Crashtd420 Posted November 2, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2020 So when setting the toe-in for my steering the book say 2-3mm... Would this be per side or total? The setup I made seems to be working out good..... 3 Quote Link to comment
mainer311 Posted November 3, 2020 Report Share Posted November 3, 2020 (edited) I did 1/8” on each side, so that would be ~3mm per side. I usually set it, and then keep an eye on how the tire is wearing. Back off accordingly. Edited November 3, 2020 by mainer311 4 Quote Link to comment
Greaser2 Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 (edited) On 11/2/2020 at 3:18 PM, Crashtd420 said: So when setting the toe-in for my steering the book say 2-3mm... Would this be per side or total? The setup I made seems to be working out good..... Took me a day to figure out after u get the wheels aligned/parallel, how do get them both going straight. Edited November 4, 2020 by Greaser2 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 Radial tires require less toe in that the bias ply that may have come on the vehicle. There is no clear mention of how to set the toe exactly on my 710. I assume it's measure the distance to known tread grooves on the front and rear of the tire. The front should measure less than the rear for toe in. I don't like this because tire tread and side walls can vary. I set two strings exactly parallel to each other in the level driveway, wide enough to drive between and measure between them. Then drive straight between them. Measure from the string to the two fronts and the two rears of the rims. Add the two fronts and the two rears and subtract from the known widths of the string. Compare front answer to the rear. It should be smaller by several mm. The 710 calls for 4mm to 6mm (0.16" to 0.24") of toe. Now this is assumed to be out farther from the rim at the tread. So I used the longer 6mm. Then back up and drive forward again and repeat to check. I found that as the toe becomes less and less the car tends to wander on the highway. When I got my 620 the tires were worn on the insides and massively toed in. Parked in my driveway I could cross the street to the other ditch and both front wheels were pointing at me! Extreme toe in (besides grinding the rubber away) is dangerous in the rain. If you hit a puddle with one wheel it looses traction that is counterbalanced by the other wheel and now the other wheel steers you to the side that lost traction. I also noticed in town on dry pavement making a 900 turn that the steering wheel wanted to jump out of my hand and turn into the turn by itself! 2 Quote Link to comment
mainer311 Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 15 minutes ago, datzenmike said: When I got my 620 the tires were worn on the insides and massively toed in. Huh? A lot of wear on the insides indicates overly toed out, not in. Unless your camber was also horrible, in which case you'd have scalloping all the way across. Typically rear wheel drive vehicles like some toe-in because the drag on the front tires will pull them straight going down the road. (That, and we have king pins which all undoubtedly have some slop in them.) Front wheel drive cars like to be toed-out, because the wheel pull straight from applied torque. 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 I got it this way. Maybe they were recently adjusted from a toe out and over done, I don't know. Maybe the outsides and I don't remember. 2 Quote Link to comment
mainer311 Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 (edited) 28 minutes ago, datzenmike said: I got it this way. Maybe they were recently adjusted from a toe out and over done, I don't know. Maybe the outsides and I don't remember. Previous owner sins are great. Luckily my truck was largely unmolested. My roadster on the other hand had been through a lot of different people, and it showed. Edited November 4, 2020 by mainer311 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 4, 2020 Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 I adjusted the toe to just barely in and the result was marvelous. Yeah POs. Hidden boobie traps that can kill you. Shitty engineering, even shittier welding, non existing maintenance. Bolts not tight!. Things messed with that should have been left alone. Simple carb adjustments that should/could have been made but weren't. My favorite... emission equipment removed 'because it looks cleaner' but secretly thinking there is hidden power being robbed by them, and this adding problems and causing poor running. 2 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 4, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2020 Thanks for all the info.... I understand the boards may not be the best way but I struggled to do the string method before.... I honestly think I missed a few steps setting up and didn't really understand the method.. After using the boards vs the way I was trying to check it before I have a better understanding of what I was doing wrong.... Datzenmike you explained the string setup a little simpler, so I'll try again over the winter when I setup for the 5link, I'll be measuring everything anyhow so I can verify it with the string method then... Either way I'm way closer to spec than I was before, ride height set, camber adjusted on the passenger side( needed a little more) and toe-in set .... I just hope it was the final bit of vibration I have been feeling.... 2 Quote Link to comment
mainer311 Posted November 5, 2020 Report Share Posted November 5, 2020 I use a string method where I setup 4 jack stands, and run two strings parallel with the car. I get everything nice and straight, using the rear axle as reference. From there, I measure the distance of the front and and rear surfaces of wheel to the string. Usually gets my toe fairly in check. For camber, cut a piece of wood or steel that spans across the rim bead, but doesn’t touch the tire. Then hold a torpedo level or inclinometer up against the “tool.” 2 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2020 26 minutes ago, mainer311 said: I use a string method where I setup 4 jack stands, and run two strings parallel with the car. I get everything nice and straight, using the rear axle as reference. From there, I measure the distance of the front and and rear surfaces of wheel to the string. Usually gets my toe fairly in check. For camber, cut a piece of wood or steel that spans across the rim bead, but doesn’t touch the tire. Then hold a torpedo level or inclinometer up against the “tool.” That's basically what I was thinking with the string and the toe... I just bought a digital inclinometer to help me deal with my drive line angle so I have that... I have to go to Homedepot this weekend for some other stuff, so I'll get a piece of square stock that I can cut and fit to the rim to verify the camber.... I plan on driving it Tomorrow to work so I can see if I improved anything, then I'll do my recheck on it this weekend.... Thanks... 