Tech tip: How to align ur own suspension at home

[70bigblockdodge]

I've used the string and jack stands for years. Yes you have to drive and check, that's the fun part. I guess the 30° is better, but without the turntables lock is the best reference I got. Trick with toe plates is making it even front to back, and tire interference or inflation.
Thinking that a common alignment shop at a chain or similar is going to get your 50year old car correct or even close is a joke. Asking for different specs than what their computer says is a crap shoot. My guess is a more senior tech will put in factory specs then laugh when your gone about how you don't even know. In reality you drive the car and they suck, but you asked for off stock specs so you don't go back because you figure they will just charge again and then want to put it to spec. Who needs that hassle. I'll just do it myself.

 

[Just Carbs]

How many ways are there to skin a cat? Many.

People are pushing for negative camber and more positive caster setup, but it may not be what a person wants. They say it increases road feel. Do we really want to feel the road? Apparently Chrysler didn't think so. Another description for road feel is resistance to steering commands.

Negative camber reduces the steering wheel centering effect of the king pin inclination, which in turn requires more positive caster to make up for the loss of king pin inclination steering wheel centering. That's not good.

More positive caster will improve the cars tendency to run in a straight line as a result of "forward" inertia. But, it will also make the car "more" susceptible to cross wind and road crown. That's not good either.

Toe? You need the smallest amount you can measure with this fish scale and chain. Hook it onto the outside of one wheel, run it across the front of the tires and hook it onto the outside of the other wheel. Read the scale. Roll the car forward approximately 1/2 turn of the tire. Read the scale. The difference is the + or - amount of toe. Yes, I know it doesn't have a computer or batteries, but it's very accurate anyway. And, it's oblivious to bent wheels and bulging sidewall tires.

Most of the time I use this much more "modern" form of technology. The Ammco light shooter. But it doesn't like front wheel drive cars with no machined hubs for the magnets to stick to. For them I break out the "old school" fishing gear pictured above. The Ammco is absolutely drop dead accurate if it's calibrated and it cannot be argued with. Absolute calibration is done by attaching it to the rear axles, then rotate each axle independently 1/4 turn at a time while checking for zero. If you see one, get it.

 

[70bigblockdodge]

How many ways are there to skin a cat? Many.

People are pushing for negative camber and more positive caster setup, but it may not be what a person wants. They say it increases road feel. Do we really want to feel the road? Apparently Chrysler didn't think so. Another description for road feel is resistance to steering commands.

Negative camber reduces the steering wheel centering effect of the king pin inclination, which in turn requires more positive caster to make up for the loss of king pin inclination steering wheel centering. That's not good.

More positive caster will improve the cars tendency to run in a straight line as a result of "forward" inertia. But, it will also make the car "more" susceptible to cross wind and road crown. That's not good either.

Toe? You need the smallest amount you can measure with this fish scale and chain. Hook it onto the outside of one wheel, run it across the front of the tires and hook it onto the outside of the other wheel. Read the scale. Roll the car forward approximately 1/2 turn of the tire. Read the scale. The difference is the + or - amount of toe. Yes, I know it doesn't have a computer or batteries, but it's very accurate anyway. And, it's oblivious to bent wheels and bulging sidewall tires.

View attachment 652686
View attachment 652688

Most of the time I use this much more "modern" form of technology. The Ammco light shooter. But it doesn't like front wheel drive cars with no machined hubs for the magnets to stick to. For them I break out the "old school" fishing gear pictured above. The Ammco is absolutely drop dead accurate if it's calibrated and it cannot be argued with. Absolute calibration is done by attaching it to the rear axles, then rotate each axle independently 1/4 turn at a time while checking for zero. If you see one, get it.

View attachment 652689
View attachment 652690
View attachment 652691

Factory specs are for Bias ply tires. If your still running bias tires....... well conversation is over before it began.

 

[Just Carbs]

Radial tires were standard on all Chrysler cars by 1979, and Chrysler still set the big cars up at 3/4 positive caster and camber.
My point is that a car can be setup to do as desired.
I would love to get my hands on a new set of those old type of bias/belted tires.

 

[Mr onetwo]

Most of the time I use this much more "modern" form of technology. The Ammco light shooter. But it doesn't like front wheel drive cars with no machined hubs for the magnets to stick to. For them I break out the "old school" fishing gear pictured above. The Ammco is absolutely drop dead accurate if it's calibrated and it cannot be argued with. Absolute calibration is done by attaching it to the rear axles, then rotate each axle independently 1/4 turn at a time while checking for zero. If you see one, get it.

That thing is cool...hardly anything on the interwebs and certainly none for sale...too bad

 

[Just Carbs]

That thing is cool...hardly anything on the interwebs and certainly none for sale...too bad

The sticker says AMMCO MODEL 3620 TOE GAUGE. A search for "ammco optical toe gauge" turned up not some stuff, not much, mostly the patents.
I think a person could make one with the pin lasers and magnets that are available now.
Some threaded gas pipe, an elbow/tee, a flange for the magnet with a way to center it in the spindle, and an adjustable mount pin laser. A clever guy could get it done.

