Author Topic: Home alignment attempt (Read 1117 times)

66gt350 · « **on:** March, 31, 2010, 07:25:23 PM »

Ok...for all those not familiar with my alignment woes, here's a link to my issues: http://www.stangfix.com/testforum/index.php/topic,6230.msg75550.html. I love Summitracing being one day shipping away. I ordered the camber/caster kit last night and it was waiting for me when I got home.

I got it put on and took my camber reading. According to the shop, my camber was 1/4° DS and 3/8° PS. I put on the contraption and this is what I get on both sides:

I checked the caster on the DS and it looks like it's 2°.
So, I'm gonna takes Shaun's advice (thanks alot!!) and screw in the back heim joint and remove a butt load of shims to get negative camber, and get the wheel back in the wheel well.

Shaun · « **Reply #1 on:** April, 01, 2010, 03:08:56 AM »

Quote from: 66gt350 on March, 31, 2010, 07:25:23 PM

Ok...for all those not familiar with my alignment woes, here's a link to my issues: http://www.stangfix.com/testforum/index.php/topic,6230.msg75550.html. I love Summitracing being one day shipping away. I ordered the camber/caster kit last night and it was waiting for me when I got home.

I got it put on and took my camber reading. According to the shop, my camber was 1/4° DS and 3/8° PS. I put on the contraption and this is what I get on both sides:

I checked the caster on the DS and it looks like it's 2°.
So, I'm gonna takes Shaun's advice (thanks alot!!) and screw in the back heim joint and remove a butt load of shims to get negative camber, and get the wheel back in the wheel well.

Is your floor level side to side exactly where your tires are sitting? If it isn't that will through off the readings.

BobV · « **Reply #2 on:** April, 01, 2010, 06:16:09 AM »

Also get some type of slider under both front wheels and bounce the car several times before taking readings...

M66Stang · « **Reply #3 on:** April, 01, 2010, 06:21:10 AM »

Be careful taking out to many shims from only the back bolt. The FSM recommends no more than 1/16" difference between both bolts which doesn't make dramatic caster changes.

66gt350 · « **Reply #4 on:** April, 01, 2010, 06:51:12 AM »

Shaun, I put the gauge on the floor right beside the wheel and it zeroed out. since both tires read at 1° camber, I'm thinking the shop floor is level side to side. Just thinking logically, if it was off, then one side was read way pos, and the other would read way negative.

I hear ya bout the sliders! Turning the wheels was a real (insert appropriate word here). I'll probably hit the tile stores today to see if they have any old, junk tiles.

Mark, I'm gonna be making up for removing the rear shims with the TCP strut rod. The strut rod is adjusted all the way forward.

Since, today is the only sunny day this week, i couldn't get my self to start ripping the suspension apart...had to drive the car to work today. So, tonight surgery begins!!

BobV · « **Reply #5 on:** April, 01, 2010, 07:00:05 AM »

Folded up large trash bags will work as sliders too...

Shaun · « **Reply #6 on:** April, 01, 2010, 07:04:41 AM »

Quote from: 66gt350 on April, 01, 2010, 06:51:12 AM

Shaun, I put the gauge on the floor right beside the wheel and it zeroed out. since both tires read at 1° camber, I'm thinking the shop floor is level side to side. Just thinking logically, if it was off, then one side was read way pos, and the other would read way negative.

Do you mean you put the guage on the floor at BOTH wheels and it zeroed out?

If you checked level on only one wheel but the guage on the wheels read the same, that doesn't mean both wheels have equal readings. If one side is way off and the floor isn't level with the other side, that will make the guage reading false.

