When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Thanks all, Problem is solved. I just pulled all the shims. Put them back with equal amounts on both sides allowing some camber and 0 degrees caster. Then turned one of the tie rod in a half turn to give it some toe-in and now it seems to be driving perfectly straight. Not so hard after all but mostly thanks to a guy on Youtube that explained how to do alignment on C3s. Thanks for your patience and input!
So it does sound like you had a caster problem after all. Glad you found it and fixed it.
If someone wants to read their caster directly this is how I did mine. I measured it (the rearward tilt) directly at the grease fittings for the two ball joints.
For a DYI person, the most important thing is that the two sides are the same, or you will get a pull like the OP did.
So it does sound like you had a caster problem after all. Glad you found it and fixed it.
If someone wants to read their caster directly this is how I did mine. I measured it (the rearward tilt) directly at the grease fittings for the two ball joints.
For a DYI person, the most important thing is that the two sides are the same, or you will get a pull like the OP did.
That's completely awesome.... I don't think I will trust an alignment shop going forward on this car anyway. You need to have a slight toe-in on the front wheels because the front wheels want to toe-out as you drive on a rear wheel powered car and it's just the opposite on a front wheel driven car. I still have to learn about 4 wheel alignment but I'm happy to get it going straight down the road for the moment.
Why does my '74 pull rather strongly to the right all the time? This has been a deal I have lived with years but am finally at least putting it on the forum for possible answers. At the alignment shop it checks out fine at some really good shops. I used the compass on my phone laying it against the flat part of the wheel on either side and the compass reads the same degrees. Just visually, it looks great except the right front wheel is about 3/4 of inch farther out than the left. Like there was a spacer behind it but there is not.
I've driven on these tires thousands of miles and there is no problem with wear pattern at all. They are the usual BF Goodrich radial T/As 225 60R 15 on 1976 stock 8" mags.
I'm tempted to skew with the front wheel alignment a little to manually adjust for less pull but I don't know. I guess the problem started when I went with 60 wides all around where as previously I have 70 wide in front. A slight toe in front would wear sure but may cure the pull to one side?
Glad you got things going in the right direction. DIY Alignment measurement for C3 is a good skill to have. I track my car and check alignment after every track day.
Here is what I have used for years. Quick and repeatable results. I compared my results to a Chev dealership alignment rack to verify the methods.
Glad you got things going in the right direction. DIY Alignment measurement for C3 is a good skill to have. I track my car and check alignment after every track day.
Here is what I have used for years. Quick and repeatable results. I compared my results to a Chev dealership alignment rack to verify the methods.
