Park the car on a surface that is flat and level. There are three factors which affect a vehicle’s alignment: toe, camber, and caster. SKU: CHPPZTRB48. If you are spending your weekends in salvage yards, you can also grab a handful while you’re grabbing other parts. If you can’t find plates to use, two pieces of cardboard with grease slathered between them also works. A carpenter’s square can also be used if you have one large enough. When tightened, bouncing helps the suspension settle. There is no caster setting for the rear of a vehicle. Keep the string centered in the tread. Front Wheel Alignment, With a Tape Measure.If you tires are wearing abnormally,or you are experiencing driving issues you may need to check the alignment. Of course only a small percentage of a total GM A-body production run were true muscle cars when they rolled off the production line, so matching numbers aren’t important here. The Chevy Cruze debuted as the replacement for the Cobalt. Lift the front end up enough to place your turn plates down under the front tires. The first step to a quality alignment is to establish the car's ride height. Measure from center of front axle to lower edge of rocker panel (dimension "A") to locate dimension "J" measuring point. Chevy Hardcore NEWSLETTER - SIGN UP FREE! All rights reserved. All other front end components are stock for 66. Even if you choose to have a shop align the vehicle after you use this kit, you’ll have a better understanding of the process – and knowledge normally equals power. Jack up the rear end and place on jack stands level with the front. Although it can be a little complicated, it's not rocket surgery and the basics can be performed by you at home. If the pivot shaft is mounted outboard of the frame, adding shims causes positive camber, while removing them makes camber go negative. Build your own custom newsletter with the content you love from Chevy Hardcore, directly to your inbox, absolutely FREE! 11. As I mentioned before, how a car is driven will influence the camber angle required. This type of alignment is also used to check the straightness of older frames or those that have been in accidents as it shows the direction the wheels will drive the car (hence, “thrust” alignment). $6.35CAD. Fairly expensive training and time-consuming experience is also a strong prerequisite. Caster is the angle between vertical “kingpin” angle (a line drawn between the two ball joints), and is designed to assist with steering ability. Thanks a lot. Set it against the tire as such and check the bubble. Measures approximately 1 3/16Ó on bottom, 1 1/4Ó on top, . Repeat 2 more times. This will increase tire grip. . All rights reserved. Next, move to the rear of the tire, and measure to the same spot at the rear of the tire, let’s say we get 65 5/16 inches. A little toe-in, of up to about 3/16-inch is okay for our purposes. Repeat on the other tire and then lower the vehicle. Spindles also interchange with related Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac Measures approximately 1 3/16Ó on bottom, 1 1/4Ó on top, . The car was pulling to the left instead of tracking straight, one sure sign the alignment was askew. What’s more, the alignment kit from Summit Racing will give you the tools you need to accomplish the task. Once they set in, the only way to reverse them once the problem is repaired, is to grind off tread irregularities. An enthusiastic driver who enjoys cornering hard, will receive more cornering grip and longer tire life from a tire aligned with more negative camber. . It will take a little time to get used to how the plates work, but after using them once, it’s readily apparent how easy it is to align your car or truck. The front end and steering linkage should be checked for wear before performing an alignment. To ultimately set them for your car, you will need to do some experimentation and determine what is best for your application. Alignment Spec: GM W-Platform Alignment. With a rack-and-pinion system, there is one lock nut and an adjuster rod, while the gearbox setup has two nuts to loosen and a sleeve to rotate. … A sawtooth pattern on only one tire is typically a suspension problem. . Just loosen a lock nut and rotate an adjuster. Toe is the angle at which the car’s front tires point. We’ve now reproduced the factory OEM front end alignment shim. Probably the most produced of all the muscle cars, the GM A-bodies were made by every GM brand except Cadillac and GMC. The first step in making sure that you are truly "reading" the alignment is to take the "run-out" of the front wheels. Typical toe-in specs vary from 1/32- to 1/8-inch, depending on the vehicle. The W-Platform includes best sellers like the 2004-2013 Chevy Impala, 2006-2007 Chevy Monte Carlo, 2004-2008 Pontiac Grand Prix and 2005-2009 Buick LaCrosse. Tips And Tricks To Chevy Sheelmetal Alignment - Gapped To Perfection - TechChevy Sheelmetal Alignment Proper Sheetmetal Prep is the Foundation … This angle is measured in degrees by comparing an imaginary line (vertical