Morris Minor Owners Club

Hi all,
This may sound a bit of a daft question but hey isn't that what we are all here for!! I am having my tracking done on Monday and I know that the book says it is 2.4mm toe in but is that overall ie 1.2mm each side or 2.4mm both sides.

It's VERY simple to DIY the tracking. My gauge is made from Dexion and a 6" steel rule to measure the gap. So yes - each wheel should deviate from the straight ahead by the same amount. The figure was never quoted in metric numbers. However 2.4mm is approx 1/10" and so that is near enough, shared between the two wheels. All that is required is a tiny bit of toe-in - so effectively the wheels will run straight on the road. It is important that the track rods each side are screwed into the track rod ends by exactly the SAME amount. Obviously - there is no point doing tracking unless all the joints and bushes are in tip top condition..........

Bmcecosse, Thank you for this info. I did think of doing it myself but I assume you need a straight edge to go from wheel to wheel, which I haven't got. All bushes have been replaced. Don't know about the track rod ends as I only had to replace one and just put it back approximately where it was. Why is it so important that they are the same?

I recently replaced the steering rack & TRE's.
Took it to a local place for tracking ....
They have a very fancy machine for doing it, all computerised etc, so all the operative has to do is put the make of car in & press the button. Of course Morris Minor was not on the computer so they were stumped.
I told them what the toe-in should be in both imperial & metric, but they said that they used degrees!
Looked on Google (handy mobile phone) & it gave 0.8 deg toe-in so they were able to do it. You might need it in degrees.
Then they charged £35.
I had a look when I got home & found that they hadn't even released the clips on the gaiters before turning the track rods, so the gaiters were all screwed up, which would surely shorten the life of them...so be aware this may happen. I put that right & was glad I checked.
I could not believe it! So I will be getting a "piece of dexion & a 6" rule" or something similar, in future.

I also noticed that when they were scanning their system for Morris Minor, that they had Maybach in there...I would bet a pound to a pinch of the proverbial that they will encounter more Moggies than Maybachs!

Hahahahaha - my gauge is a length of Dexion - with two 12" arms securely bolted on at right angles. The main piece is wider then necessary - so if/when I require to track a Maybach - I can move one arm along. The arms need to be at rt angles to the main beam and very securely bolted through so they don't move. I simply lay it on bricks so the arms are touching the sidewall (at hub height) on one side -and measure the gap at the other. Then slide the bar under the car and repeat on the back edge of the tyre. If in any doubt - repeat the measures to check you get the same readings..... Then adjust as necessary (only tiny movements are usually required) and recheck. Ok -it's not the fastest way of doing this - but it will save you having twisted gaiters, and £35 in your pocket! I did my daughters Clio last week-end - only hassle was extremely tight lock nuts on the track rods - but once that was overcome I had soon converted 4mm toe IN to 1 mm toe OUT (measured twice) as requitred for a FWD car. She has yet to pay me the £35....

Very good! many thanks for the explanation of it all...and it doesn't matter if it takes a while, look at the saving & the satisfaction.

As for the £35 for doing the Clio...well, that's what dads are for!

Cheers!

Oh - before I did the tracking I first had to buy the two new front tyres.........

Thanks again for the replies.It never ceases to amase me some of the muppets trying to use sophisticated equipment...I wouldn't trust some of them with sharp scissors.
0.8 deg thats going to be useful