Adjustable strut rods alignment question 74 Dart

72bluNblu said
Setting the length of adjustable strut rods is not part of a normal alignment. Honestly it’s not even really part of the alignment. Changing the length of the strut rods will change the alignment, but their length should be set independently from the alignment so that the LCA can travel through the whole range of travel without binding. So, they’re like setting the ride height, changing it will change the alignment but it needs to be set before the alignment is done, the alignment shop isn’t gonna do it.

So, yeah, a “normal” alignment shop probably won’t want anything to do with them. Especially since they’ll be aftermarket parts you didn’t buy from them. If you want the length of the strut rods set, you’ll need a shop that installs suspension, not just does alignments. And anymore it’s hard enough to find a “normal” alignment shop that will do a custom alignment, ie, use the SKOSH chart instead of the abysmal factory specs.

72bluNblu always posts great information on suspension. I wanted to add that when adjusting my adjustable strut rods on both my cars, I had to limit the shortening of the strut rod due to the front wheel being moved forward relative to the wheel opening. That limited being able to pull the front wheel forward before any binding occurred.

I like my cars to have a positive rake to them, and with adjustable strut rods I can end up with +3 to 4 degrees positive caster, which lets the car feel much more stable on the highway.

I think if the effects of changing caster by visualizing a front wobbly shopping cart wheel (negative caster) versus a motorcycle chopper's stable front end (positive caster).

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