ILBMF

When I pulled the trailing arms I took note and bagged/tagged the existing shims for future reference, but I noticed on the left arm there were shims on both sides and on the right side shims were only on one side. I figure maybe they had fallen out. Some were half rusted away.

I have a new shim pack and I'm looking for advice on shimming and getting close to correct geometry before alignment gets done. I don't have an AIM and I figure someone should know about how to go about getting the geometry close.

Boyan

If you want to get it close or even spot on, you need some string, couple pieces of straight angle iron and some 4x4s. Find the center of car by arching string from the fixed point of balljoints. The use angle iron propped up on 4x4s to establish toe, or just make them parralel to get you to alignment shop. You can eyeball camber or use a level and short 2x4.
The Duntov Motors website explains it better than I do.

Powershift

Or you can simply add equal shims to both sides........and then have the alignment shop make it right.

This is not easy to do the first time and get it perfect. But you can try the Duntov Motors string method and see how it goes.

Larry

ILBMF

I'll look into the Duntov method, but adding equal shims just to get to the alignment shop does make sense.

Bill32

The Duntov method is "Iffy" at best even easier to be a good bit off.

You're better off just doing the equal shims and head to the shop.

I build alignment string bars for other cars and wouldn't even consider using the Duntov thing.

Powershift

Are you planning to use the C3 type slotted shims or the C2 two-hole shims??

Recommend using the slotted shims and having the alignment shop make it right using their machine(s). The slotted shims make it easy to do. Bring extras with you for them to use.

If you decide to use the 2-hole shims for judging etc you can remove the slotted shims after alignment and mike the shim pack and then install the same thickness 2-hole ones.

Or just leave the slotted shims in and either tuck them into the pocket to keep them there, or install the long cotter pin thru the hole in the slotted shims. For a C2, this requires drilling the frame holes for the cotter pins.

Larry

ILBMF

I have the shims that come with the long cotter pin for retention. When I finished the front end I bagged up all the extra shims for the alignment shop which I'll do with the trailing arm shims too. The nice thing is the alignment shop owner has a '66 corvette too and recently did an alignment on it so they know exactly what to do.

TCracingCA

Easy since you had shims one side, put those back in! Hopefully that side is close to being straight and maybe with some slight toe in 1/16- 1/8 or straight or such!

Now go to hardware store and get shower curtain rod with the big rubber ends! Bring it home and wedge it between inner tire sides front and back with equal pressure turning it out and then measure the length to see how close you are! Add shims accordingly!

For advanced alignment, if you have the budget, buy two shower curtain rods!

Naturally you are looking for the screw thread type and not spring loaded and is prefer white so I can write on it!

i can get the final to almost exactly my alignment! Naturally a virgin set up you want to square the tires to the direction of travel so you don't end up crabbing!

Lets see I introduced this technique many many many years ago, but the people who have to clutter their brains with NCRS site info or repair manual procedures keep forgetting my alignment method because it isn't in a book!

ILBMF

Got it, pretty basic to square things up. This sure is a squirrely design, but hey...we're talking 50 year old technology.

TCracingCA

ps if you take this design to an alignment place, look for one with a pit! When you put these cars up on racks to get at the suspension, someone unfamiliar has a far better chance of doing a lousy job, especially when the tires are lifted off the ground! When I had shims 25 years ago, before getting rid of them, I did the job with the tires planted on the ground from a pit!

and the second shower rod was so you can label or mark a front setup and a back set upI I guess if you could juggle you might dial it in using two on the same tire, but I am not going to try that! my one shower rod on one end is marked on the right side for the front and the left side for the rear! The hardest part is remember which end of the shower rod is left and right!

My method for camber is even more creative! But too advanced for a simple post!

on those shims, get out the grinder and bevel/taper the leading side/edge so you can get them wedged in easier to start them, prior to tapping them in the rest of the wayI and I notch them, so they kind of fall down onto the bolt! Lastly, you need to take extras of varying widths!

ILBMF

I like the idea of tapering the ends. I'll be taking the whole stack of extras.