How much, if any, toe-in or toe-out should the drives be aligned in relationship to each other for best handling and/or performance?

My PQ 340 had the drives toe in (props closer than leading edge) 1/16".

1/16 to 1/8" is usually what is recommended.

My SSMV's are toed in 1/16 inch

I've always heard the following:
props turning out = 1/8" toe-in
props turning in = 1/8" toe-out

I setup my scarab that way and it seemed to handle better on the top end

Thanks for the info! I know the drive alignment in relation to each other is scewed cause I just eye-balled it when we reinstalled and aligned the drives (to the trannys), and the steering wheel is turned slightly to the right when driving straight.

Then there's always the debate as to what everybody views as toed in:
To me Toed-in would be LEADING edge in closer than the at the prop center line.
If you look down at your feet and your toes are toed in that would be leading edge in right?

When you align the front end of a car, toe -in has the fronts of the tires closer than the rear (as you drive down the road)
And toe-out would be the fronts of the tires pointing away from eachother.


DS

Zanie-- No debate here buddy. It's just like a car to me. Sounds like we're on the same page--Lou

Good article in Poker Runs Mag a few months ago (Volume 7 Number 1) called "Attitude Adjustment - 100 MP One Inch At A Time". They describe toe-in as the leading edge of drives closer together than the rear. The boat they were dialing in (35 Fountain with 600 CID motors, Stelling boxes, IMCO Shorties) needed toe out. They experimented with 3/8" toe-out to 1/16" toe-out. The higher the speed, the less toe-out needed (to a point where handling becomes an issue). They finally settled on 1/8" toe-out.

It's a pretty cool article on 1 persons quest for 100 MPH. They added boxes, changed drives, props, trim tabs, toe out, etc. in their search for a safe 100 MPH and shared results along the way.

Good luck - be safe,
Doug

Yep, I read that article too...good stuff.

I also think of toe-in and toe-out as the same way it is on a car too and when I initially asked the question I assumed that the drives should be aligned so that the props are slightly farther apart than the leading edge. As a point of reference, I was planning on using the upper grease zirk fitting on the outer transom assemby as a leading edge reference point, and then the centerline of the prop nut as the trailing edge.

So just to clarify, should I start with the centerline of the props 1/8" father apart than the centerline of the of the outer transom assembly upper zirk grease fitting?