Thread: wheel allignments

Landrovers with rigid axles, including the Disco 2, generally do not have wheel alignment problems. The only adjustment is toe in, by adjusting the length of the tie rod. But any other error in wheel alignment (and mostly the toe in as well) will be something is either worn or bent. Worn is not uncommon, but the only part that commonly bends is the tie rod, and checking wheel alignment is not the most efficient method of finding either wear or bent bits - commonsense inspection is usually the best method.

Wheel alignment can be upset by suspension modifications, especially lifting more than about 50mm without compensation. Note that wheel alignment can also be upset by movement of the suspension anchor points on the chassis, either by accident damage or rust.

On my 110 I have checked the alignment every few years, and over twenty years and 400,000 often hard km, it has never needed adjustment except on the occasion the tie rod was bent. (when it was replaced by a heavier military one)

thanks mate - I was wondering whether any tyre place could do the allignment or whether it needs to be done at a specialist Landrover place.

You can do it yourself with a tape measure. Rovers are 50s technology on which optical wheel aligners are wasted.
Lie in the dirt on your back and measure the distance between the rims just under the disc caliper.
Then slide and shimmy forward and do it at the front of the rim midway up.
The difference should be nil to +2 MM ie the front should be 2mm greater than the back.
In the likely event that some dumbplick has adjusted for toe in. you loosen the 2 clamps on the RH end of the steering rod behind the axle and twist the short sleeve in the correct direction with a pipe wrench. You will soon find out he correct direction by remeasuring.
Make sure that both tie rod ends are at an equal angle and Bob is your auntie.
Regard s Philip A

thanks again - unfortunately I'm not that confident to have a go at that job at the moment. might watch it done some time. by the way I was speaking to Auntie Bob and and she says hi.

If you are not confident to do it yourself, any reasonable tyre place should be able to.
The technique Phillip suggests works, but is liable to give wrong results if you have bent wheels or wheels tightened on dirt (quite possible!). A more accurate method is to jack up and spin the wheels with a piece of chalk against the tread and measure between the chalk marks front and rear of the wheels - should be about 0-2mm greater at the front.

or if you're feeling really sophisticated, set up a couple of parallel string lines down either side of the car at hub height and measure to the rim and/or the tyre sidewall. This is how virtually every open wheeler race car in the country is aligned for toe

<span style="color:blue">so the correct specs are 0-2mm toe out.....?</span>

Originally posted by rick130
or if you're feeling really sophisticated, set up a couple of parallel string lines down either side of the car at hub height and measure to the rim and/or the tyre sidewall. This is how virtually every open wheeler race car in the country is aligned for toe

That method does not work for the panhard rod suspension setup as when the front diff housing travels it also moves