. Camber and toe can cause abnormal tire wear. You can't adjust caster or camber without affecting toe. While it's possible to align a vehicle without a machine, you will get a much more accurate alignment using an up to date alignment machine. Most alignment shops charge between $60-$80 (I bet you probably paid more than that for one tire). Just go get your car aligned.

 

[Black1987Stang]

Well thing is the right side which is also the side the tire is wearing and pulling it needs an inner tie rod and the steering rack is effin up...so I'm just going to change the whole rack which comes with new inners anyway, and I just bought new Lakewood 70/30's for the front so I don't want to pay for an alignment then change everything when I do my motor swap (changing everything while the motor's out) and then have to have to pay for it to get it realigned Again....so if I can mess around with the toe or anything to get it to stop the wear and to stop pulling, then I want to do it, how about if I checked the toe with a measuring tape? adjust if necessary and/or if that checks out ok loosen up the cc plates and move it a little each way till it stops pulling??

 

[93 LX]

Well fix the steering and then get it aligned, you wont regret it.

 

[Black1987Stang]

Can't fix the steering till I pull the motor and the new motor's still just a bare block as of the moment.....can't I just scoot over the cc plate one way or the other just to HELP my issue?

 

[JDelaney]

You can check your toe with a tape measure, be sure take the slop out of the steering when you measure. Also cross rotate your front tires and tell me what happens. I wouldn't mess with caster or camber yet.

 

[Black1987Stang]

yea good idea, I'll try swapping the tires and see what happens......
I tried to measure the toe with a tape measure but didnt work since I didnt have a partner to hold the other side tight......and all the junk underneath like the k member and everything looks like it would be in the way of a good straight across reading? Would I be measuring from the middle of the tread to the middle of the tread on the other side? or from inner of the rim or tire to the other?