Doing Your Own Front End Alignment

[dirtypants]

When I was 16..I focused on prophylactics....not protracters or whatever they are..I did not make my tools...I tried to use my tool..as often as I could.
and then..and now..I take my cars to a good alignment shop.
N.

 

[toobroketoretire]

Aligning Your Own Front End

The really cool thing about using the tool is you can actually SEE the caster angle before you even put the angle finder on it because your eye can easily detect a 1 degree angle difference from vertical. The C3 specs call for 2-1/4 degrees plus/minus 1/2 degree so anything from 1-3/4 to 2-3/4 degrees will do. I set mine to 2-1/2 degrees just because I like the way it makes my '71 track straight when I let go of my steering wheel at freeway speeds. As the 1/8" X 1" X 24" flat bar steel can be bought for around $5 and the angle finder for around $30 we're only talking about $35 worth of materials to align your own front end (assuming you already have a tape measure). And by using my method you learn the "ins and outs" of front end alignments while saving yourself a bunch of money. It's a WIN WIN situation.

The tool stands 10-1/2" high, is 5-1/2" wide, and with a 2-1/2" long "shelf" for the magnetic base angle finder to sit on. But you can also place the angle finder on the top of the tool or manually held against the side of the tool. You can buy non-magnetic base angle finders for around $25 but I chose to buy the $5 more expensive magnetic base version that has the additional feature of being able to be zero-ed to an angle then compared to another angle.

 

[Vettehead Mikey]

Given that no one actually requested any of this info, it's not anything new or original and for very good reasons it has been shat upon from great heights by many, it amazes me that you keep coming back with more info that's not requested, original or all that useful.

I guess you must have really thick skin. Or at least something's thick.

As others have said, it'll get you close enough to drive to a garage for a proper alignment. But you can get it close enough by eyeballing it also.

 

[dirtypants]

Quote" I like the way it makes my '71 track straight when I let go of my steering wheel at freeway speeds. "

OK..now I am really worried..let me know 12 hours in advance when and where this driving event takes place. Just don't send the notice by text while driving.

Anyway, I am feeling charitable, warm, inclusive today..how unlike me...but..I guess it'd be interesting to experiment with your method..just to look, measure, make notes..before and after a pro alignment..and no harm done in trying it out..then heading to the alignment shop. It it is dead on...then hoorayy.
Nick

 

[dougelam]

I can buy into the caster adjustment but the other 2 are only close at best when looking for optimum handling and LONG tire life!

I myself always used 1/4 deg more positive of camber on the drivers side for road crown

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

[dirtypants]

specs for alignment

I agree that specs for alignment should be determined.with some driver research..not on someone elses on line diatribe: I could be like toobroke and say I will give you specs next Saturday..or could give em now..but why listen to me..another ol blowhard..when one can look em up and decide..try Duntov and VBP sites and others as good specs differ not only from old factory, but from eachother now. I am happy with the specs I selected for my 81..and each car has its own suspension issues or not..upgrades over the years, or not..etc so a test drive will determine what seems best to you,.OK OK..for my 81 with new suspension poly bush, shocks, trail arms, bearings,...and tie rods set even, and steering not bent..good shape and adjusted, as is rear ride height set. This for advanced street-sport...and on an 81...done at a good shop, guy that does vettes so knows trail arm shims, and has laser computer align with print out. It took a few tries to bring it to spec.
Rear : do rear first: Camber .5 deg neg each side.
Rear toe in: 1/16 each side, so 1/8 total toe in.
Caster : 3.0-3.3 on right (as much as you can get on some cars), then .3 or so less on left so 2.7--3.0 on left, which allows for crown.
(on mine this was 3.3 and 2.9)
Front camber: .29 deg neg same both sides.
Front toe in: 1/16" per side, so 1/8" toe-in total of both sides.
See service manual for some important mfg tips on torque,order of tightening bolts, shims etc. So that worked for this car..no wandering, sticks and tracks like glued..straight and cornering, now Look up some specs for your car. These are NOT race track specs.
Nick

 

[toobroketoretire]

Aligning Your Own Front End

Any time you hear someone claim they use "the string method" you know that person doesn't have a clue what a front end alignment entails. Yes, tight strings will tell you your wheels and tires are pointing in the same direction but they won't tell you what the critical caster and camber angles are. Using strings is only slightly better than "eyeballing" it.

My method is 100% accurate and really easy to do and once you learn how on your C3 you can do an alignment on any vehicle by fabricating a tool to fit that vehicle. And...................it's fun to do.

 

[dougelam]

My method is 100% accurate and really easy to do and once you learn how on your C3 you can do an alignment on any vehicle by fabricating a tool to fit that vehicle. And...................it's fun to do.

That is impossible!!!
Even Thirty thousand dollar alignment equipment isn't 100% accurate but they are pretty dam close

If you truly knew the WHOLE process you would know that one has to bounce the car after each adjustment, and the wheels HAVE TO BE ABLE TO FLOAT to compensate for the tire scrub as the included angle changes the tire contact point.