 

[USSMOPAR]

Radial tires, synthetic lubricants, better shocks, etc along with better knowledge & real world experience dictate new alignment specs vs oem from 50 yrs ago. To suggest otherwise is an opinion at best that should not be taken into consideration.
when deciding what alignment specs. See post 20 and pay attention to it

As far as finding a shop to understand the adjustments, good luck.










7

 

[Just Carbs]

The chart from post 20 are the same #s we've been using for the last 50 years since racing super modified cars. It doesn't mention C bodies. But it applies to them also. It does suggest that there is no need for a lot of negative camber and positive caster unless we want to go sporting around a track in these heavy cars.

Making a c-body run dead straight down the interstate in the face of cross wind and excessive road crowns is a different thing than practicing driving skills on a winding mountain two lane road.

When deciding what alignment specs, line the car up, drive it, and set it the way you like it.

consistent.

 

[Big_John]

we've been using for the last 50 years since racing super modified cars.

Super Mods!! I've been known to watch them run at Oswego.

My son played hockey with Nolan Swift's son years ago.

 

[ynst]

I have been doing my own and clients alignments for years with my Snap on/ Blue point gauges, turn plates and string. Hardest part is toe on your own and power steering. Shops just want to set toe and go, the operators really don't know much else and if they will take a classic, it is called custom work and you are paying $$. Then on they way home you curse at the shitty expensive off center steering wheel and pull. I like to use the trailer wheels, as the gauges will not mount with the Magnum 500 wheels or any wheel that covers the hub.
Car has to be at right height, so I add equal to turn plate thickness block of wood under rear tires. This is for correct caster reading. Set up can be tedious , much easier with a helper to move string in and out, but some help can be worse than none.
Also with Birdsong's method of turn tire full lock to lock is not how I was taught to read caster. I turn the wheel 30 deg front in zero gauge, center wheel and take reading. I guess if you don't have a degreed turn plate going to lock keeps you consistent.
View attachment 652527View attachment 652528View attachment 652530

Mine's been used a lot over the years. I use it to do preliminary chassis setup then I take the vehicle in for a laser alignment to tweak it in right on the money.

 

[Just Carbs]

Super Mods!! I've been known to watch them run at Oswego.

My son played hockey with Nolan Swift's son years ago.

Driving Super Modified was not one of my smarter ideas. A short little 1800-pound open wheel car running a big block Chevy at full tilt hitting 180 mph, gee, what can go wrong with that. I decided its best use was as a spectator sport.
Let's get some tickets and popcorn.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Mine's been used a lot over the years. I use it to do preliminary chassis setup then I take the vehicle in for a laser alignment to tweak it in right on the money.
View attachment 653020

Cool tool.

 

[Scoopy G]

I'd tell you how I aligned my '67 Newport, which tracks perfectly these last five years, with no uneven tire wear, but surely some jackwagon would raise a fuss and tell me I'm wrong.

Remember when I successfully touched up the bad spots on the black carpet with a wide Sharpie marker?

 

[Knebel]

I wouldnt overthink this too much. I used the toe plates with good results. Get it close to "0". The only other tool I used was a magnetic angle finder. You can adjust camber easy. Caster you need to turn the frontwheel the same amounts left/right. This then gives you 2 numbers and the difference is the Caster.

 

[Mr onetwo]

The sticker says AMMCO MODEL 3620 TOE GAUGE. A search for "ammco optical toe gauge" turned up not some stuff, not much, mostly the patents.
I think a person could make one with the pin lasers and magnets that are available now.
Some threaded gas pipe, an elbow/tee, a flange for the magnet with a way to center it in the spindle, and an adjustable mount pin laser. A clever guy could get it done.

I agree completely but I am too busy building my version of this beast

 

[Rainy Day]

There are as many ways to skin a cat as there are to align a vehicle change the oil and hold a wrench.. if you tell 10 people and 9 of them tell you you're wrong, but at the end of the day, it works for you great! you made the 1 person happy that matters.

I'd tell you how I aligned my '67 Newport, which tracks perfectly these last five years, with no uneven tire wear, but surely some jackwagon would raise a fuss and tell me I'm wrong.

Remember when I successfully touched up the bad spots on the black carpet with a wide Sharpie marker?

 

[Just Carbs]

I agree completely but I am too busy building my version of this beastView attachment 653902

I want one.

 

[volksworld]

just to horrify the purists our oval track Fury had 3/8 spacers on the bolts between the lower ball joint and spindle and the strut bar shortened an inch...no clue what that would be in degrees

 

[Just Carbs]

just to horrify the purists our oval track Fury had 3/8 spacers on the bolts between the lower ball joint and spindle and the strut bar shortened an inch...no clue what that would be in degrees

Apparently just enough degrees.

 

[Scoopy G]

I'm more horrified at your sentence structure and punctuation skills.