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Basic front end alignment

Posted By: Dr Dave

Basic front end alignment - 01/31/15 07:29 PM

Can anyone give me a basic guideline to get my front end aligned well enough so that I can safely drive to an alignment shop? It is an Alterkation front suspension if that matters. I know the toe in is about 1/4" and can set that but what about camber and caster? Thanks!
Posted By: Ply72rr

Re: Basic front end alignment - 01/31/15 08:52 PM

I'm not familiar with the Alterkation so I can't tell you how to make the adjustments but if you only need to drive a short didstance to the alignment shop I would get the camber(top of tire tilting in or out)close to zero. You could use a level or just eyeball it if your not driving very far. Getting the toe close to zero is the most important thing,it doesn't take too much toe in or out to wear the tires quickly.You can set the toe close to zero using a tape measure or string. I would not worry about setting caster since you're just going to the alignment shop,if the caster is off it can cause a pull but it doesn't wear the tires.
Posted By: BigBlockMopar

Re: Basic front end alignment - 01/31/15 09:44 PM

Camber -0.5 degrees
Caster as much positive (to the rear of the car) as you can get.
Usually that means that the frontmost cambolt-adjusters are turned outwards and the rear cambolts are turned inwards.
Then, re-adjust for 'eyeball'-camber setting.

For a trip to the alignment-shop you can pretty much eyeball that the wheels are straight up, with maybe a very slight lean backwards, towards the centerline of the car.
Toe-in can be set with a tape-measure to the inside of the wheels or tires.

As would happen, I just downloaded (another) alignment app today for my iPhone called, 'CamberMeas'.
This app has the nice feature that you can enter your car's steeringbox ratio, and, per wheel, just turn the steeringwheel 360 degrees to the left, measure, then turn 360 right, measure again to get your caster-settings.

I still would like to realign the car in a regular alignmentshop to verify the app's numbers.


Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Basic front end alignment - 01/31/15 10:01 PM

first loosen the (2) front tapered LCA studs that go thru the Kmember, the front nuts, then get ride height (Tbars) to where the wheels/tires look right TO YOU & measure between LCA bumpers up to the frame to get each side dead on even with each other. (3) steering wheel halfway between lock to lock. (4) tires straight ahead (tie rod sleeves) & your tape is fine (C to C of each tread) (5) turn each cam till you are at max positive caster then turn the rear cam (on each side) till camber is plumb (vertical) by using a 2ft carpenters' level vertical on the sidewalls. tighten the LCA stud nuts. Have your weight in barbells in the DR seat for all of this. Slide the weights over to the pass seat & drive it over there. tell him NOT to alter the ride height & to tighten the UCA cam bolt nuts TIGHT when he is done & make sure he loosens the LCA tapered stud nuts BEFORE he starts and retightens em afterwards. Slip him a 20 so he'll accomodate your pickiness. When done it'll float down the road. Oh also have a half tank of gas/spare tire in there. Back to the beginning I like to raise the car with the front bumper to make it easier to crank up the tbars plus then drive it several miles then see if the ride height is still OK (some bars can settle & I'm ocd) then drive to the shop. I like as much positive caster as possible (use the offsett bushings) 1/8" toe in and zero (plumb) to a neg 0.5 deg camber. EDIT ins regs will (likely) want him to drive it onto the rack & have him pull the weights back over to the dr side as he exits the vehicle
Posted By: Dr Dave

Re: Basic front end alignment - 01/31/15 10:55 PM

Thanks guys!
Posted By: Supercuda

Re: Basic front end alignment - 01/31/15 11:13 PM

Quote:

Thanks guys!




Problem with Moparts is that few actually read the question fully.

With an ALTERKATION front end, I'd remove the front tires, block up ant LCA to ride height and use a digital protractor to set camber, toe you said you could do, caster, well I wouldn't worry about it as you are planning to have it professionally aligned.
Posted By: BigBlockMopar

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/01/15 12:03 AM

Just wanted to post numbers first, but it turned into a small story later on.
Doesn't matter at all for the specs ofcourse.
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/01/15 12:35 AM

My take is the problem with Moparts is the haters that come out on the weekends . BBM I dont see a problem with too much info being shared as the OP er can certainly take/use what he wants & leave the rest. tho I was wondering about how different the Alterkation deal is. I had thought about it at one time but for that kind of money it wouldn't be practical for my app & way back iirc someone had trouble with em tho I dont remem what the issue was.
Posted By: Supercuda

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/01/15 06:01 AM

Quote:

My take is the problem with Moparts is the haters that come out on the weekends . BBM I dont see a problem with too much info being shared as the OP er can certainly take/use what he wants & leave the rest. tho I was wondering about how different the Alterkation deal is. I had thought about it at one time but for that kind of money it wouldn't be practical for my app & way back iirc someone had trouble with em tho I dont remem what the issue was.




