64Ragtop

I just purchased a front end rebuild kit( rubber) for my 64 and will have the work completed this week. I will obviously have to have the front of the car aligned but will I have to realign the tow and camber on the rear end as well. I just installed a new diff; all 6 u joints and new adjustable strut rods around 3 months ago and had the rear aligned at that time. Is it really necessary do do a 4 wheel alignment like I've been told by some folks?
Thanks in advance for your input.

Pilot Dan

It would be easy enough to check the rear alignment when you have it at the alignment shop and tweak the Camber if needed or confirm nothing has changed. You don't mention if you have ever serviced the rear T Arm bushings and shims. If they look good and everything is tight I would leave it alone. Pilot Dan

MikeM

The factory didn't use that process when your car was built. Is it necessary? Probably not. Is it beneficial? Could be.

64Ragtop

Thanks for the info guys. I have not had the trailing arms out of the car in the 15 years I have owned it but everything looks great and like I said I had a fresh rear alignment done 3mos. ago and no problems to date.

JohnZ

Actually, the factory DID use a 4-wheel alignment process, for everything except front toe-in. Rear camber and toe-in and front caster and camber were all set at the same time in a fixture on the Frame Upside-Down Line with the front and rear suspension compressed to design ride height, and front toe-in was set at road speed in the Toe-In Pit at Roll Test.

MikeM

Alright, ya' got me!

I've never seen that piece of equipment.

Maybe a better statement from me was the 4 wheel alignment wasn't done at the end of the line when front toe was set like it is done today on other car lines. Even those with a solid rear axle.

Frankie the Fink

Why wouldn't you do it ?
Another 15-30 minutes and a few more bucks and you drive off worry-free...

64Ragtop

Your right. Would save some stress down the road knowing all 4 points were aligned at the same time. Thanks

MikeM

There is a difference between simply aligning the front end and the rear end suspensions vs aligning the front/rear suspensions including thrust angle of the rear axle. The latter takes special equipment.

My comments above about four wheel alignment necessity were directed at "thrust angle", not just simply adjusting alignment on all four wheels.

Since I've not seen that equipment John showed in his picture, I'd GUESS that it not only sets rear toe but also the rear thrust angle. Maybe not.

This helps explain the difference.

http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repa...ques096_4.html

64Ragtop

Interesting article. I'll look into it (thrust angle) and mention it to the alignment shop. Thanks

MikeM

I don't think the equipment FTF showed will correct toe for thrust angle. Could be wrong though as I never worked in alignment. The newer equipment uses lasar equipment to do the job.

Frankie the Fink

It may not - can't say. i think you would need something that deals with all 4 wheels at once and not just one axle at a time.

But unless your car is "dog-tracking" down the street, getting squirrely on a hard launch, or, steering funny I don't think the thrust angle is that big a deal. That's based on the supposed symptoms in the link MikeM posted.

Not many laser alignment systems in 1963 - like NONE!

MikeM

That is exactly why I posted in my first answer above that doing a four wheel alignment may help, may not. If your factory shim pack in the rear trailing arms has not been disturbed and your frame has never been reefed, aligning the rear wheels with the front may be a waste of money.

AFAIK, four wheel alignment consists of aligning both the front and rear suspensions PLUS the thrust angle. Otherwise, you have a two wheel alignment on each end. Not a four wheel alignment.

As far as the fixture John showed, it wasn't lasar but I'd guess it set thrust angle in addition to toe.

JohnZ

The factory system on the Frame Line included establishing the thrust angle and aligning to it, and the Visualiner system (as shown in Frankie's photo) can do the same thing - the mirror system was/is VERY accurate. The laser system isn't any more accurate, it's just easier to work with than the conventional mirror system. St. Louis used a Visualiner system to audit the performance of the production machines on the Frame Line.

JohnZ

Which makes Malone worth a whole lot more than the machine!

Frankie the Fink

Ooops fat fingered my post and deleted it.

Here is Malone in action! Only thing is that he won't let me drive on to the machine he insists on doing it. I grit my teeth the whole time but he knows what he's doing !!

MikeM

It looks like the machine is doing two wheels at a time, not four but WTFDIK?

64Ragtop

Talked to Bob at Elroy and Son's alignment and Brake here in the Denver area and he assured me that he could do the job. This guy has been in the biz for over 40 years and tells me he has done lots of midyears. The car does not track wrong down the road. The shims have never been messed with and I've never seen any abnormal tire wear.

John BX NY

Here's how they do it nowadays...

http://www.foriauto.com/Our-Products...heel-Alignment