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View Full Version : Alignment results - Watchu think?



Belair-o
03-14-2022, 10:42 AM
After replacing the faulty CPP steering box on my 57, I drove it to an alignment shop that was willing to work on my car - hard to find shops that will touch a car that uses shims. When I rebuilt the front suspension/steering, I didn't put any shims in, and had replaced the upper control arms with CPP additional caster versions and had only set the toe-in to be close.

Following is a sheet showing Rick_L's recommended alignment specs at the top (I provided the specs to the guy doing the work, who BTW said he had a '66 C10, so was well experienced with shimmed alignments), below those target specs is a listing of the results:
12536

The tech said he tried to get the 4-5 degrees positive caster and got as much as he could by stacking shims in while still being able to get the nut on the bolt for the control arm.

After the alignment, I just drove it a mile back to the shop working on some other mechanical items, so don't know how it steers on the highway. What do you think about the results? If no bueno, I am not sure what can be done to push the specs further.
Thanks, Doug

markm
03-14-2022, 11:43 AM
What are you using for control arms.

Belair-o
03-14-2022, 06:14 PM
Hi Mark,
The lowers are original, the upper control arms are CPP added caster versions.
Regards, Doug

Rick_L
03-14-2022, 07:49 PM
Looks pretty darned good.

The only thing I'd add as a goal is to have 1/4° more caster on the passenger side. This would compensate for the typical crown in the road.

Belair-o
03-15-2022, 06:45 AM
Hi Rick,
Thanks for the input. I was pretty pleased with how the car handled as I drove it to town pre-alignment and am looking forward to getting the car back to do some comparison highway driving. Maybe the combination of a totally rebuilt frontend & totally new steering everything, radial tires, thick sway bar done good.
Thanks, Doug

markm
03-15-2022, 11:33 AM
Hi Mark,
The lowers are original, the upper control arms are CPP added caster versions.
Regards, Doug

I have same parts, but do not recall as good of results.

BamaNomad
03-15-2022, 02:51 PM
I have same parts, but do not recall as good of results.

As do I in my '56 Nomad, but we barely got the caster to ~ 1.5 deg...

55 Rescue Dog
03-15-2022, 02:59 PM
For comparison I just checked the results of the alignment recently done on my C4 suspension, and it drives like it's on rails.
Left caster 5.2 degrees
Right Caster 6.1 degrees

Belair-o
03-16-2022, 06:53 AM
Thanks for the replies! I was at the shop doing other work on the car yesterday and checked out the bolts that attach the upper control arms to the frame. The alignment tech was correct, couldn't have added any more shims and secured the nuts properly. But, I don't see why I couldn't swap in longer bolts, add another shim, and have the nuts fully on. Thoughts? Thanks, Doug

Rick_L
03-16-2022, 07:55 AM
That would be correct.

Belair-o
03-17-2022, 06:33 AM
Excellent! Thanks!

Belair-o
03-19-2022, 12:29 PM
Thanks for the replies! I was at the shop doing other work on the car yesterday and checked out the bolts that attach the upper control arms to the frame. The alignment tech was correct, couldn't have added any more shims and secured the nuts properly. But, I don't see why I couldn't swap in longer bolts, add another shim, and have the nuts fully on. Thoughts? Thanks, Doug

Rick_L responded, the idea of swapping in longer bolts is correct. I think the OEM bolts are knurled on the shank near the head. I have looked, and can't find a source for knurled Grade 8 7/16-20 2-3/4 bolts. I have assumed the knurling is required, so the bolt fits snug in the hole in the frame, but maybe not?

Rick_L
03-19-2022, 02:06 PM
Depends on a couple of things. If you have aftermarket upper control arms you might be able to get a wrench on the bolt head. Also you could tack weld the bolt head to the frame.

Belair-o
03-20-2022, 06:48 AM
Hi Rick,
I will look at access to the bolt head when I get the car back. The tack the bolt head to the frame sounds like a reasonable workaround.
Thanks, Doug

markm
03-20-2022, 10:18 AM
My aftermarket uppers came with grade 8 bolts, I reused the oem knurled ones.

Belair-o
03-21-2022, 10:23 AM
My aftermarket uppers came with grade 8 bolts, I reused the oem knurled ones.

Hi Mark,
So in your case, the needed number of shims must have left enough threads on the bolts to securely attach the nuts, different than my situation. Or maybe not. Those control arm attachment nuts that were originally on the car when I bought it were really long, like ~3/4" or so. Maybe the alignment tech saw he was running out of threads for those long nuts, and took what he saw as the safe way. When I get the car back, I will see if I can put normal height nuts on, add a shim, and fully thread on the nuts.
Thanks, Doug