Alignment couldn't be completed. Help!

[124ADDHE]

You can also do your toe at home also:
1) Jack up front end.
2) angle a 3" or whatever screw through a 2X4, use this to make a perfectly scribed line by rotating the tire against the screw-tip.
3) lower car, add 450lbls, roll back and forth with steering wheel (actually the box if the wheel is out) straight in the garage (or in and out)
4)measure, set and adjust with a wife,friend or a vice (to hold the tape). The stock setting is 3mm toe in +/- 2mm, allthough if @ 1cm toe, you get some wear I found out!.

I do think that having 2mm toe-out is the best for feel, It really makes the car lighter in the turns and the straightline tracking does not seem impacted hardly, that said, I dont travel on the freeway with the Spider often, maybe then the toe-in would be better?

[Fiat88]

Well went to a different shop that put on the new rotas and tires last year but he said my steering idler needs to be replaced cause it has a lot of side to side play. He told me that when I got home to jack up the passanger side and move the tire side to side. I did notice in May that the idler had a lot of up and down play, so it probably is bad. Its one of the later bearing types.

I'm gonna order a new one and bring it back down. I want to make sure the idler arm from this one will go on the new one. Is there shaft spline differences?

[Fiat88]

Jacked up the front and the passenger wheel moves.

[124JOE]

so you need a friend to move the wheel while you look under at the ldler arm and see where it moving
to find out whats bad

[Fiat88]

so you need a friend to move the wheel while you look under at the ldler arm and see where it moving
to find out whats bad

What usually goes bad on the ball bearing type idler? I noticed that when I took it out of the car in May I could wiggle the arm up and down, a good amount of play.

[124JOE]

my grease fryed up with the heat of the header! or lack of fluid.
so the mounting holes broke and the rest of the idler fell off. but i had a spare.
at that point, it was kind of dificult to remove the links. but still doable

just find a different, one new or used.

[Fiat88]

Just ordered a new one from IAP! I tried to get the idler out of the car again but having trouble breaking the tie rods loose from the idler arm. Since the tie rods and center link are brand new, I'm really trying to be careful as I don't want to rip the boots. No way I'm using a pickle fork.

I had success last time using a universal jaw gear puller I bought at pepboys but its a tight fit as the exhaust pipe is right there. Maybe I'll rent the front end kit again from advanced auto. The mechanic estimated it would be an hours work to replace it if I had him do it. Will give it another shot tomorrow.

[Fiat88]

with 2" of toe the car is not driveable. Did you buy the tie rod assy that comes with both tie rod ends and the adjusting sleeve? I've seen some of those that are too long. If that's what you have, the toe would not be able to be adjusted within specs

Mark,

Is it usually the sleeve thats too long or the tie rod ends themselves?

[124JOE]

usually the sleeves are nut even side to side as there suposeto be "centered"
i had that problem too.joe

[Fiat88]

usually the sleeves are nut even side to side as there suposeto be "centered"
i had that problem too.joe

What did you end up doing? Thanks.

[124JOE]

i took one end off and screwed both sides in all the way reconect it then unscrewed untill it pointed straight

[manoa matt]

Prior to replacing any of steering tie rod ends you must get an accurate measurement of the center to center spacing. Usually there is a dimple on the bottom of the tie rod end. Measure from the dimple on one side to the dimple on the other side and write down the measurement. Then, one at a time remove and replace each tie rod end, and screw them in until you have the same measurement. There should be an equal number of threads showing on each side of the sleeve.

The replacement procedure outlined in many of the manuals is wrong as it states to count the number of turns when unscrewing the tie rod end from the sleeve, then screw in the new tie rod end into the sleeve the same number of turns.

The problem with that procedure is that the tie rod ends, like ball joints are made by many different manufacturers and I've seen some tie rod ends where the threads only extend half way up the shaft, while others are threaded all the way up to the base of the joint. It is imperative to keep the center to center spacing of the tie rod ends and measuring from the dimple on the underside is one way to ensure the spacing is correct while replacing the joints.

[Fiat88]

Prior to replacing any of steering tie rod ends you must get an accurate measurement of the center to center spacing. Usually there is a dimple on the bottom of the tie rod end. Measure from the dimple on one side to the dimple on the other side and write down the measurement. Then, one at a time remove and replace each tie rod end, and screw them in until you have the same measurement. There should be an equal number of threads showing on each side of the sleeve.

The replacement procedure outlined in many of the manuals is wrong as it states to count the number of turns when unscrewing the tie rod end from the sleeve, then screw in the new tie rod end into the sleeve the same number of turns.

The problem with that procedure is that the tie rod ends, like ball joints are made by many different manufacturers and I've seen some tie rod ends where the threads only extend half way up the shaft, while others are threaded all the way up to the base of the joint. It is imperative to keep the center to center spacing of the tie rod ends and measuring from the dimple on the underside is one way to ensure the spacing is correct while replacing the joints.

Matt right now I'm trying to get that new idler in, will probably switch it for the tapered shaft one. I don't really feel like messing with the tie rods again, will wait for what the alignment shop says when I bring it back down and see what can be done. Kind of wish now that I had a shop install the tie rods in the first place instead of me diy-ing it. I did try to match the threading with the old ones, though.

[124JOE]

i took a over all mesurement at 13.5 inches on the pass side tie rod
counted turns remesured then installed
whille doing the alinement the drivers side bar was off center
so i removed it and centered it but tightening it all the way
then put it back together and unscrewed it untill the wheel was straight

i had to straighten the steering wheel durring every step to keep it correct.joe

[Fiat88]

Got the steering idler out today! I decided to buy this front end kit because I've rented it before at advanced auto but they have been out of stock for a few weeks now-its part of their tool loaner program but its like a $100 deposit, refundable though. I liked it so much that I decided it was easier to just buy my own.http://www.toolsmithonline.com/products ... e-Kit.html The bottom left one works like a charm in that kit.

I just need to get the arm nut off but my impact doesn't have enough power, gonna borrow my friends 450 ft/lb one.