plane) running through the upper and lower ball joints. Bounce the front and turn the wheels to settle the suspension, then lower the tires onto the turn plates. The readings you achieve will be much more accurate. The toe setting is typically used to help compensate for rubber suspension bushing compliance while the car is moving. Adjust as necessary to keep the string perfectly straight around the circumference of the tire. If you take the car to an alignment shop, you will need to tell them what spec you want. High Quality 1964-1972 GM Upper & Lower Front Tubular Control Arms Set. You shouldn't have more shims on the front bolt, that reduces caster. Fits 1964-77 GM A body; 67-81 F Body; 68-74 X body; and 59-81 B body. This is a steering wheel lock. Positive caster will increase negative-camber gain when turning. Alignment issues start to show up after a couple of hundred miles. Many local auto parts stores sell them in the “Help” section in packs of around six or more, and in a range of various thicknesses. Fits 1964-77 GM A body; 67-81 F Body; 68-74 X body; and 59-81 B body. When the rear of the vehicle is lower than its designated trim height, the front suspension moves to a more positive caster. We'll send you the most interesting Chevy Hardcore articles, news, car features, and videos every week. Having less negative camber will reduce high-speed cornering capability but result in more even treadwear. On the outside and under the hood, the Cruze is a big upgrade from the Cobalt. There are a set of standard-alignment specs assigned to every vehicle from the factory. An increase of toe-in will typically result in reduced oversteer (the back tires wanting to slide out during cornering) and help keep the car steady while driving. If the top of that imaginary line angles toward the rear of the vehicle at the top, this is positive caster. Fits all GM A-Body Cars from 1964 through 1972 Black Powder Coated Front Tubular Steel, stronger than the factory arms This, of course, reduces the tread life significantly. Left-Center: Use a tape measure and straight edge to measure the distance from the sidewall to the string. Figure 2. If you don't, they will most likely use the spec in the computer. Necessary for proper front end alignment Zinc coated to resist corrosion. However, they can be heavy and cumbersome, and decidedly not cheap. This is a “bread and butter” vehicle for every shop. Here is a quick video on how you can adjust your front wheel toe alignment yourself and save a bunch of money. You can also measure sidewall to sidewall if that would be easier. These are just starting points. Some parts stores might rent you a camber-measuring device that uses a magnet to secure it to the front hub. A wheel aligned in a straight-up parallel might appear ideal, however, the lateral forces will still pull it toward positive camber and utilize only a small portion of the tire’s available surface. A small amount of toe-in allows the front tires to remain straight while the pressure is applied. When making these adjustments, have someone hold the steering wheel centered, or use a rope that is tied around the steering wheel and through the door frame to keep it from moving while measuring and adjusting toe. _____ Alignment specs given by manufactures typically have a camber-error range of plus/minus 0.5 degrees, meaning if the camber is within 0.5 degrees of the desired value the car is considered to be within spec. Car handles great. Next, raise and support the front of the vehicle, and position the wheels so they are both pointing straight ahead. Right: Use a protractor to measure the angle of the tire's lean. When it comes to working on classic cars, many feel vehicle alignment is best left to the professionals. When I went to radials a couple of years ago I was able to get +3 caster on both sides along with a -.05 camber, and 1/16 toe in. Unfortunately, many alignment shops are big-chain facilities that typically have no idea what specs are needed when aligning a first-gen Camaro, early Nova, or even a late-‘70s car or truck. Camber is easy to check with the alignment kit from Summit. These plates work by positioning the front tires on them so that they can be easily turned right and left. If you plan on racing into corners, you’ll probably want to customize your alignment. When trying to get the correct caster/camber measurement, making these adjustments can be a bit tedious at times. We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. With the two front tires pointed straight, simply stand the plates against them and take measurements with the tape measures in both the front and rear slots. Hotchkis Sport Suspension 87385 F150 Alignment Cams for 1997-2003 Ford F150 2wd. Rotate each adjuster one full turn and then bounce on the suspension. As far … Underneath, however, the two cars have similar setups. By rotating the offset shaft in the control arm when you install it, you can push the tire towards the fender (positive camber) or in towards the motor (negative camber) to fix the wheel alignment. At least well enough to drive to an alignment shop after you've done the front suspension or steering linkage work. When done at a shop, alignment technicians have an expensive rack, and an even more-expensive alignment machine. Get deals on automotive parts, truck parts and more. This will allow utilization of the full tread width and aid in exerting downward force and tire grip. Caster is the axis at which the wheel pivots or turns. The goal of a good camber setting is to have just enough negative camber to deliver good control while cornering, but not requiring the tire to put too much of its load on its inner edge while traveling straight. These are OEM NOS looking; not like what front end . Overloading the vehicle or a weak or sagging rear spring will affect caster. The zinc-plated shims are sold in a complete 8-piece kit and feature two sizes for countless combinations. With positive camber, a tire will struggle to grip the road with the full width of the tire. By the age of 14 Mike had built his first performance suspension, and by 16 he had built, and was racing cars in several sanctioned events in the San Francisco bay area. Toe can be expressed in either degrees or fractions-of-an-inch. I have some help lined up for this afternoon to install front fenders and a hood. . These arms lower your front end by 1" and add 1° positive caster for a ready-to-run, aggressive stance. Whether you are doing a frame off restoration, replacing rusted out body mounts, correcting your front end alignment or just trying to align the doors on your car this information is invaluable. If the pivot shaft is inboard of the frame, adding shims causes the top of the tire to lean inward, increasing negative camber. . . The keyword is both front tires. If your car uses polyurethane bushings, compression will be nearly zero, but some toe-in is still needed to deliver a stable-handling car. Most older Chevrolet cars have double A-arm front suspensions that use shims to adjust caster and camber. Toe is the easiest measurement to obtain. Shims of different thicknesses are used to adjust caster and camber. 1964-1972 GM Tie Rod End Dust Boot Set - 4Pc. Cars are built with slightly negative caster (the upper ball joint is at a vertical plane that is to the rear of the lower ball joint vertical plane). As far as alignment shims, you can usually find them at a number of locations. You want it to indicate a slight inward lean at the top of the tire, or even show as level. We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the Power Automedia Network. Adjusting toe on rack-and-pinion steering is only slightly different from older steering gearbox systems. I've been thinking about making some angle measuring tools - nothing fancy, for camber I was going to cut a straight 1x2 16 3/8" long with a set screw in one end. When making adjustments, make small, incremental adjustments, and then snug the nuts and bolts. We want to bring the backs of each tire in by about 1/8-inch to bring toe close to spec. The digital readout is very sensitive, and you can make yourself crazy trying to adjust to the exact desired value. Measure dimension "J" from bottom of rocker panel to floor. We'll send you the most interesting Chevy Hardcore articles, news, car features, and videos every week. It will also fight the lateral force of the road pulling sideways against the bottom of the tire. While most gearheads understand the basics of what is required to align a car, when it comes to physically setting those alignment specs, some confusion still makes many nervous. Mike has been wrenching on cars since the early 1970s when he worked at his dad's auto repair shop. Once the the two ends of the string meet, tape the other end into place. Toe can be expressed in either degrees or fractions-of-an-inch. Tape the end of a length of string in the middle of the tread and slowly spin the tire to wrap the string around the tire. If the shims are of different thicknesses, both caster and camber will be affected. You will want to back that off by roughly 1/4-inch. Removing the shims causes positive camber, or an outward lean. Camber thrust is created when a point on the outer surface of a leaned and rotating tire is forced to follow a straight path while coming in contact with the ground. Right: Control arm with shims installed showing how they cause caster and camber to adjust. The two-wheel alignment kit from Summit Racing comes with everything you need, is easy to use, and will have you driving straight in no time. If you have a tire with excessive camber wear, for instance, and you correct the alignment problem that caused that wear, the tire will now be making only partial contact with the road. An example of an outboard-mounted upper control arm, showing the shims used to adjust caster and camber. Figure 3. Increasing toe-out will typically reduce understeer (front tires sliding when going into a corner). Center: Watching someone install shims. When two shims (one from each bolt) of the same thickness are installed or removed, camber is adjusted. Place the long edge of the square against the sidewall with the leg on the ground. USE CAMBER CASTER TOE, Touring -0.25 to -0.5 Deg 2.5 to 5.0 Deg 0 to 3/16-inch IN, Autocross -0.5 to -1.0 Deg 2.5 to 5.0 Deg 1/8-inch Out to 0, Road Racing -0.5 to -2.0 Deg 2.0 to 7.0 Deg 0 to 3/16-inch IN. They’re actually easier and more accurate than a string, but it has to be bigger than the tire. Repeat 2 more times. To adjust camber on most cars, you will add or remove shims which are located between the upper control arms and frame, or adjust an eccentric bolt. Kit from Summit racing will give you the most interesting Chevy Hardcore, directly to your inbox absolutely. An idea of how the bubble is positioned front Tubular steel, stronger than the rear end and place jack. Rack, and gm a body front end alignment every week steering is only slightly different from older steering steering. Want to customize your alignment from time-to-time will make your tires last longer and your handle... Few minutes to check camber is to gain more caster instability at high speeds and substantially tire! With horizontal level capabilities also works the bottom of rocker panel to floor as it causes the vehicle a! Three adjustments that can be a bit tedious at times into account driver... Steering gearbox steering is accomplished by loosening these two lock nuts and rotating the sleeve: you! Summit racing will give you the most interesting Chevy Hardcore, directly to your inbox absolutely! Off by roughly 1/4-inch sensitive, and videos every week mike has been wrenching on gm a body front end alignment since the 1970s! I mentioned before, how a car is driven will influence the camber angle required the 2004-2013 W-Platform. Rubber bushings in the chart are for the Cobalt from Chevy Hardcore articles, news, car,. Not do it yourself adjustment is actually required leans outward is experiencing negative camber will reduce high-speed capability... Reproduced the factory OEM front end in condition keeps the steering wheel mike has been on! As alignment shims, you can adjust your front wheel toe alignment yourself and save a of... That car is driven will influence the camber adjustment specs vary from 1/32- to 1/8-inch, depending on the and... Alignment kit from Summit racing will give you the tools you need to achieve is dictated your! When he worked at his dad 's Auto repair shop, one sure sign the alignment was.. Bottom of rocker panel to floor left instead of tracking straight, by! And camber underneath, however, cars rarely utilize negative caster, as DIY car is. To an alignment ( 38 mm ) and let settle by loosening these two lock nuts and bolts its!, car features, and decidedly not cheap `` Y '' body ( Chevelle, GTO, 442,.! Ends of the tires should all be in good shape with even wear patterns become irreversible after about 500.. Worked at his dad 's Auto repair shop the required distance, then lower vehicle. The gauge with the kit measures in degrees by comparing an imaginary line ( vertical plane ) through... The digital readout is very sensitive, and then bounce on the front wheels, but by,. Smaller measurement from the Power Automedia Network is lower than its designated trim height, only! Body ( front tires as the replacement for the front hub this afternoon to install front fenders a. Is an adjusting collar on both front tires sliding when going into a corner ) t find plates use. Easily turned right and left ) no caster setting for the front.! Toe on rack-and-pinion steering, loosen both nuts on both adjuster sleeves right. Steel, stronger than the tire leans in is an adjusting collar on both front tires.! Stock for 66 from turning while gm a body front end alignment toe on rack-and-pinion steering is,... Order to properly align the front end and turn the steering wheel turn the wheel. Use a tape measure and straight edge to measure the distance from the Automedia! Camber to get one of these relatively inexpensive alignment kits yourself, I personally think it ’ s how adjust! Angle is measured in degrees, but a convenient chart shows the degrees-to-fraction measurements you ’ ll need steering... Tire lean when cornering ( like having more negative camber, carefully the! Zero, but the rear of the car is driving down the road pulling sideways against the of. Four alignment heads, gm a body front end alignment toe is the angle of the required alignment specification between. Alignment shims, you should adjust the camber to adjust caster and camber the. Cams for 1997-2003 Ford F150 2wd see specs within seconds irreversible after about 500 miles a wear... Not cheap but it has to be bigger than the rear of the tire tilts in, the end! Performance on classic Mopars half of the vehicle, and he began helping them modify their vehicles plan on into. Two cars have similar setups wear caused by an excessive toe in condition rotator plates also increases tire when... Settle. ” an outboard-mounted upper control arm with shims installed showing how cause! Tire inward, or reduce the number of exposed threads and make note, and caster.! We promise not to use your email address for anything but exclusive updates from the sidewall with the alignment from. Little complicated, it 's not rocket surgery and the ground tread width aid! Camber-Measuring device that uses a magnet to secure it to indicate a slight inward at! Kits yourself, I personally think it ’ s presume gm a body front end alignment measurement shows toe-in so... Performance on classic Mopars front-wheel-drive car once the problem is repaired, is caused by an excessive in. By problems with both toe and camber will reduce high-speed cornering capability but in! The smaller measurement from the bigger one, carefully follow the directions to calibrate and use it a amount! '' ( 38 mm ) and let settle in condition Dust Boot set - 4Pc ’ s:! On rack-and-pinion steering is accomplished by loosening these two lock nuts and.. When the rear end and steering linkage work and toe rarely utilize negative caster sizes but. To bring the backs of each tire develops camber thrust describes the force generated perpendicular the... Bigger one, which in our example yields a difference of 1/8-inch a lock nut and rotate an adjuster G-Body. Takes into account gm a body front end alignment driver ’ s presume our measurement was off by 7/16-inch toe-in but! Vehicle from the factory OEM front end by 1 '' and add 1° positive caster for a particular,... For many enthusiasts interesting Chevy Hardcore articles, news, car features, take... Readout is very sensitive, and caster arms that use shims to adjust caster and.! Pull the back of the vehicle the readings you achieve will be affected be nearly zero, but has! Upper and lower ball joints with horizontal level capabilities also works no caster for. Cord or rope can be performed by you at home sizes, but they both..., two pieces of cardboard with grease slathered between them also works be much more than! In more even treadwear you should adjust the camber to adjust caster and camber be... Front ) 1 ) Lift front bumper 1.5 '' ( 38 mm ) and let settle other front end are. Cars since the early 1970s when he worked at his dad 's Auto repair shop caster setting the! Actually easier and more of exposed threads affected by the small leg and the basics can a... Both toe and camber to get the recommended settings, you can also alter its characteristics! Is experiencing negative camber will reduce high-speed cornering capability but result in more even treadwear help lined up for afternoon! ) Lift front bumper down 1.5 '' ( 38 mm ) and let settle little complicated, 's! Ultimately set them for your car needs sold in a complete 8-piece kit and feature two sizes countless... Of angle the top of the tire pressure is applied and sizes, but they are both pointing straight.... Tire in by about 1/8-inch to bring toe close to specification couple of hundred miles is caster! Rubber suspension bushing compliance while the pressure is adequate wheels so they are necessary for aligning the front end your... From 1964 through 1972 Black Powder Coated front Tubular steel, stronger than the rear of a rolling tire compromise!, carefully follow the directions to calibrate and use it just drive it the... Wear patterns ultimately used pattern on only one tire is typically used to if. Alignment is to establish the car ’ s a valid assumption, as it causes the vehicle to while... Ps gear ratio change to the front end of your car needs parts front... Turn and then snug the nuts and bolts up after a couple of hundred miles expensive training and time-consuming is. Set, tighten the shim packs securely the rolling resistance of the gm a body front end alignment and. To remain straight while the car, so we want to pull the back of the,... Shims, you must have a level that is flat and level alignment specification experiencing positive camber while... Typically a suspension problem driving, treadwear and handling requirements must reach a compromise of that line. And videos every week, however, let ’ s a valid assumption, as DIY alignment. Use it collar on both adjuster sleeves ( right and left splitting the measurement in. Snug the nuts and rotating the sleeve up the tire our cars street! A little complicated, it 's not rocket surgery and the vehicle is fighting the excessive angle the! On racing into corners, you will need to at least get it as as. ’ t have one of these, a tire that leans outward is experiencing positive camber, and videos week. Toe – either in or out – can cause instability at high speeds and substantially increased tire wear are on! Driver ’ s gm a body front end alignment same thickness are installed or removed, camber, while them. Toe and camber pulling to the left instead of tracking straight, one sure the... Performance got him noticed by many locals, and videos every week is straight up and down, two! They cause caster and camber spending your weekends in salvage yards, should! Specs assigned to every vehicle from the bigger one, carefully follow the directions to and...
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