Front end alignment

[Johan]

I just replaced a lot of stuff in the front suspension, and will need to make a front wheel alignment.
Is there a recommended initial setting to use on the upper a-arm caster/camber adjustment shims (when I put everything together, begore the alignment)?
Previous owner (bubba?) have used a total of half an inch of shims on some of the bolts, but according to the ass. manual, the maximum to use is one .12 + one .06 if i remember correct.
Will it make any sense to put these shims back?

 

[brusso]

Unless you have access to a caster/camber gauge, that magnetically mounts to the hub, the caster and camber will be so far off it wont matter. I'd say throw in a shim or two and, on the first drive, bring it in for an alignment. The toe, you can get close using the old scribe and tape measure method. Even doing the toe, I'd center the steering wheel and make the distances equal.

 

[mike weyman]

will it need a 4 wheel alignment.? just wondering.mike

 

[JohnZ]

1/2" of shim pack isn't at all unusual - it takes whatever it takes to achieve correct caster and camber (within reason, assuming there's no frame damage); there's no limit on how many or what thickness shim you can use, although using a few thicker ones is better than using a lot of thin ones. It's designed with a nominal gap to begin with, so it can be adjusted in either direction.

 

[norvalwilhelm]

It is never a good idea to stack a pile of shims, especially on only one stud. It bends the cross shafts. The proper way if you really want to stack the shims is tappered shims that follow the slope of the crosshaft.
I get around the stacking of shims by using offset crosshafts. A couple of companies market them and they have an extra 1/4 inch built into them
For increased caster you can also take the cross shafts out and mill the hole into a slot for increased caster without shims
This is a shot of one of my homemade crosshafts with extra caster/camber built into it.

 

[brusso]

will it need a 4 wheel alignment.? just wondering.mike

There may not be any need to make adjustments to the rear but a 4 wheel alignment is required. To keep the propper geometry, you have to align the car as a whole. Every see a car going down the road that you can see all 4 tires from behind or leaving 4 tire tracks in the rain?