Haters huh?

Nice name calling.

How about the commenting that sends the OP off on a wide goose chase with irrelevant information.

Gonna be real fun to follow your advice with an Alterkation front suspension.
Posted By: NITROUSN

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/01/15 06:40 AM

Quote:

Gonna be real fun to follow your advice with an Alterkation front suspension.





Why would general alignment geometry/ settings be any different from Alterkation to OEM specs?
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/01/15 06:46 AM

Quote:

Haters huh?

Nice name calling.

How about the commenting that sends the OP off on a wide goose chase with irrelevant information.




(1) Yes I agree that I did not stick to my game plan of non involvement especially since you did not single me out directly tho I felt it was directed at me. My bad/I will tighten up my game (2) I believe the OP will know if any of my info will be beneficial to his app or not
Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/01/15 08:54 AM

Quote:

Quote:

Gonna be real fun to follow your advice with an Alterkation front suspension.





Why would general alignment geometry/ settings be any different from Alterkation to OEM specs?


The Alteration K member usually eliminates the stock steering box and torsion bars and makes the front suspion into A arms with coil over shocks with front rack and pinion steering On a race car I like to see as much caster to the rear as I can get and zero camber and no more than 1/8 toe (on the front side of the tires) in in the middle of the hieght of the front tires
Posted By: Dr Dave

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/02/15 07:12 AM

Back to my original question, I was just looking for advice on a ballpark alignment to safely get me to a professional alignment shop. I didn't really think that T-bar, coil over or what ever wouldn't really matter for this. Thanks for everyone's help, there is always something to learn in everyone's posts.
I do have another question, on the basic setting, do I measure with the front suspension loaded or sagging? Toe in and camber is all im worried about so I can drive the 15 or so miles to the shop. Thanks again!
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/02/15 07:37 AM

Quote:

I was just looking for advice on a ballpark alignment to safely get me to a professional alignment shop. I do have another question, on the basic setting, do I measure with the front suspension loaded or sagging? Toe in and camber is all im worried about so I can drive the 15 or so miles to the shop. Thanks again!


(1) We rarely k.i.s.s. here (2) loaded (same as it will be driven) (3) (A) cams to max caster (B) rear cam till vertical plumb camber (C) toe in straight ahead or a skosh in on each sleeve. actually the caster (A) ain't that important & you pretty much just want the toe in/camber good so the tires wont scuff on the short drive
Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/02/15 07:45 AM

Quote:

Back to my original question, I was just looking for advice on a ballpark alignment to safely get me to a professional alignment shop. I didn't really think that T-bar, coil over or what ever wouldn't really matter for this. Thanks for everyone's help, there is always something to learn in everyone's posts.
I do have another question, on the basic setting, do I measure with the front suspension loaded or sagging? Toe in and camber is all im worried about so I can drive the 15 or so miles to the shop. Thanks again!




1/8" to 3/16" toe in

0 to 1/2 degrees negative camber

That will get you to the alignment shop without wearing the tires and not be overly dangerous to get there.

You can even set the camber with just a large carpenters T-Square. Just use measure the distance from the bottom rim edge to T-square. Then do same for top of rim. Adjust so top distance is 1/8" more (top tipped in) than bottom.

That is about 1/2 deg neg camber on a 15" rim. Anything between 0" and 1/8" more distance on top is OK.

Make sure to roll the car back and forth returning to the same spot each time you make an adjustment and measurement.
Posted By: Dr Dave

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/02/15 07:54 AM

Autox, thanks, that's helpful. What I'm understanding is that with the car on the ground, the top (12:00 position) should be 1/8" in from vertical and toe in 1/8"
Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/02/15 07:59 AM

toe in straight ahead/camber vertical (plumb) & you'll be fine. let the alignment guy fine tune the settings on the rack
Posted By: autoxcuda

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/02/15 08:03 AM

Quote:

Autox, thanks, that's helpful. What I'm understanding is that with the car on the ground, the top (12:00 position) should be 1/8" in from vertical and toe in 1/8"




Yes 12:00 position and 6:00 position

Anything between 0" to 1/8" is fine.
Posted By: Dr Dave

Re: Basic front end alignment - 02/02/15 06:20 PM

Awesome, thanks guys!
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