66gt350 · « **Reply #7 on:** April, 04, 2010, 08:55:00 PM »

Well, I think that I'm almost done with Phase One...Here's what I've done so far:
I removed the upper control arms and screwed in the rear heim join on both two full turns, and I evened out some shims on both sides, removing some to reduce the camber. And I lengthen the strut rod about 1/2 to 3/4" to try and square up the lower control arm. I buttoned everything up, and rolled it out of the garage and rolled it back in and bounced the suspension to make sure it was unbound. For the slider plate, a found at work a couple of those manilla folders that were plastic instead of paper. I slit them down the crease and greased 'em up. Worked great, the tires turn effortlessly. I placed the tool on the ground by each tire and zeroed the level fot the camber reading, then read the camber and caster. The driver's side looked ok, but I was get negative caster on the passenger side. So, I jacked it up and removed the shims from the back bolt -- about 0.125". Again moved it out and in, and then took the camber and caster readings. This is where I'm currently at:

Camber -- Drivers side: -1/2°, Passenger side: -3/4°
Caster -- Drivers side: 1/2°, Passenger side 1°

I'm thinking of either jacking up the driver's side and removing about .032-0.064" of shim or pulling it forward slightly with the strut rod. I still need to check the toe-in, but it looks close. Here's what it's looking like now:
Passenger side

driver side

Shaun · « **Reply #8 on:** April, 05, 2010, 05:33:16 AM »

Tire position is looking a heck of a lot better!

If you have a camber kit, remove the shims on the rear UCA bolt or add more to the front bolt to get your caster around +3, then use the camber kit to set camber and the strut rod to tweak caster.

66gt350 · « **Reply #9 on:** April, 05, 2010, 06:59:09 AM »

I don't have a camber kit. I guess that's on wish list. I'll be contacting you for one at some point.

I guess I have one more question: When adjusting the toe-in...do I adjust both tie rods the same? Is this how I make sure that the steering wheel is centered?

thanks

AzPete · « **Reply #10 on:** April, 05, 2010, 07:04:49 AM »

As long as the steering wheel is mounted on the column and box in the correct orientation, you center the steering wheel, then adjust each wheel/tie rod so it is set at the proper setting.

66gt350 · « **Reply #11 on:** April, 06, 2010, 08:22:48 PM »

OK...here's the status.

Camber - DS: -3/4° & PS:-1/2°
Caster - DS: 1 1/4° & PS: 1°
toe-in - 1/8"

I took it out for a drive, and it was pulling to the left some and the steering wheel wasn't centered. So, I took it home got the toe-in correct, and started playing with the caster. Since it was pulling to the left, I figured I need to add more caster to the driver's side. I lengthened the strut rod and took it for a drive. Still pulling to the left. I shortened the passenger strut rod -- too much pulled a little to the left. So I lengthened the passenger strut rod about 1/2 way.

Here's where I'm sitting now:
Camber - DS: -1/2° & PS: -3/4°
Caster - DS: 1 1/2° & PS: 1/2°
need to wait for the wife to help to check the toe-in, but it should be close.

The caster I'm a little concerned about. From everything I've read it should be within about 1/4°. But I'm afraid if I add more caster to the passenger side, it's gonna start pulling again.

So, either the garage floor is royally :fbomb -ed, but it's fairly level, a slight be here or there but nothing significant. Or me or the car has some serious issues!! Probably me and I'm doing something wrong. :rp I'll probably drive it to work tomorrow, and hope that I make it.

Sluggo · « **Reply #12 on:** April, 06, 2010, 08:45:24 PM »

Quote

Camber - DS: -1/2° & PS: -3/4°
Caster - DS: 1 1/2° & PS: 1/2°

Looks like you are adjusting the caster to compensate for the camber.

The increased negative camber on the right could cause the left pull.

The way your caster is setup, you have the left wheel leading the right by a full degree. An over simplified way to look at it is your wheelbase is shorter on the right.

What you need to do is get the camber on the right set to -1/2 to match the left.

This will probably make the car pull right.

