Alignment specs for manual steering.

[mbaird]

What are you running for alignment specs with manual steering and radials ? I have the Scoch chart but wasnt sure if it applies to manual cads as well . Front tires are 205/70r-14s
69 Swinger with front and rear sway bars if that matters .
Just want a nice daily driver feel … not a canyon carver .

 

[cudamark]

I'd use the same specs unless you do tons of parallel parking and have weak arm strength. Then I'd maybe have a touch less caster.

 

[72bluNblu]

The skosh chart specs are basically for manual steering, you can easily add several degrees to all the categories with power steering.

I run quite a bit more even with manual steering. I have 16:1 manual steering in my Duster, with 275/35/18's up front, and I still run +6.5°'s of caster. With radial tires I wouldn't want to run less than about +3°, even for just a driver and not a canyon carver. I daily drive mine.

 

[toolmanmike]

The skosh chart specs are basically for manual steering, you can easily add several degrees to all the categories with power steering.

I run quite a bit more even with manual steering. I have 16:1 manual steering in my Duster, with 275/35/18's up front, and I still run +6.5°'s of caster. With radial tires I wouldn't want to run less than about +3°, even for just a driver and not a canyon carver. I daily drive mine.

The Skosh chart a sticky in the suspension forum.

 

[mbaird]

The Skosh chart a sticky in the suspension forum.

Yes I knew that but it doesnt indicate if it for power or manual And I wanted to know if some have more preferred settings beyond the Skosh chart .
Getting it aligned tomorrow and want to be prepared.

 

[RustyRatRod]

I would run as much caster as you can get in it. Unless you have a quick ratio steering box, you'll never feel the difference in steering effort.

 

[72bluNblu]

I would run as much caster as you can get in it. Unless you have a quick ratio steering box, you'll never feel the difference in steering effort.

Even with a fast ratio steering box and 275’s up front I really didn’t notice a big increase in steering effort just from the caster itself until I went past +7°.

Obviously it still makes some difference below that, but if you compared the difference in effort between say +2° and +4° it really isn’t significant.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Even with a fast ratio steering box and 275’s up front I really didn’t notice a big increase in steering effort just from the caster itself until I went past +7°.

Obviously it still makes some difference below that, but if you compared the difference in effort between say +2° and +4° it really isn’t significant.

Specially with a 24:1 box. That's a lot of leverage. lol

 

[Jim Kueneman]

We have a '63 Dart /6 and '66 Valiant V8. Where the manual says to put the Dart would be crazy by todays standards. It wants a negative caster! I crank the adjuster all the way to get the upper control arm balljoint to be as far back as possible (max positive caster) then I will back it off only if the camber is off. If it pulls you may have to back it off a bit more to move the side required to solve the pulling issue as well. Typically I can't get more than 3-5 degrees and still have the camber right with the stock front end parts. I don't have too much trouble but I would NOT want to drive it all day in town running errands in tight parking lots though... They track great on the open road.