Ranger 400 front wheel alignment help..........

[MotorSeven]

My neighbor wanted help doing a 100 hr service on his Ranger. FYI, you MUST clamp off the upper vent line on the oil reservoir & prime it even if you don't remove and clean the screen in the lower oil line. The owners manual is not too clear on this, so if you don't it will not pump oil after an oil change....this would not be good.

Anyway, we got everything done and were looking at his worn tires. He just ordered new ones and I commented that the toe-in on one side(front) was way off and his tires were worn more on the inside. I used a 10' 1" square aluminium tube for a straight edge. Placing it on the drivers rear tire across the center, we measured to the straight edge from each side of the drivers front rim, turning the steering wheel until the gap was even(about 1 3/4"). Then we went to the passenger side and did exactly the same thing. But, here is the confusing part, once I adjusted the tie rod(pas side), the gap on the passenger side was 5/8"....while the drivers side remained at 1 3/4. This is a 1 1/4" difference from driver to passenger side.

So we sat there testing theories, and I was looking at my Bulldog, so I thought, "what the heck, I'll check my machine". Well, it was almost identical with a little over 1" more gap on the drivers side. Soooo, my question is, did I do something wrong, or are these machines built with not much attention to front end alignment to the rear?

I triple checked the straight edge and it is almost perfect over 10 feet. We checked the rear tires in relation to the frames and they appear centered. Both machines tracked down the road fine with no pulling to right or left. I know Polaris machines have a "cant" to their front tires...kinda like the old VW bugs which straightens out with speed. This is not what we were trying to fix. What we were looking at was one tire pointed straight ahead, and the other angled out by quite a bit(his was almost 1.5 inches out before we started).

 

[SpudHauler]

The normal way to check toe-in/toe-out is to measure from the inside back of one side to the inside back of the opposite side and the do same for the front.

Not sure what the difference is for this machine.

Some measure from the center of each tire but that is harder to tell.

A straight bar held on the outside of each front tire and measure between these will also work.

Either way, 1/8 - 1/4" toe-out should be close enough.

Your method of measuring is probably going to look better after you do the polaris way.

Interesting to see what you find out.

Hope this helps.

 

[MotorSeven]

I am using the 10' straight bar across the middle of the rear wheel extending out past the front tire. The bar is touching the rear tire on both sides, and all measurements for the front were taken from, both sides of the rim back to the bar. I have the tires straight since both measurements on each side are the same(after adjusting the tie rod).

This is what I am seeing after both front wheels are perfectly straight...their is a larger gap(over one inch) on the drivers side front wheel as compared to the passenger front wheel:

When his tires come in and we put them back on(Tue), I am going to re-measure all of this again. What we did so far had re-centered the steering wheel which was off by 1/8 of a turn when driving straight down the road. I just can't figuur out why there is such a discrepancy from left front to right front...it's almost like the entire front end is off center?

I'm also thinking that while it is up on 4 jackstands with no wheels I will re-measure using the brake disc's as a reference point.

 

[SpudHauler]

Put your bars just on the front tires and adjust the toe out. Then re-center the steering.

Possible reasons for difference you see when measuring from the rear wheels.

Slight frame twist
Left or right rear wheel arms bent
Left or right front wheel arms bent
Accumulated slop in pivot bushings

That is why they just measure the front tires spacing.

On cars if this happens, they shim the rear end to straighten. Old shops never did 4 wheel alignments, just the fronts.

You will need a very accurate measuring system to get to the bottom of this one.

If it were me, I would align the fronts, install new tires and live with it.

 

[Xfaxman]

All of the cars and trucks that I have owned are made with toe in. Why does Polaris have toe out?

 

[SpudHauler]

As the suspension travel varies up and down I suspect you would find it probably goes to straight or toe in when compressed.

MotorSeven,
I'll bet if you put a 1/8" spacer on the front side of the rear tire on the right side between your metal rod and the tire that 5/8" measurement would change significantly. That's why I think just measuring the front tires is all that is really needed.

Found a bit of information that should help;
View attachment Chapter.2.Maintenance.pdf

 

[Xfaxman]

As the suspension travel varies up and down I suspect you would find it probably goes to straight or toe in when compressed.
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When I drove my new Ranger Electric, it would wander from side to side. Looking at the front wheels you could see major toe out.


I backed it into the shop to check and measured 1 1/4" toe out!

I adjusted it and no more wander. :thumbsup:

My EV thread: http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/atvs-utility-vehicles/287792-electric-polaris-ranger.html

 

[MotorSeven]

Spud, I understand what you are saying, but with the bars on the front tires only, isn't it possible to be measuring/setting those wheels if they are cocked left or right and not straight? You could have two parallel lines that are not straight to the frame or rear wheels....or am I overthinking a not too technical procedure for a UTV/ATV?

 

[SpudHauler]

Yes, a little overthinking. ha ha

It's hard not to when you see that much difference.

I know where you are coming from, but just line them up as straight ahead as close as possible by eye, hold your bars to the sides and take your measurements.

Book says to measure from center of each tire at front and back, but that's harder to judge.

Your method of two bars is sweet and easier if you have the man power to hold things while measuring.

Adjust the toe-out and then adjust the steering back to center if need be.

Trust me it will be fine.

I was told my Honda TRX450 would wear the front tires because too much too out. So I set them back to 1/8-1/4" toe-out.

Never saw any problems.

By the way, I've never tried measuring wheel alignment the way you did. Probably would have had a heart attack if I had, because some of the wrecks I've worked on over the years were pretty rough.

Oh, and that manual I attached had the first description I have ever saw suggesting to string from the back tires to the front for alignment. Never too late to learn something new even at my age. ha ha ha

 

[MotorSeven]

Tires are in and we pulled all 4 wheels off and took them into town to have them changed. This machine is 3 years old and all 4 rear CV boots are dry rotted bad. Front seem fine which is kinda odd. Are there any aftermarket boots out there that are better then these Polaris one's?