Setting toe with string.

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DianSmokes

New member
Basically i have a general idea of how this might be done, but I've no experience in doing it and just want to make sure my thought process is correct.
So I've recently broke out all my old karting stuff and decided to get it set up to run again. I originally put the karts away in 2006, and dismantled everything on them. Upon reassembly i noticed my toe was a little bit more than "off". I've set up string running parallel to the kart and marked the tires around the circumference. Set the string parallel to the two widest points on each rear tire. This would make sure my string is running parallel to my rear axle. Then on the right front tire i aligned it to run parallel with my string and the rear axle. On the left front i was told to run it toe out between 1/16"-1/8" would that just mean the difference between my measurement to the mark on the front side of the tire to the string should be between 1/16"-1/8" shorter than my mark from the rear side of the tire to the string? Or is my whole theory/method totally wrong here?
 
Just pull the string tight so that it touches both the back and front edge of the rear rim you are measuring off of. Then check the distance to the front rim (back and front edge) from the string. Your string should be perpendicular to the rear axle if done correctly.
Much debate over whether to square the right side of the car or the left side. That aside, pick one, and set the toe on the other.
BTW, this is MUCH easier accomplished with a 4 foot level (or longer) straight edge.
You also want to set this with the driver's weight in the kart (not with the kart up on a stand.)



-----
Thanks and God bless,
Brian Carlson
Carlson Racing Engines
Vector Cutz
www.CarlsonMotorsports.com
27 years of service to the karting industry
Linden, IN
765-339-4407
bcarlson@CarlsonMotorsports.com
 
Measure the distance between the leading edges and trailing edges of the front wheels. Difference is toe.
Use a folding carpenter's ruler.
 
Much easier with a straight edge ( 6ft level ) whatever, pinch it tight across rear wheels be selective not to pinch it across a ding in the outer rim, then as mentioned above just measure distance from straight edge to rear of front wheel and front of front wheel. you might need to hold a short solid block on rear
first to build straight edge out so it clears the kart body.
 
i have the string away from the rims since the bare edge got scraped/tweaked over the years. Though i imagine it would still be straight, i don't want to take the chance of having my string sink into knotch on it somewhere. So other than perhaps doing this in a way that took significantly more time than it maybe needed to i did it right? I ballparked it on the stand and i have someone of similar weight sitting in the kart on a scale/alignment table i built (i realize that it would be more ideal to have my own butt in the kart, but my help can't read a tape measure) I can't imagine it would change that dramatically from one 160lb driver to the next 160lb driver. Tell me if i'm wrong though.
 
i built a scale table that i spent a lot of time making sure had a flat even surface and set level on the floor, i added to small L type supports exactly 1 inch in from the edge that are 8 inches tall and i drilled through them at the center of the tire and tied the string through holes in the center of it, ran down both sides of the kart and across the front and rear. Measured multiple times for square across the lines on the tire and across the rear axle and made sure the string was level. I marked the tire by simply putting my wheel balancer on my scale table, and giving my tire a spin and lightly touching chalk to it in one spot. None of the lines appear crooked to the naked eye.
 
as long as the L brackets are adjustable, that's fine.
A bit overcomplicated yet simple; vs the level or laser systems .
 
how so fastbraden? none of my measurements involve the rims in any way. I'm measuring to a line on the tire itself. My L brackets are adjustable, but it I agree it might be a bit overdone and complicated. But it was a lot cheaper than the laser systems.
 
DianSmokes said:
how so fastbraden? none of my measurements involve the rims in any way. I'm measuring to a line on the tire itself. My L brackets are adjustable, but it I agree it might be a bit overdone and complicated. But it was a lot cheaper than the laser systems.
Click to expand...

its hard to explain as to why.....feel free to call me and i can explain it more simple.....870-434-5702........troy
 
If the string going across the rear and up the right side are a TRUE 90 degrees to each other, and square to the rear axle the measurement will be accurate for toe.
I always run zero toe
 
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