Tires Front tires tow in/out and how much?

[claytr]

Should the front tires on a wide frint end be towed in or out, and how much?

 

[DmansPadge]

Should the front tires on a wide frint end be towed in or out, and how much?

I'm sure there is an actual spec for whatever it is your working on. With that being said, on large trucks and equipment we used to give them a little toe in. Kind of a rough way to do it but we'd put a tape measure from center of tread to center of tread on the front and rear of the tires and give it about 1/8-1/4" toe in.

 

[claytr]

Thanks,
This is an older farm tractor, and there is some play in the steering. When I go down the highway the front wheels want to wobble back and forth sometimes, so I thought a little tow might reduce this some. Any other suggestions other than changing my toe?

 

[DGS]

Thanks,
This is an older farm tractor, and there is some play in the steering. When I go down the highway the front wheels want to wobble back and forth sometimes, so I thought a little tow might reduce this some. Any other suggestions other than changing my toe?

If you have wobble then it may need tie rod ends replacing which isn't a big job. Just take measurements like the length of total tie rod length before you take it all apart. It also may be your steering box which also can be adjusted for steering play easily also.
Good luck and keep us posted
DGS

 

[KennyV]

1/4 or inch or more, toe in will help with the wobble as the tire scrub will reduce it.
Worn steering parts need to be looked at if you are running this on the street.
Another common cause for wobble is out of round tires... a lot of AG tires are not necessarily perfectly round... KennyV

 

[GE222]

Check the tractors service manual. It is often listed.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Just a thot, but wouldnt toe out be better for turning on a tractor? That way the tire on the inside of the turn would be turned sharper.
larry

 

[KennyV]

Larry ... How do you figure that???
It would be LESS for the other front tire...
You always want toe in... even on a lil red wagon.

 

[RickB]

2Wd tractors 1/8" to 1/4" of toein.
4WD tractors 0" to 1/8" of toe in.
Or, as specified by the operator's manual.
I have never seen toe out specified.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Larry ... How do you figure that???
It would be LESS for the other front tire...
You always want toe in... even on a lil red wagon.

Actually it will probably leave the turn angle of the outside wheel unchanged because only one turn stop acts at a time and they are usually in front of the axle thereby stopping the angle of the outside wheel. You want neutral or toe in when going straight. For effective turning the inside wheel needs to turn at a greater angle because its cutting a sharper circle. Most vehicles handle this by the angle of the steering arm. in just seems my Mahindra doesnt develop enuf toe out when turning. It may not have an optimum angle for maneuverabily and the steering arm is not adjustable. Ill have to measure the straight ahead toe in figure and reduce it if too high. Since tractors are almost never going straight I dont see why even slight toe out would not be generally helpful.
larry

 

[Ken Pike]

I have a 1955 Massey Harris Pacer (one of the first Compacts??) that had a lot of play in the steering box. Front wobble when you hit a bump at any speed on a gravel lane was scary. Before I repaired the box, I checked the toe-in, it was toed out quite a bit. Cranked it in some & wobble went away. Made a new hardened pin for the steering box & eliminated most all the play.

 

[KennyV]

Actually it will probably leave the turn angle of the outside wheel unchanged because only one turn stop acts at a time and they are usually in front of the axle thereby stopping the angle of the outside wheel.



Since tractors are almost never going straight I dont see why even slight toe out would not be generally helpful.
larry

Toe in/out has nothing to so with the stops... It is the leading edge/lagging edge relationship of one wheel to the other...

Positive camber angle on the inside wheel in a turn could be helpfull, BUT on most tractors castor and camber are not something that can be changed... (most tractors do not have independent suspension).


My tractors spend most of their time going straight.

Set some toe out an give it a try, you will dial it back to toe in... toe out will tear up your lawn. KennyV

 

[RickB]

Since tractors are almost never going straight I dont see why even slight toe out would not be generally helpful.
larry

For starters, a tractor with toe out will wander something fierce on hard surfaces at higher speeds. Just what you want on a public highway. Find me a tractor op manual that specifies toe out; I'll be the most surprised member of TBN.

 

[SPYDERLK]

Larry ... How do you figure that???
[It would be LESS for the other front tire...]
You always want toe in... even on a lil red wagon.

[Toe in/out has nothing to so with the stops...] It is the leading edge/lagging edge relationship of one wheel to the other...

Positive camber angle on the inside wheel in a turn could be helpfull, BUT on most tractors castor and camber are not something that can be changed... (most tractors do not have independent suspension).


My tractors spend most of their time going straight.

Set some toe out an give it a try, you will dial it back to toe in... toe out will tear up your lawn. KennyV

[Then why in the world did you bring it up?]
Like I said, toe out in a turn is designed into the steering geometry. A little more seems needed on the 7520.
Why would = amounts of either toe out or toe in make any difference in tearing up the lawn? When going straight scrubbing would be =. Toe out would definitely tear it up less in tight turns.
larry

 

[SPYDERLK]

For starters, a tractor with toe out will wander something fierce on hard surfaces at higher speeds. Just what you want on a public highway. Find me a tractor op manual that specifies toe out; I'll be the most surprised member of TBN.

Understood. That is because neutral toe would develop as it went off straight, so the tractor would want to be turning....Back and forth.
larry

 

[Scotty370]

I'm with the 1/8" toe in crowd! ~Scotty

 

[Chilly807]

Just food for thought. It's not a tractor as such, but Honda recommends toe out for their Foreman ATVs. A fair amount too, as I recall, something like 8-12 mm from front to back of front tires.

Chilly

 

[KennyV]

[Then why in the world did you bring it up?]

larry

I "brought it up" in response to the #3post... as wonder and steering wobble will decrease as you increase toe in.

 

[SPYDERLK]

..(Post#3) .. Thanks,
This is an older farm tractor, and there is some play in the steering. When I go down the highway the front wheels want to wobble back and forth sometimes, so I thought a little tow might reduce this some. Any other suggestions other than changing my toe?

Larry ... How do you figure that???
It would be LESS for the other front tire...
You always want toe in... even on a lil red wagon.

I "brought it up" in response to the #3post... as wonder and steering wobble will decrease as you increase toe in.

"It would be LESS for the other front tire..." - - is in response to post #3 ??! I dont understand how you are applying that statement then... and even less why you put it in a post answering me.
larry

 

[KennyV]

larry.. Relax, I am not sure now what you are in reference to, or if you feel offended by my 'toe in is good, toe out is bad' position.
The OP asked about the amount of toe in, the 3rd post (from the same fella) mentioned why he asked, and that there was looseness in his steering that allowed "wobble back and forth sometimes, so I thought a little tow might reduce this some." I agreed with that in #5 and added another possable cause of front end wobble... out of round tires.

Your #7 ..."Just a thot, but wouldnt toe out be better for turning on a tractor? That way the tire on the inside of the turn would be turned sharper.
larry"
My response to you ... was that I couldn't see how you figured that as the outside wheel would then be turning at a LESS angle...

My only reason for bringing up toe in at all was to answer the question about .... toe in.... !

If you have taken this as some type of attack... It certainly was not intended as such... I simply stated try your theory of toe out, see what it does. And that I thought you would soon be setting it back towards toe in as I can see a lot of damage to your lawn using toe out to assist in a turn...
Try it you might have came up with a great turning assist? KennyV
PS. Anyway I do hope the OP has found the correct setting for his tractor....