Dana 30 and Dana 44 Front Axle Toe Adjustment

Toe is the amount that the wheels are pointed in or out, often called “total toe in or out”. On a Jeep CJ it is only adjustable on the front axle and is adjusted by rotating the long tie rod or in some cases rotating the threaded sleeve at the tie rod end. The short rod from the pitman arm is called the drag link. Adjusting the tie rod usually requires loosening the clamps that keep the tie rod secure and removing or un-attaching the steering stabilizer. Typically a Jeep’s toe is adjusted 1/4″ less in the front of the tire to the rear of the tire.

Adjusting toe on a CJ is quite easy. It takes a little time and preparation to get it right. Of course an alignment rack would do a better job but this procedure will do the trick and save you a couple of bucks.

Procedure
Support the Jeep on jack stands at the axles so both front tires are only an inch or so off the ground. Make the best attempt at making sure the wheels are straight. Using 2 pieces of angle cut long enough to clear the height of the tires attach them to each tire centered over the wheel center and parallel to the ground. We attached them to the tires using a few bungees.

Put a tape measure on the front side and the rear side of the angles and compare the measurements. Make sure the tapes are just touching the tread surface of the tire. Rotate the toe adjuster to make the front measurement 1/4 inch less than the rear. Rotating the toe adjuster will alter both measurements so be sure to check them.

A good verification is to rotate the wheels 180 degrees and check the whole thing again. If it checks out you can tighten up the adjuster and you are finished. If it’s off you may have a bent wheel or your tires are unevenly shaped.

A little more accurate…

Follow the above procedure but remove the wheels and attach the angles to the wheel hub. This will eliminate the wheel variables.

Related info: Toe, Caster, and Camber – What does it mean and how to adjust it.