When is a Car "Level" - Home Front End Alignment
The car is considered level when it meets whatever standards are set forth in the factory service manual for your car. There are specs front and back. When those specs vary from the service manual, you have a custom ride height and or alignment.
Right. But unless you happen to be running bias ply tires, you need a custom alignment. Because the factory specs are for bias ply's, and are wrong for radials. The same actually applies for the ride height, although that changes other things.
What kind of equipment do you own?
A SPC Fastrax caster camber gauge, a set of turn plates I bought second hand for the front, a set of slip plates for the rear, and a set of toe plates to more accurately set the toe.
Fastrax gauge, get the one that fits your range of rims (this one is for 13-17 wheels)
SPC Performance 91000 SPC Performance FasTrax Camber Caster Gauges | Summit Racing
Toe Plates
JOES Racing Products 32600 JOES Racing Products Economy Toe Plates | Summit Racing
Turn plates- not the kind I have, but an affordable option
One Pair Aluminum Turntable Wheel Alignment 360° Rotating Turn Plate Table 4 Ton | eBay
My set is more like this, and you can pick great ones up used
Hunter RL vehicle alignment turn plates slip plates 14" x 14" | eBay
And the op asked about level and then mentioned home alignment and then less than ideal conditions. That's why I said what I did. I still stand by my statement. There's a lot wrong in the original post. You might have some good equipment and the know how but it didn't look like the op is there.
He also doesn't mention his plans or the context, he may just be trying to get it close enough to get to an alignment shop. Regardless, a rough alignment can be done easily at home with basic tools. Toe is actually the most important tire wearing setting, and it's the easiest to set.
I do mine at home also and never have a problem. The best trick I have found is four grease old linoleum square tiles. Grease the middle of two. Jack a tire up and slip it under the contact point of the tire with the concrete. Do the other side the same and jostle the bejesus out of it to get her to settle. She will slip and slide and come into harmony with the world. Attach my alignment tools, start measuring and make some adjustments.
Exactly. Not ideal, but with practice you can actually do a pretty decent alignment like this.
The V and L carline does not apply to all A Bodies, Barracudas sit lower. I'm away from home right now so I can't check my Service Manual but the Barracuda is 1 3/8" + or - 1/8" if my memory serves me correct. I just set mine a month ago. The Valiant sits higher.
I'll believe it when I see it. This is from a later manual that covers the entire A-body range.