Bring your right caster up to 1 3/4. This will help compensate for any road crown. (I usually go no more than .2 degrees more positive on the right, some go .5 degrees)

Now fix the tow. (again) :lol

If it does not drive straight, I would measure the wheelbase center to center and see if it is close. You rear end may be a bit crooked.
You can not make this measurement with you current cross caster reading. It will be short on the right hand side.

gt289 · « **Reply #13 on:** April, 08, 2010, 06:48:12 AM »

+1 on what Sluggo said.
You shouldn't run split camber. This isn't Nascar.
Caster split is good compensation for road crown, as mentioned previously. (PS number
should lead and be about 1/2 degree/30 minutes more)

66gt350 · « **Reply #14 on:** April, 08, 2010, 06:56:56 AM »

Quote from: gt289 on April, 08, 2010, 06:48:12 AM

This isn't Nascar.

You haven't seen the way people drive around here in Redding!! They think it is!!! :lol

Ok...I think that I got it finished. I drove the car into work this morning and it handled pretty good. Here are the final specs:
camber: -3/8° both sides
caster: 1 1/2° - DS & 1 3/4° - PS
toe-in: 1/8" <--need to double check this tonight.

Thanks Sluggo for you invaluable words of wisdom!!!

Sluggo · « **Reply #15 on:** April, 08, 2010, 09:45:35 AM »

No problem. Glad you got it whipped.

Shaun · « **Reply #16 on:** April, 08, 2010, 11:39:48 AM »

Quote from: 66gt350 on April, 08, 2010, 06:56:56 AM

You haven't seen the way people drive around here in Redding!! They think it is!!! :lol

Ok...I think that I got it finished. I drove the car into work this morning and it handled pretty good. Here are the final specs:
camber: -3/8° both sides
caster: 1 1/2° - DS & 1 3/4° - PS
toe-in: 1/8" <--need to double check this tonight.

Thanks Sluggo for you invaluable words of wisdom!!!

That looks good. So, how does it feel knowing a lot more about alignment stuff than when you started? 8-)

66gt350 · « **Reply #17 on:** April, 08, 2010, 11:47:58 AM »

Quote from: Shaun on April, 08, 2010, 11:39:48 AM

That looks good. So, how does it feel knowing a lot more about alignment stuff than when you started? 8-)

As they say, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing -- especially for me!!! LOL I do understand alot more about how alignments work. I'll never be going back to the alignment shop again!!

Thanks Shaun for making a wonderful product!! Those control arms are great.

silverblueBP · « **Reply #18 on:** April, 08, 2010, 12:31:11 PM »

Wooo Hooooo, another convert :vic

Shaun · « **Reply #19 on:** April, 08, 2010, 04:28:59 PM »

Quote from: 66gt350 on April, 08, 2010, 11:47:58 AM

As they say, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing -- especially for me!!! LOL I do understand alot more about how alignments work. I'll never be going back to the alignment shop again!!

Thanks Shaun for making a wonderful product!! Those control arms are great.

Rock ON!

Midlife · « **Reply #20 on:** April, 08, 2010, 04:51:16 PM »

Quote from: 66gt350 on April, 08, 2010, 11:47:58 AM

As they say, a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing -- especially for me!!! LOL I do understand alot more about how alignments work. I'll never be going back to the alignment shop again!!

It's really satisfying to do your own alignments when the pro's refuse to do so or charge an arm and a leg. It ain't rocket science, and you only need simple tools and some patience.

65-408 · « **Reply #21 on:** April, 09, 2010, 08:39:55 AM »

So what is recommended for home alignment tools/gauges? can someone point me to the best bang for the buck....

66gt350 · « **Reply #22 on:** April, 09, 2010, 09:20:57 AM »

This is the one that i bought:

It's pretty easy to use. I also bought the optional toe-in adapter (shown in the picture), but that is tricky to use unless you have 2 people. with one person, I kept pulling it off the tire when I was stretching the tape.

If I was to do it again, I wouldn't buy the toe-in adapter, I'd think about getting this one from eastwood:

I posted a picture in a different thread of what it looks like on my tire, but unfortunately...I shared them through photobucket.com and that site is blocked here at work, so I can't attach 'em here...