Dicecal

Had my 65 aligned, car seems tight but the steering wheel is slightly off center when driving straight. If I center up the steering wheel, the car drifts right slightly. Which alignment spec causes the steering wheel to be off center? caster ? toe? or a combination of those. I've been back & forth to the same shop, and he tells me this is the best he can do. I need to find another shop. One thing I did notice was a discrepancy in caster between the front wheels, left 2.3 and right is 2.6 degrees. He told me he does the left & right slightly different to compensate for the crowning of the road??? I just want my steering straight and the car going straight!!

Here are the specs he aligned the car to:

FRONT

Caster
L 2.3
R 2.6

Camber
L .2
R .3

Toe
L 0.05
R 0.00
total 0.05

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

66since71

If the car tracks straight (no pressure on the steering wheel), but the steering wheel is just off center, it's a simple toe adjustment. Your shop should be able to do it easily. If they can't, find a new shop.

Harry

KC John

I think I'd try another shop. If everything was done right and there were no worn out parts or a bent frame it would go straight. Someone has to be missing something.

63redvette

My tire alignment guy would rather choke on his own tongue than admit he was aligning my vette for the "crowning of the road"; shame on your alignment guy for telling you that kind of melarchy...definitely find another alignment shop, preferably one with good recommendations. Sorry this guy has made you go back time and again. Good luck.

Frankie the Fink

I've always heard that "road crown" story along with aligning differently for "radial vs bias ply tires". Never know what to believe. These cars also should be "4 wheel aligned" too. Your fella shoulda done that. My '63 had this done.

tbarb

I think his alignment specs are fine and the extra caster on the passenger side is done by field experience. The car will want to steer down the crown and the extra caster helps it stay straight.

Take some time and check the alignment of the steering linkage, steering wheel to shaft, rag joint installed the correct way and the steering box worm gear high mark slash aligned to the open slash in the lower half of the rag joint.

After you are sure all the linkage is aligned then the steering wheel can be set straight from the drivers seat and locked in place then the toe set. I believe his toe settings are fine for radial tires if that's what you have.

Powershift

If the car tracks/steers okay, but the steering wheel is not centered, that is corrected by adjusting both toe-in sleeves the same amount to center the steering wheel. You want to shorten one and lengthen the other the same distance until the steering wheel is centered.


Proven good alignment specs for bias and radial tires should be in the archives…….but the numbers you have appear reasonable.


Larry

Powershift

I think that alignment machine in your picture was used on my 1959 Ford when the car was NEW.

But if it is kept in good shape it should perform for another 50 years.

Larry

tbarb

Larry, I agree with you but first he should check to be sure the linkage is aligned straight, then the toe can be moved as you say.

bluzrocker

I had mine done ..4 wheel alignment and the wheel issue was addressed by the shop and they put the wheel straight after alignment...as part of the service...I would be P**ed if they didn't get the steering wheel set straight..

tbarb

If the car was aligned and then the shop re-indexed the steering wheel straight last after setting toe that's not the correct way to set toe.

There are a number of things that are dependent on the proper alignment of the steering linkage. The high spot in the steering box has a tighter gear mesh so in the straight ahead position the wheel is tighter. When the wheel is set straight with out being indexed properly to the steering box high spot the steering can be loose at the straight ahead position.

The gear mesh of the sector shaft and worm gear get tight at the high spot so driving straight the wheel has no play. When the tires are turned, the gear mesh is not tight which allows the return to center you get while going around a corner.