I’m good friends with one of the managers there and they probably work on more old cars than anything.
Crazy alignment problems
- Thread starter Craig Burriss
- Start date
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rustycowll69
Well-Known Member
how are the UCA's identified? Are they idiot proof, so they can only go on one way? Hopefully, you have the left UCA on the left side.
I know I've seen some postings on here in the past, where the tubular UCA's didn't fit correctly. I never paid attention to which brands they were.
I know I've seen some postings on here in the past, where the tubular UCA's didn't fit correctly. I never paid attention to which brands they were.
I was planning on painting everything the right way but then I moved suddenly and just threw the car together over a weekend so I could get it on a trailer.
That’s good. But think a little.
Most shops likely only have to do a quick toe adjustment all day long with newer cars. If you bring it to them with the tie rod assemblies off that much will they take the time to center them correctly and make sure your steering reach is the symetrical in both directions?
Knowing the manager is less important than knowing the alignment tech.
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I have always installed my cambolts from the inside out as well, nut and lock washer to the outside of the shock tower. Should not matter but it gives a good look to see if you are out of threads for clamping.
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
That is the symptom of too much toe-in. What happens is that the toe causes a strain on the suspension and pulls the car down causing the camber change. I never would have believed it unril I saw it on my son's Barracuda. A little toe adjustment and it stopped doing that.
rustycowll69
Well-Known Member
even if your driveway isn't level, it's theoretically possible to jack it up with cribbing to get it level, so you can do your adjustments to get it pretty close. it's a little tougher with a-bodies because the track width is wider at front wheels, but it's still doable. I use string lines and measuring tapes.
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Hellrats
Just another dumbass
Not to be an *** but if you have all the parts on that you going to install just call the tow truck. These front ends can be a ***** if you don't know what you doing. One tweak makes a big one somewhere else and it looks like you have changed many parts. Get all the stuff on you can do yourself and let them align it. Just be assured you will be going back a few times after everything settles in to get it adjusted again.
Never experienced that personally and how far off does it take. Certainly seems plausible but dang even with an eye, how far off are we talking 2 to 3 inches? Been running 4 years now with no alignment and simple strings, but in a nice level garage at setup.
I would say JIM LUSK hit on the head, that is what I was going to say.
get 4 pieces of sheet metal grease in between 2 and put them under your front wheels so they can slide around, use a tape measure in front of wheels and in rear of wheels and set the toe to 0 and that should get you down the road to the shop.
Bounce the car in between adjustments and remeasure.
get 4 pieces of sheet metal grease in between 2 and put them under your front wheels so they can slide around, use a tape measure in front of wheels and in rear of wheels and set the toe to 0 and that should get you down the road to the shop.
Bounce the car in between adjustments and remeasure.
Jim is an authority but still have never seen eye sighted toe turn that bad, we could not see both sides at the same time and the tie rod assemblies were surely off preferred. Maybe my eyes are better than I thought.
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You can lift one side and crank the tierod then set it back down and bounce it. Check it then lift it agin if needed and crank it some more.
No plates need.
Yea that doesn't work...
rustycowll69
Well-Known Member
I think I remember seeing disk brakes in his pics, so I'm assuming late model swap, which I believe gives it much bigger track width in front compared to back. That's why I said it's harder to sight down the wheels front to back, but if you think about it , you can account for that with your string lines and such
The rear track has nothing to do with setting the toe in or even aligning that car. All dusters had a narrower rear track than the front end. All you need is a couple of measurements on the front wheels one behind and one in front subtract one from the other and that will tell you what your toe in or toe out is. You lift the front end on one side and you crank the tie rod to bring that wheel in or out as needed.
As much thread as you had on those tie rod ends on that one side that is the one I would crank on first so you can bring those Wheels closer together on the front.
As much thread as you had on those tie rod ends on that one side that is the one I would crank on first so you can bring those Wheels closer together on the front.
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I can tell you have never done a alignment.
Since you don't want to haul it to be fix you might as well go ahead an move the rear cams on each side all the way in to the fenderwell and the front cams all the way out. Then take a tape measure and set the toe in to 1/8- 1/4 inch. That will save your tires to get it aligned.
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I owned a frontend shop. So keep your get somebody killed ways to your self.
rustycowll69
Well-Known Member
it has to do with eyeballing the toe-in. If the tracks were the same you could sight frt to back and/or back to frt to get it close. i guess i have to spell it out in gory detail. Point the frt wheels straight ahead with steering wheel centered(lock to lock). This may involve adjusting the tie rods if they are too far out of whack. Since the track is wider at front, if you extend a string line , from edge of front tires/wheels backwards and rear wheel/tires forward the string lines should be parallel to each other, and be the same distance apart right side to left side.
Now you could do a similar thing by just working with the frt wheels, if you could fashion a caliper to measure the distance side to side on the leading edge of the wheel comparing it to the distance side to side on the trailing edge of the wheel. I think this is harder. because there's stuff in the way. But to each his own.
Eyeball it all day long. Or do an actual measurement instead with a tape measure and adjust accordinly.
Whatever floats your boat.
He said he knows nothing about it but you want to teach him that's great, do it.
Safest thing is trailer it. It's not right so haul it.
Whatever floats your boat.
He said he knows nothing about it but you want to teach him that's great, do it.
Safest thing is trailer it. It's not right so haul it.
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67Dart273
Well-Known Member
Of course it works. It just takes more "work."
I was just telling the OP the easiest way to get the job done, using a 2 piece's of sheet metal is the easiest way if you don't have turntables.
That's how we used to align the late model stock car my friend had for years and it worked great. you could do it on the pavement but that is very difficult because the tire can't slide when it needs to, It would be easier in the gravel than on pavement.
That's how we used to align the late model stock car my friend had for years and it worked great. you could do it on the pavement but that is very difficult because the tire can't slide when it needs to, It would be easier in the gravel than on pavement.
Jim Lusk
Well-Known Member
We were probably about 1/2" too much toe in. Fortunately when we had it happen we had about 50 experts on hand (SCCA autocross event). Got it fixed in a hurry.
Also, the front track is wider than the rear on an A-body. That's one of the reason the eyeball method doesn't work very well.
67Dart273
Well-Known Member
It's amazing to me that it took "that little" toe to cause that big a problem. I'd guess that the more grip you have / wider tires the worse it becomes.
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