Alignment issues yet again
You mention "ride height" and that it can affect the caster setting?
I need to learn more about this, as I'm still playing with the T-bar adjusters trying to get a correct ride height before I take my Dart in for an alignment. I am too looking for a good positive caster reading.
HYUP, Since caster is an imaginary line thru the upper and lower BJs, if the rear of the car is higher than the front, it will reduce the caster reading and vice versa. This does not affect the alignment otherwise, nor affect the tires. And the change is quite small.
But adjusting the T-bars to change the front ride height, will make big changes to both camber and toe; so you want to show up at the alignment shop at the final ride height. If you change it later, after the alignment, you will be sure to introduce changes that might affect tread-life and steering wander.
And one other thing, the ride heights need to be the same on both sides of the car. If you have one saggy spring in the back, you will have to preload one T-bar in compensation. So now the car sets level from side to side, but the handling is wonky.
And one more thing, unless you have big T-bars or only weigh a hundred pounds,lol, you probably want to get the alignment done with your weight in your seat, so bring sandbags.
And one more thing, lol, if on the driver's side, you have a saggy rear spring,or a saggy T-bar , and you don't use the sandbags, then you are gonna be one unhappy customer.
And one more thing, don't use the wheel openings to measure level; they may not even have been in the right place when the car left the factory.
What I do is jack the diff up under the banjo to just get the tires up off the floor, but I put a spider-pin on the jack, longitudinally,centered there, so the rear of the car can pivot on it. Then I go level the front at the core support, with the jack-screws. Then I fine tune by measuring from the K-bolts to the floor. I cut a stick to fit the short side and swap it back and forth.Before giving it the stamp of approval, you will have to relax the suspension by rolling the car back and forth one last time.
After the front is level, I drop the rear back onto the floor. Then I measure from the floor to the rear spring hanger upper mount. I don't get anal about identical If the difference is within .25inch or maybe a half even,call it done.That's what I do; with my weight in the drivers seat, and my battery in the trunk... on the passenger side.
The T-bar adjusters should have been removed,wire-brushed, and liberally anti-seized, then you can adjust them with the weight of the car on them, otherwise ..... IDK.
Now you can measure from your wheel openings, and compare. Yeah, good luck with that,lol.
