Front end alignment

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TwistedPenta

TwistedPenta

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Oak Hill WV
Anyone wanna give me tips on doing an at home front end alignment?
I know mechanically how it works and how to adjust. I just don't know where it should be set.
Tops of the tires are in further than the bottom. I cam'd them out some so the tires sit straighter. Measuring front of the wheels it was 63" and the back of the wheels 51.5" toed out? I need to bring it in with the tie rod but how much? Should the be equal?
 
Unless you have something to measure caster, you simply cannot do it at home.
 
Good that you tried,.. there are a few other threads, if you can't find what you need there.. cheers . . grant
 
You need to get yourself a real computer. This nonsense of using a phone to run this board does not work. There is far too much 'stuff' here to figure things out on a 1" square display.

As Rob said, you need to measure caster/ camber. There are several ways to do that. You can build your own camber gauge and compute caster, or you can buy a number of reasonable priced gauges, or in my case, I picked up some front end alignment "stuff" cheap.

Go to AllPar

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/front-end-alignment.html

and use their "skosh chart."

Toe is a simple matter, but you have to do it RIGHT. You need to establish a scribe line on the tires so that you have the ROTATIONAL PLANE of the tires That is, jack up, use a homemade scribe like a nail in a board under your knee, etc, and rotate the tire to scribe around. You can also use paint or tape for more "contrast."

Then simply measure front and rear and take the difference. Measure as close as possible to the same height as the spindle. USE YOUR BRAIN. If the tires measure LONGER in front, than rear, they are toed OUT. RECHECK, it's easy to lose 1/8" if you aren't careful.

If you get the toe "right" but the steering wheel is not centered going down the street, you'll have to "walk" one tie rod one way, and the other side the other way, to bring the wheel back centered. RECHECK toe.

"stuff"

http://www.maximummotorsports.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=71&products_id=192

http://www.circletrack.com/eventcoverage/ctrp_0212_bob_mccreadie_race_career/nascar_video_game.html

http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/..._alignment_guide/measuring_camber_caster.html

Some of my "used crap" I've picked up

I bought an old Ammco caster / camber gauge, the wheel adapters for them, the tire swivel plates, and a POS toe gauge for a little over a hundred bucks. Since I usually work alone, I bought another toe gauge setup off ebay fairly reasonable, which I had to modify. (It was for trucks) If I did it again, I'd just BUILD one.

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=227050
 
I have nothing to measure caster with. I was hoping for some way to just get it close. But I won't ask anymore questions. If I can't search and find it, I'll just forget about it.
 
Oh that was a mature response.
 
It wasn't meant to be offensive to anyone. I don't have Internet at home. I just have to use what I have. I tried searching.
 
And we've given help. If you wanna do it yourself, you have to have something to measure caster. Summit sells some nice gauges.
 
The biggest thing about caster is making both sides the same. I have set-up (read that as restored from a sudden impact) at the track using an angle gage (or a decent bubble level) by measuring from a a spindle housing, strut, or whatever means necessary to compare one side to the other.

For a street driven car or something you want to be predictable, nothing beats a decent alignment shop!
 
I'm all for the do it yourself stuff, but I'll let you know, Firestone, here in WA State is doing lifetime aligments these days for under $200.00. No matter what you do the the front end, after you do this servcie, adding new parts changing parts etc, they will always put your car on the rack and check alignment, at no charge.

Just a thought, if fighting an aligment on your own gets too frustrating. I also think the Haynes Manuals have stock specs for the camber caster and toe. Since internet is not a full option.
 
'73 Root Beer said:
............ Firestone, ..................Haynes Manuals have stock specs for the camber caster and toe.................
Click to expand...


This may not be particularly good advice, given the track record of "big box" stores, and Firestone for me is in that category. You do NOT want to use "stock specs" with modern radial tires.
 
'73 Root Beer said:
I'm all for the do it yourself stuff, but I'll let you know, Firestone, here in WA State is doing lifetime aligments these days for under $200.00. No matter what you do the the front end, after you do this servcie, adding new parts changing parts etc, they will always put your car on the rack and check alignment, at no charge.

Just a thought, if fighting an aligment on your own gets too frustrating. I also think the Haynes Manuals have stock specs for the camber caster and toe. Since internet is not a full option.
Click to expand...

Yes they will check the alignment for free but will charge for adjustments
Is a scam to sell more alignments.
 
There are 2 threads on bottom of the front page about this already, you don't have to search, just scroll.
 
67Dart273, thanks for catching that with the radial/bias ply tires, totally forgot about the differences, whilst throwing ideas out.
 
Just spend the time & money to have it done professionally by a reputable alignment shop. The $$ you think you are saving will go by quick if you do it wrong as soon as you have to replace tires. You'll probably spend as much on a hub gauge as an alignment will cost.(about $80) Make sure they do a 4 wheel alignment even though the rear is not adjustable the machine will compensate for the centerline of the vehicle & the front will be set more acurate. As other members said, don't use the old factory specs. Tell them what you want it set to & don't trust the chain store shops unless you have references from other people. A "lifetime alignment" is a waste of $$. They never will do a complete alignment afterwards because it doesn't pay. all you get is a check & if it's close they let it go. Toe-n-go is about all they'll do!
 
The young techs don't have the old books to go buy. They will do a bad job, unless you give them the specs, and then they ***** about no warranty.

Read up, you can do it with a 2' level and a tape measure. I was a dealer front end mech; I do it at home now. Hell with $80.
 
If you just use your phone to access the actual site, not forum runner, you can search, etc. My laptop broke, I'm poor, and I have no choice but my phone.
 
Forget big box lifetime alignments on these Chrysler torsion bar suspensions, they will never do it right, hell they can’t align a modern car correctly. All they do is get green numbers to pop up and call it good. One side can be to the far side of specks and the other side at the opposite outer limits specks. I don’t know if they know how to, or care to fine tune it so car goes down the road nicely. They are in the tire sales and front end parts biz after all… if you get my drift.

While shopping around for a Chrysler friendly alignment shop, and you hear something like this: “yeah, we do old Vetts and Stangs all the time, no problem”. Run from that place, they have no clue.
 
If it's a street "only" car, I'd find a good frontend shop that knows Mopars. One thing you never want is unpredictabilty with the alignment of a street vehicle. There are too many variables that can come into play. (i.e. was the car ever wrecked, was the front frames rails ever heated and brought into 25 year ago specs.) Home alignment is putting your life and everyone elses on the road in jeopardy. Just my 2 bits worth.
 
I'm just trying to get it decent enough to drive to an alignment shop. I made a bunch of adjustments (tightening up and driving around the yard between changes to let things settle). It's got worse problems. The lower control arm bushings are junked out. That was most likely the main prob from the start. I couldn't find any slack anywhere till yesterday. I thank u guys for all the help. and once again I apologize for any inconvenience this post may have caused
 
You can do the ENTIRE alignment at your home better than any monkey at your home town joint alignment shop.

Time after time, people come on her complaining how their alignment shop screwed up their front end. And because they don't search, it's like groundhog's day. Same question, same answer.


Save your cash, they will dick it up. No one cares about your car like you do.


Here, have an article on LCAB replacement:

http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/tipstricks/155_0306_control_arms/viewall.html
 
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