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

[toobroketoretire]

Aligning Your Own Front End

A dyno measures the torque and rpm of an engine then CALCULATES the amount of horsepower. A front end alignment machine measures the camber angles in 20 degree left and right turns then CALCULATES the caster angle. That's why the alignment "technician" turns the wheels 20 degrees back and forth from center during the alignment process as he's measuring the 20 degree left and right turn camber angles. If he's checking the right side he'll perhaps see a +12 degree right turn angle and then a -10 degree left turn angle...........the difference being the caster angle. So the caster angle is actually the difference of the +/- camber angles!

My method displays a direct reading of the caster angle as the tool hangs on the upper and lower ball joint's grease zerks. The human eye can easily detect an inclination of 2 degrees from vertical but the magnetic base angle finder displays a big LED read out with an accuracy of 1/10th of a degree; plenty accurate for a caster angle. And then the magnetic base angle finder will easily display the camber angle when it's placed on any machined surface such as the surface of the rotor (where the pads press against it) or the bearing hub's top surface as shown in the picture.

Once the caster and camber angles are set you put the wheels/tires back on, roll the C3 forward and backward a few feet to "settle" the suspension, then the amount of toe in is measured using a 1" tape measure. For a C3 about 1/8" to 1/4" of toe in is desired and that is set by adjusting the tie rod lengths equally about 1/8th turn at a time.

Front end alignment is a mystery to most folks but by using my method you can actually see how adding or removing shims changes the caster and camber angles. It's fun to do and saves you $100 or so.

 

[dougelam]

That's why the alignment "technician" turns the wheels 20 degrees

Shows what you know!
On modern machines It's only 10 degrees

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

[Antz81]

Shows what you know!
On modern machines It's only 10 degrees

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

He probably hasn't seen one in 50 years. So that is understandable.

 

[kpic]

Fortunately, it is his tires wearing; not mine.

However, with his inflation pressures, tire life is but a small concern...

 

[toobroketoretire]

Aligning Your Own Front End

It's really easy to do if you use a magnetic base digital angle finder because an angle protractor has such a small hard-to-read scale. I had to use a magnifying glass to read mine so my new digital angle finder is a huge improvement and I have other uses for it because I do a lot of fabrication.

I'm going to start the installation first thing in the morning to avoid the heat. Been running over 100 degrees every day. As I don't have any appointments to keep I'm in no hurry.

 

[Mac]

Feeling better, I hope?

Mac

 

[toobroketoretire]

Aligning Your Own Front End

Any time you encounter a dimwit who claims he does front end alignments using strings or lasers just smile and walk away from him. It's impossible to set the very important caster and camber angles using strings or lasers and dimwits obviously don't know that.

I should have my new polyurethane bushings installed and ready for a new front end alignment by Saturday morning.

 

[LLC5]

Any time you encounter a dimwit who claims he does front end alignments using strings or lasers just smile and walk away from him. It's impossible to set the very important caster and camber angles using strings or lasers and dimwits obviously don't know that.

I should have my new polyurethane bushings installed and ready for a new front end alignment by Saturday morning.

There is a very old saying in my profession: "Those that can, do. Those that can't try and teach." Truer statements are few and far between.

I just got to know if you don't mind: In your current "too broke to retire" profession, what exactly is your job title, and what exactly is it that you do?

FWIW, Rob can start sending me my royalty checks now......

 

[kpic]

Any time you encounter a dimwit who claims he does front end alignments using strings or lasers just smile and walk away from him.

I'm taking your advice. :L

 

[dougelam]

Shit, or was mirrors when I first started

Then came the strings

Then the cameras

When did they use lasers?
Dam I missed that one

Oh well I guess I'll have to buy an angle finder and trash tens of thousands of dollars of equipment

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

 

[toobroketoretire]

Aligning Your Own Front End

You can easily measure the caster and camber angles of an 18-wheeler truck that has a straight axle and "king pin" but you need a simple tool like I designed to measure the caster angle of an upper and lower ball joint front end like our C3's have. I seem to be the only person who has thought of this and that puzzles me. Once you make the tool you'll see how easy it is to do something similar for all cars using different styles of front ends. Make the tool, buy a magnetic base angle finder, and you're good to go. And you can actually see the caster and camber angles change as you add or remove shims.

When you align your front end I suggest putting your shims in 3 separate piles.........a pile of 1/32" shims, a pile of 1/16" shims, and a pile of 1/8" shims so you can easily select the shim you think you need. I put a red shop rag on my air cleaner lid then put the shims on that non-slip rag. And when you tighten the nuts always tighten the front nut first THEN the rear nut to ensure the thinner stack of shims gets clamped tight enough.

 

[dougelam]

Shit, it was mirrors when I first started

Then came the strings

Then the cameras

When did they use lasers?
Dam I missed that one

Oh well I guess I'll have to buy an angle finder and trash tens of thousands of dollars of equipment

Sent from my SM-N920P using Tapatalk

Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk