Alignment specs - stock or is there something better?

[Hemicbx]

What is the general thinking on front end alignment specifications these days? Are the original specifications, designed for use with bias ply tires, still the preferred choice or is there something better to accommodate modern radials?


per the book,

caster: 0 to -1 degree
camber: Left +.25 to +.75 degree, Right 0 to .5 degree
toe: 3/32 to 5/32 in


car is a 65 Belvedere w manual steering

thanks,
-MHZ

 

[benno440]

2-6* degrees of caster are preferred but almost undoable on the stock suspension.
i would not run any negative castor as it creates no advantage other than lighter steering, but does create an unstable effect on straight roads.
that camber sounds right.
i would keep toe in at 1/8

 

[Jasoncoronet]

Heres what i did

Caster 2-4 degrees posative
Camber .5 to 1 degree negative
Toe 1/8 in.

I had my car aligned 3 times before i told them to use my specs. It runs straight as an arrow now. The settings that the alignment shop supplied were not even close trust me. There specs are way off.

 

[wedgie]

I use RMS tubular upper A arms as well as RMS adjustable strut rods. Followed Bill's recomendations. Perfect is the only way to describe the driving experience now.

 

[Hemicbx]

My car was aligned Wayback when it was first built, and I don't remember any odd driving characteristics. At that time, I had just installed a complete new front end kit. In the time it was gone from me, the car got about 5000 miles, and the driving is now very strange and the front tires are worn. I had an alignment done when I first got it back last year, but I really believe he only did toe adjustment. He did say that the toe was a mess.

We were looking at closely the other day, and the driver side strut rod bushing that shot. This is almost certainly the root of my problems. I am in process of doing strut rod bushings and lower control arm bushings. But I know I'm going to need an alignment after I'm done with this job.

-MHZ

 

[Cranky]

I don't even get close to the book on my street driven cars and go for as much camber as I can get and 1/8" toe. I also lower them at least 2" under stock...

 

[Plucked Chicken]

Best write-up I have seen on alignment specs:

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/front-end-alignment.html

:sunny:

 

[67 coronet]

Best write-up I have seen on alignment specs:

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/front-end-alignment.html

:sunny:

that is one of the better articles explaining things that i have seen.nice work chicken.

 

[Funship32]

Best write-up I have seen on alignment specs:

http://www.allpar.com/history/mopar/front-end-alignment.html

:sunny:

X2 you read my mind....

 

[Cranky]

Good link but that info has been available for many years now.....ya just had to dig for it. Your driving style may dictate your alignment specs. I'm one that likes to play around on curves etc and like a lot of negative camber and also dislike road wander so I try and dial in a lot of caster too. And most don't realize that you are messing up your alignment when you jack up the rear of your car. 1 or 2" higher usually won't make much of a difference unless you are already having a hard time getting any decent amount of positive caster. I used to have a chart that estimated the caster change for every inch of added rear end height based on wheel base but danged if I can find it now.

 

[Plucked Chicken]

Also just discovered how to get that tough to dial in positive caster. MOOG K7103

Will installing them for just the front bushings gain enough for 3 degrees positive caster? Or do you need them front and rear?

:sunny: