Front end alignment question/problem
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 6,638
Likes: 287
From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Front end alignment question/problem
So I have my nifty Fastrax camber/caster gauge and am trying to check the front alignment on my 71'. First question is: what is suppose to be "level", the frame or do I just put shims under the tires to compensate for the floor?
Second: I checked the camber and it's about -1/4 degrees both wheels. The book says it should be +3/4. That would mean I need to take an equal number of shims out of both ends of the control arm, right? Problem is, there are NO shims on the front bolt and about 1/2" worth on the rear. Both sides are the same. What do I do now? I suspect the caster is way off since the steering wheel does not return. I rebuilt the entire front end and took it to an alignment shop. I don't think they did much since there was no change in the number or size of shims when I got it back. I would think after a major re do for the suspension that something would have changed.
Second: I checked the camber and it's about -1/4 degrees both wheels. The book says it should be +3/4. That would mean I need to take an equal number of shims out of both ends of the control arm, right? Problem is, there are NO shims on the front bolt and about 1/2" worth on the rear. Both sides are the same. What do I do now? I suspect the caster is way off since the steering wheel does not return. I rebuilt the entire front end and took it to an alignment shop. I don't think they did much since there was no change in the number or size of shims when I got it back. I would think after a major re do for the suspension that something would have changed.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by Duke94
So I have my nifty Fastrax camber/caster gauge and am trying to check the front alignment on my 71'. First question is: what is suppose to be "level", the frame or do I just put shims under the tires to compensate for the floor?
Second: I checked the camber and it's about -1/4 degrees both wheels. The book says it should be +3/4. That would mean I need to take an equal number of shims out of both ends of the control arm, right? Problem is, there are NO shims on the front bolt and about 1/2" worth on the rear. Both sides are the same. What do I do now? I suspect the caster is way off since the steering wheel does not return. I rebuilt the entire front end and took it to an alignment shop. I don't think they did much since there was no change in the number or size of shims when I got it back. I would think after a major re do for the suspension that something would have changed.
Second: I checked the camber and it's about -1/4 degrees both wheels. The book says it should be +3/4. That would mean I need to take an equal number of shims out of both ends of the control arm, right? Problem is, there are NO shims on the front bolt and about 1/2" worth on the rear. Both sides are the same. What do I do now? I suspect the caster is way off since the steering wheel does not return. I rebuilt the entire front end and took it to an alignment shop. I don't think they did much since there was no change in the number or size of shims when I got it back. I would think after a major re do for the suspension that something would have changed.
Caster is changed by adding/subtracting rear shims only.
Try for the most caster , positive caster that you can get.
The old specs for our front ends is for bias tires and too conservative.
Again I feel the -1/4 camber setting is good.
