Seems to matter what I do the car wants to pull rights. I have tried zero toe, a little toe in and and a little toe out, recentering it, offsetting it to the left, offsetting it to the right and just can't get to steering straight. Had no problem with my manual steering set up so I am at a lose as to what I need to do to get it to go straight, any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

Tire Pressure?
Tread condition?
More Caster?

 

Jack up the front end, start engine, and see if wheels move....

that would be a bad rack...possible, as they are rebuilt units....I understand....even if new, still .....

GENE

 

swap thr frone tires left to right, you would be supprised how many cars we get in for alignment that only have a radial tire causing the pull. its worth a shot its fast and free.

 

Start with what Gene says to rule out the rack itself.

Toe settings have nothing to do with pulling. If the rack checks out the alignment is off. Either camber, caster or both.

The car will steer away from the side with the most negative camber. Example: Left side 0 camber, right side -0.5. Car will pull left.

The car will steer away from the side with the most positive caster. Example: Left side 2 dgr caster. Right side 3 dgr. Car will pull left.

 

You know, another thought,...wonder if those alignment shims are still in place after all that hammering/work on the knuckles releasing the old linkage....those upper bolts tend to back off sometimes and then the shims fall out....

I usually glue them in place with black RTV, my favorite cure all, and check them frequently...especially if any clunking...

GENE

 

It is a fresh rebuilt front end with the same shims but I do have diff springs so my caster/camber may be off. Will try the tire swap and see if that helps to start then work from there. I have had the car running and wheels in the air with no pull.

Thanks for the input.

 

OH, you changed the springs man, I can allmost guaranfreakingtee you need realign the thing completely....

obviously make sure those spring tops are in the frame pocket correctly otherwise the ride height/etc is messed up...

GENE

 

When I first put the 460 lbs springs in the thing was jacked up like a 4x4! I was probably only getting contact from the outer 1/3 of the front tires. I cut a coil off each which got me back down to about where I was but I am about 3/4 off from side to side measured at the fender lip which of course may not give 100% accurate feedback compared to the frame. Have an angle guage so can check camber but need to get a little better understanding of checking and setting caster.

 

hehe...Caster the friendly ghost of alignment....toughest one to get right,....

GENE

 

Figured as much.

 

Was the caster, adj the shims and it got much better.

How do those caster/camber gauges measure caster?

 

Well, essentially all the machines or you can do is get the car on a dead level surface, with the front wheels very easy to turn, meaning on a ball bearing plate for the machine, or maybe two greases slick pads for us home do types....
but you gotta take a long steel bar/tube and pick the highest point of your car placement....I park the car in the garage in it's usual position, majic marker the outlide of the 4 tires on the floor, then pull the car out....lay the bar down over your front easy turn/skid pads find the highest point in the floor, should be toward the back of the garage for drainage....so one of the two front tires is the high point, you need figger out just exactly how much by the steel bar and a framing level....add that much to the bottom of the LO tire....now they should measure dead level front side/side...do the same to the rear front to back and side to side.... build it up as necessary...pulll the car in to the same position on the now plumbed up pad, and have at it....

get as much castor as the ghose will allow, while maintaing camber....toe is done with fishing line across 4 jack stands the rear tracking 3/8 per side wider than the front....since I have identical wheels all around, I measure off the wheel center cap, and them compare the rims at the tire....I hate going off the tire itself, as if the tire is slightly outta whack so go the readings, which is why the alignmnet machines mount to the rims...on toe in I measure 1/16 inch....front and rear....
on camber as I recall it's about 3/16 inch this on a 17 inch wheel....

there is posted on this site somewhere a 4 page missive on home alignment...

GENE

 

The caster camber gauges require you to turn the wheel 20 degrees left or right, zero the gage then turn it 20 degrees in the opposite direction and take a reading.
Camber is just taken right off the gage.
The gage itself has a magnetic base so it attaches to the spindle after the dust cap is removed

 

Thanks Gene and Norval, I was thinking there was more to it than just clipping that gauge and reading it.

 

Looks like a great tool Norval. Wanna come and try it on my vette in a couple of weeks?