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 5, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2020 I'm definitely heading in the right direction.... Huge difference driving to work this morning..... I'll verify my measurements and try to use the rim for my reference point this time.... I can still feel a slight amount of vibration but that might even just be the road.... Also the ride height correction was perfect, not to high but high enough I don't rub if I'm going a little fast turning into my driveway... usually I have to just about stop to not rub... 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2020 Today almost got interesting, I picked my son up at school and when I went to start the datsun I had no starter, just a relay click.... Lucky for me I was parked on a hill, so I didnt even bother diagnosing, I just let it roll, popped the clutch and drove away.... after I got it home and safely in the garage I shut it off and tried to restart still no starter.... So I popped the hood with a hammer and test light ready to go and proceeded to plug the spade connector back onto the solenoid for the starter.... Easiest fix ever..... Must have knocked it loose when I was messing with the bolts adjusting my camber.... 1 Quote Link to comment
d.p Posted November 6, 2020 Report Share Posted November 6, 2020 Typical for us Datsun shade tree mechanics. 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 6, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 6, 2020 35 minutes ago, d.p said: Typical for us Datsun shade tree mechanics. Still hasn't left me stranded so I guess I've done some of it right ... If this was a newer car I probably would have had to get a tow.... 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 8, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2020 Enjoyed a gorgeous day of driving the datsun around running errands. As I was getting off the highway I saw the closest thing to a datsun as I have ever seen while driving.. Mid 80s 300zx..... So i decided to follow to check it out, i figured I could just get off at a different exit to go home... Well after I got up next to him and checked it out I was just going to accelerate and get out of the fast lane (2 lane road) but apparently he thought I wanted to race... ok not what I was trying to do, so I was gonna just back off and tuck in behind , well I guess the bmw behind me felt left out because he was right on my ass.... Needless to say I was going way faster than I wanted to be going in order to get in front of the zx and in the correct lane for my off ramp... oops.. (but it was fun). 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 17, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 17, 2020 Well the datsun season is definitely winding down up in the northeast.... Had some snow around Halloween but I've been able to drive the truck a few times since.. I wont risk it below 40 after my other truck loose on some ice going to work one morning.... I was happy I managed to log the most miles this year, about 3500, and I even cut my drive to work in half so I only drive 20 miles a day for work instead of the 44 miles I use to drive.... Hopefully some good pictures will be coming, I've got some work ahead of me.... I'd like to get the oil filter relocation done between now and Thanksgiving, that weekend the bed will finally be removed to be cleaned up and the preparation for the 5link will begin... 1 Quote Link to comment
mainer311 Posted November 18, 2020 Report Share Posted November 18, 2020 Definitely looking forward to this rear end swap. What’s the 5th link? Panhard? Watts link? 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2020 10 hours ago, mainer311 said: Definitely looking forward to this rear end swap. What’s the 5th link? Panhard? Watts link? Watts link.... 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 Had some extra cash this week so I ordered the seals for the axle and all the components for the rear disk brakes setup.... I'll have to figure out the emergency brake and do a little more digging about the master cylinder.... I'm pretty sure its for a vehicle with front disk and rear drums, so I dont know what that really means when I switch to disks in the rear... I have an adjustable proportioning valve but have no clue if it's even doing what it should or if its adjusted properly right now, or even needed. . 2 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 Just did some reading and it looks like I can just remove the residual valve from the master and I'll be good.. 1 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 24, 2020 Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 Summit knows better than Nissan???? That may be true for a taller chevy but all Datsuns with rear disc have a residual valve. Simply pull one out of the front circuit of any Datsun with front disc brakes. Even with the master what, a foot??? higher than the rears this won't be enough fluid pressure to keep the disc pad against the rotors. I have a 15/16 280zx master and had to put a drum brake residual valve in the rear circuit. Don't mix them up, I couldn't tell the difference. 2 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 Ok thanks for that insight... 1 Quote Link to comment
Crashtd420 Posted November 24, 2020 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2020 So datzenmike since I dont have easy access to spare parts to retrieve a residual valve from would this work? If I remove the rear residual valve and install one of these inline would that be the same as what your saying? I have a proportioning valve which I honestly have wanted to get rid of ever since I installed it so I have a place to install the residual valve... 2 Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted November 25, 2020 Report Share Posted November 25, 2020 That would work. Low pressure 2? PSI. This just barely keeps the pads on the rotors so they stay clean 3 Quote Link to comment
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