A body frame rails - not sitting vertical

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funkyflynz

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Im installing an RMS AlterKation and i noticed that my camber is different on each side, even though i have the heim joints all set the same on the upper control arms.

Turns out the front frame rails arent parallel to each other, one is on a slight lean, this of course affects the amount of camber i can get from that side.

Now i could simply adjust the heim joints so both sides have the same camber, but i would have thought it was important to have both frame rails vertically parallel to each other so both upper arms are the same length.

I guess its also possible that the factory upper arm mounts werent welded in the correct location on one side and this could also be throwing out the upper control arm.

Any thoughts on what to do would be appreciated.
 
i agree sounds like an accident or another thing it could have been twisted at the launch of a drag race
 
You can see the difference in these shots, hard to show it any other way. The body is sitting level on its frame rails.

Question is what to do about it?? i assume most of these old cars differ to some degree, its not box section frame rails, just pressed sheet metal. Do i need to worry about it? if so any idea on how to correct would be appreciated

Right side - front frame rail.
DSCF1716.jpg


Left side - front frame rail
DSCF1717.jpg
 
I bet that difference is well within the production tolerances for the time.

If it takes an alignment, I wouldn't worry about it.
 
...............u will find more cars like urs than not..........and yes most of the time the control arm mounts are not perfect.......I put an alterK in a cuda and u can see the difference by eye with out even needing to measure it, alignment came out great.........kim...........
 
First of all how do you know your level is accurate and do you know how to check it?

.............and do you know the car/ floor is level?
 
The old saying "Perfect is the enemy of the good" applies to these cars a silly amount. Rock it.
 
1968FormulaS340 said:
I bet that difference is well within the production tolerances for the time.

If it takes an alignment, I wouldn't worry about it.
Click to expand...

This! :thumbup:

Factory specs on frame alignment for these cars is as much as +/- a 1/4" for some measurements. And that was from the factory!

If its close enough to get the suspension aligned properly, its close enough. :D
 
I'm curious. Using your level, how do the rear subframe rails (level placed on a straight bar spanning the bottom of both rails) compare to the front subframe rails (same measure top or bottom)? A difference between the two can cause camber differences also even though the car, as a whole, appears level.
 
DC 340 said:
I'm curious. Using your level, how do the rear subframe rails (level placed on a straight bar spanning the bottom of both rails) compare to the front subframe rails (same measure top or bottom)? A difference between the two can cause camber differences also even though the car, as a whole, appears level.
Click to expand...


I have the car sitting level (front and rear frame rails) on a table.


The rails are all level from he back through to the front firewall, after the firewall the right side front frame rails starts to drop, at the very front the right hand side rails is about 5mm lower than the left. I believe this is due to a some welding a past owner had done to the mounting point of the steering box to the frame (on these australian RHD cars the steering box was mounted to the frame).


I plan to cut this mounting off and fix some holes in the frame rail, this will allow me to correct the 5mm height difference hopefully. not sue if i will be able to correct the difference in the lean though.
 
Interesting for sure. Not to say it's beyond the result of factory tolerance though. No one can know for sure I guess.

BTW, I see an approximate 7mm up/down difference between the front rails on one of my cars with rails being level from rear to the firewall as you state. I'll be interested in your conclusion and result. Please post it up when you know more.
 
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