Correct toe settings can make or break your car’s performance on track day. With toe plates, you can dial in precise alignment from your garage or paddock.

What Is Toe?

Toe describes the direction your wheels point relative to each other.

• Toe-in: Front of the tires point toward each other.
• Toe-out: Front of the tires point away from each other.

Toe affects straight-line stability, corner entry grip, and tire wear.

Why Toe Matters on Track

Toe settings affect steering feel and response. Too much toe-in causes understeer. Excessive toe-out makes the car twitchy. Proper toe also reduces rolling resistance and protects tire edges under lateral loads.

What You’ll Need

• A flat surface or alignment platform
• Toe plates with magnets (like Longacre Standard Toe Plates)
• Two tape measures with 1/32″ increments
• Chalk or masking tape to mark tire centerlines
• A friend (optional, but helpful)

Step 1: Prepare the Car

Before getting started, there are a few actions to take to help ensure accurate toe settings.

• Ensure tire pressures are correct and consistent.
• Roll the car forward and backward to relax suspension.
• Set the steering wheel straight and lock it in place.

Step 2: Position the Toe Plates

• Rest a toe plate against the outside of each front tire.
• Use the kick-out bottom design to keep the plates flat.
• Magnets hold the tape measures in place for easy readings.

Step 3: Measure Toe

• Thread one tape through the front slots of both plates.
• Do the same for the rear slots.
• Read both measurements to 1/32″.

Toe measurement = front tape length minus rear tape length

• If the front is shorter, you have toe-in.
• If the front is longer, you have toe-out.

Step 4: Adjust Toe Settings

• Loosen the tie rod lock nuts on both sides.
• Adjust tie rods equally to preserve steering wheel center.
• Re-measure after each small adjustment.

Step 5: Finalize and Test

• Tighten lock nuts and double-check your readings.
• Roll the car again and re-check to confirm.
• Test on track and make fine adjustments as needed.

Pro Tips for Track Alignment

• Slight toe-out improves initial turn-in response.
• Toe-in may help with straight-line braking stability.
• Rear toe also affects rotation—experiment within safe limits.
• Always check alignment after camber or caster changes.

Recommended Products

• Longacre Aluminum Toe Plates with Magnets – Easy, accurate, and paddock-friendly.
• Dual Tape Measure Set – 3/4″ wide with 1/32″ increments for precise readings.
• Alignment Bundle Kits – Everything you need for weekend setup and testing.

Conclusion

Setting toe with toe plates is fast, affordable, and track-proven. A few minutes of alignment work can give you tighter lap times, better tire wear, and more confidence behind the wheel.