Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0

Wheel alignment

9 posts in this topic

Posted

Airdale wide gear users,

Anyone done an alignment check and needed to adjust toe-in or toe-out?  I checked mine the other day and found the gear to be toed-in about 1/2".  I used a ratchet strap and a long pipe( handle off my floor jack) and began trying to bent the gear in the needed direction.  After many tries, I'm finally to a point where the gear is toed-in about 1/4".  Man does that gear ever flex!  I bend it to where the pipe is pulled about 3" - 4", smack it a few times with a mallet, and then release it, maybe get a 1/16" change.  Is this the way you guys adjusted your gear?  I think I pulled something in my arm trying to get more tension on the strap.

Any suggestions?  I'm pretty sure the tires should be parallel, or toed-out just a bit.

Jack

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

That's interesting Jack, I haven't checked mine yet. It sounds like the W.I.B. gear flexes a lot more than the standard gear before it 'resets'. I just slipped a 8' pipe over my Mk-IV axles, then a larger dia. over that for stiffness and bent away. I was shooting for 1/8" out, pretty easy. In addition to measuring wheel-to-wheel front and back toe-in, I also double checked straight ahead tracking. Used a laser level and projected the fuse center line forward to the wall, then made sure the laser clamped to each brake plate projected the same distance each side from the center mark. Didn't want to end up crabbing down the taxi way lol.  :-[

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

There is a ridiculously long discussion on the Yahoo list right now about toe in vs toe out.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

That is for sure.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Thanks for the feedback.  Looks like I need to get a longer cheater bar, the strap isn't working.  Doug, what did you fasten your fuselage to when you used the 8' pipe?  I can see me dragging the fuselage all over the garage with a pipe that long.  Probably great for laughs if you were watching.

Thanks,

Jack

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Is this a truss gear or the solid aluminum (grove-style) gear?  If the solid aluminum, have you ever considered just turning the gear around? toe-in becomes toe-out.    :lol:

Bruce  :D

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Doug, what did you fasten your fuselage to when you used the 8' pipe? 
Wife and (3) kids! :beerchug:

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

I cheated on mine.  I just knocked the 2 barrels off the gear, lined them up and welded em back on.  Did not take as long doinking with the axles and cheater bars etc.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Posted

Bruce,

It's the truss type gear.  On the aluminum gear, I think you can use shims to align the gear, if the axles have flanges.  Sure would be simpler.

Jack 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!


Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.


Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  
Followers 0