front end alignment specs needed

[fishy68]

Front end alignment specs is something I know very little about and I need to get the front end aligned on my 68 cuda that has Magnum Force tubular upper control arms and CAP dynamic strut bars. I set the strut rods to where the lower control arms move freely. In other words no loading front or rear on the lower arms. I set the ride height and drove it a little to get it to settle in and did my best at eyeballing the uppers and tie rods so I can drive it to the alignment shop. Actually doesn't drive bad considering.

98% of my driving is street driving with an occasional trip down the 1/4 mile and of course I'd like it to handle as good as it can considering what I have. As you all know nowadays it's hard to find someone who knows our old iron and what it should be set at with radial tires. I'd like to know the numbers (caster and camber) that it should be set at that way when I talk to the guy I will know he's doing it right.

Thanks for any input

 

[RustyRatRod]

1/2 degree positive camber both sides, 4 degrees caster both sides, 1/4 degree of total toe. That caster figure is a good starting point. You may like more but I would start there and see how it drives.

 

[340duster]

StrokerScamps numbers look good. The more caster you have the harder it is to turn especially in a parking lot when you are stopped or going slow. So with power steering it is not an issue, but with manual steering be careful how much caster. The nice thing about lots of caster is the steering wants to return to center as you are exiting the turn (some people call this "road feel"), plus it will want to travel in a straight line.

Make sure the alignment shop adjusts the upper control arms only for both caster and camber. They will try and adjust the camber with the upper control arm cams and then tweak the caster with your new adjustable strut bars and they can bind up the lower bushing.

Also make sure they don't center the steering wheel by pulling the steering wheel off and putting it back on straight. I saw this done on a dart, they messed up the master spline on the steering wheel as when the steering box was not cenetered.

 

[375inStroke]

Numbers don't look good to me. I'd say 1/4° to 1/2° negative camber, and 1/16" toe in. Not sure about measuring degrees for toe. It's not the usual way. 4° positive caster looks good.

 

[abodyjoe]

 

[340duster]

Numbers don't look good to me. I'd say 1/4° to 1/2° negative camber, and 1/16" toe in. Not sure about measuring degrees for toe. It's not the usual way. 4° positive caster looks good.

Sorry I misread the post, it should be negative camber meaning the top of the tire should be closer to the car than the bottom (or top of the tire tipped in slightly).

 

[737jetdr]

Here's a chart I found.

 

[340duster]

Here's a chart I found.

I like the granny column...too funny

 

[RustyRatRod]

My specs come from aligining cars since 1976. That's all the chart I need.

 

[fishy68]

1/2 degree positive camber both sides, 4 degrees caster both sides, 1/4 degree of total toe. That caster figure is a good starting point. You may like more but I would start there and see how it drives.

Thanks for the info Rob. BTW: I've never heard of measuring toe in degrees. Is that how the new machines measure it?

StrokerScamps numbers look good. The more caster you have the harder it is to turn especially in a parking lot when you are stopped or going slow. So with power steering it is not an issue, but with manual steering be careful how much caster. The nice thing about lots of caster is the steering wants to return to center as you are exiting the turn (some people call this "road feel"), plus it will want to travel in a straight line.

Make sure the alignment shop adjusts the upper control arms only for both caster and camber. They will try and adjust the camber with the upper control arm cams and then tweak the caster with your new adjustable strut bars and they can bind up the lower bushing.

Also make sure they don't center the steering wheel by pulling the steering wheel off and putting it back on straight. I saw this done on a dart, they messed up the master spline on the steering wheel as when the steering box was not cenetered.

I have power steering so I might as well go for the max caster. Thanks for the info on how it affects things. I'll make sure he doesn't touch the strut rod adjustment or pull the steering wheel off. Thanks for the tips.

Numbers don't look good to me. I'd say 1/4° to 1/2° negative camber, and 1/16" toe in. Not sure about measuring degrees for toe. It's not the usual way. 4° positive caster looks good.

I see that's pretty much in line with the chart 737jetdr posted. Thanks

Good article. I got the tire pressures and ride height set so I should be good but I figured on double checking it again when I get there. Thanks Joe.

Here's a chart I found.

Thanks for the chart 737jetdr.

 

[72bluNblu]

My specs come from aligining cars since 1976. That's all the chart I need.

Fortunately for those of us that actually like to go around corners, tire compounds and design have changed A LOT since 1976. Approaching 1g on a skidpad in 1976 with street tires was not physically possible. Today it is. And your alignment specs should change accordingly.

The Skosh chart is right on. A little negative camber is a good thing, especially if you're running modern tires/compounds. If you're planning on running bias ply's, then go ahead and stick with the 1976 specs.

I run -.75 degrees camber, +4 degrees caster, and 1/16" toe in on my Challenger. Works good! I'll have to dial back the caster a little bit when I go to manual steering, but +4 is fine with power.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Guys, I'm talking about one half degree of camber. The variance is a full degree. That means if the spec is -.5 that .5 is in spec. Tires already have a tendancy to wear on the inside edge, especially radials. With the force of the road trying to constantly push the tires out, plus the tie rods on an A body being at the rear of the steering axis, there's a lot of leverage there. Couple that with the camber naturally wanting to go negative from vehicle weight and you have my reasons for one half degree of camber. Look at what AbodyJoe posted. the specs I gave are almost the same. Remember, when aligning in degrees, you are talking about much small increments of measurement. That's why I like aligning vehicles in that way. You can get much more accurate. Another thing to keep in mind is the area in which you live. All roads accross the country are not made the same.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Fortunately for those of us that actually like to go around corners, tire compounds and design have changed A LOT since 1976. Approaching 1g on a skidpad in 1976 with street tires was not physically possible. Today it is. And your alignment specs should change accordingly.

The Skosh chart is right on. A little negative camber is a good thing, especially if you're running modern tires/compounds. If you're planning on running bias ply's, then go ahead and stick with the 1976 specs.

I run -.75 degrees camber, +4 degrees caster, and 1/16" toe in on my Challenger. Works good! I'll have to dial back the caster a little bit when I go to manual steering, but +4 is fine with power.

Bias plys were already on the way out in 1976. I suspect had you been turning wrenches back then you would know that.