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help on front end alignment #2791954
07/02/20 03:12 PM
07/02/20 03:12 PM
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Apollo, PA.
B1MAXX Offline OP
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putting a 1967 b-body together. set the front end height 1 7/8 -2". turned the rear cam bolts all the way in both sides. front cam bolts all the way out both sides. Caster is great 3 -4 deg. pos. both sides, camber is way out approx 4 deg. pos also, didn't pay a whole lot of attention to the exact number wheels were leaning visibly. Start to turn front cams in to bring camber into range. I cant get both sides equal. best I could do was split differences. ended up with -.5 deg.caster both sides but get 1 pos. degree camber on the left and 1.5 pos. degree right in camber if I bring the camber down I get farther on the negative side of the caster. any thought or opinions?

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: B1MAXX] #2791960
07/02/20 03:30 PM
07/02/20 03:30 PM
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central texas
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krautrock Offline
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that sounds about right. factory upper control arms?

I put some Firm Feel upper control arms on my 67 Coronet and I was able to get 2.5* Caster and -.5* Camber.
I set my ride height about the same as what you stated, there is some rake from the SS springs on the rear too, so if it sat level the caster might be a little better.

On the adjusters, I started out with the rear all the way inward and the front all the way out. Had to rotate the front adjusters to roughly 12 o'clock position to get the camber where it needed to be. The driver side seemed to have a little better numbers than the pass side, I rotated the rear adjuster on that side out just a touch to get the caster even side to side.

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: krautrock] #2791969
07/02/20 04:12 PM
07/02/20 04:12 PM
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Apollo, PA.
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yep factory arms....
what about changing the ride height Does anyone know if raising or lowering would help?

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: B1MAXX] #2791976
07/02/20 04:31 PM
07/02/20 04:31 PM
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UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN...
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NITROUSN Offline
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UPPER MICHIGAN, MARQUETTE COUN...
Raising will decrease camber and lowering will increase camber. Moog makes off-set upper arm bushings which can be set to different positions depending on what the situation calls for.

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: NITROUSN] #2792358
07/03/20 01:56 PM
07/03/20 01:56 PM
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north of coder
moparx Offline
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raising will also increase positive caster, while lowering will decrease positive caster.
beer

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: moparx] #2792528
07/04/20 05:31 AM
07/04/20 05:31 AM
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ohio
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ruderunner Offline
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Another recommendation for the offset bushing. Install the rear bushings with the thicker rubber towards the engine, the front bushings go opposite. Do not follow the instructions in the box.

By flipping one pair of bushings you get more caster adjustment which allows you to bring the camber into range.


Angry white pureblood male
Re: help on front end alignment [Re: ruderunner] #2792548
07/04/20 07:56 AM
07/04/20 07:56 AM
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MI, usa
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Most of the time offset bushings in the front location will help. The factory caster spec for manual steering was -1/2. That's whats built into the suspension. I shortened my strut rods 3/8"as well. Cut them apart. Turned the the ends in the lathe. The connected them with Moly tubing.
Doug

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: dvw] #2792559
07/04/20 08:40 AM
07/04/20 08:40 AM
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Florida
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Re: help on front end alignment [Re: BDW] #2793888
07/07/20 11:48 AM
07/07/20 11:48 AM
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Apollo, PA.
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OK so I got my bushings. If because I could get good caster but too much +camber I was thinking to install both bushings offsetting the entire arm in board. Opinions on that?

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: B1MAXX] #2794052
07/07/20 07:01 PM
07/07/20 07:01 PM
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ohio
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ruderunner Offline
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How much negative camber do you want?

Is this a track car of street car?

For street I prefer the extra caster to help self center. For track the extra camber might be advantageous.


Angry white pureblood male
Re: help on front end alignment [Re: ruderunner] #2794099
07/07/20 09:26 PM
07/07/20 09:26 PM
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Apollo, PA.
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I was able to get 3-4 degrees caster but the camber was noticeably positive. I was thinking that if I could get the 3-4 degrees caster that would be fine, and get some negative camber moving the whole arm in.
It's a street/strip car ..manual steering, 255 60's out back and 235 60's up front. If I stagger the bushings for more caster would that lessen the camber results? or does staggering the start to give more camber also because of the swing arc? This is my first time messing with these offset bushings.

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: B1MAXX] #2794345
07/08/20 12:35 PM
07/08/20 12:35 PM
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Anderson, IN
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1969RR Offline
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Do you have the car on an alignment rack? If so, what are the readings. If you stagger the bushings, that shouldn't change camber. Do you not have enough adjustment with the factory eccentrics? This is a stock suspension, I assume. I always set up stock suspensions like BWD suggested with the off-set bushings. I like as much positive caster as I can dial in. Usually I set camber to -1/4 (or close to that) and have no issues using the eccentrics. If you're still way too much positive on the camber (and nothing is bent) you may have to sacrifice some caster to get the camber dialed in. Since you've modified the strut rods, that's what I'd do. Jeff

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: 1969RR] #2794381
07/08/20 02:10 PM
07/08/20 02:10 PM
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Apollo, PA.
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No alignment rack just bubble caster camber gauge. Right now I have 1/2 degree negative caster both sides camber is 1 degree positive on one side and 1.5 degrees positive on the other. If I go positive on the caster then I get more positive camber. I can get 3 to 4 degrees positive caster with the eccentrics but the camber is ridiculously positive.

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: B1MAXX] #2794390
07/08/20 02:27 PM
07/08/20 02:27 PM
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Wheatfield, NY
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Re: help on front end alignment [Re: Cuda340] #2794416
07/08/20 03:56 PM
07/08/20 03:56 PM
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Anderson, IN
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1969RR Offline
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Move the rear eccentric only so the ball joint moves aft, (control arm moves inward) that is positive caster, neg camber. If you have any adjustment left

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: 1969RR] #2794430
07/08/20 04:43 PM
07/08/20 04:43 PM
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Apollo, PA.
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rear eccentric when moved so that the ball joint goes aft, rear of the arm in, increases the positive camber. When I start with the ball joint full forward I have neg. camber as I move it aft, rearward,It just keeps going more and more positive. This is all stock parts ...but the spindle is the taller 1973 and up one. If I can set the caster say 3 degrees positive both sides but have excessive positive camber. then install both bushings offset inboard do you know how many degrees camber the bushings will give approximately? I was thinking if Install them staggered the I wouldn't get as much out of the camber. Might be one of those Things I'll have to try.

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: B1MAXX] #2794455
07/08/20 05:34 PM
07/08/20 05:34 PM
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MI, usa
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You have caster/camber designations confused by the statement in your last post.. When you move the rear of the arm in, the upper ball joint moves rearward. This increases positive caster. It also moves the camber more negative. Positive caster is the upper ball joint behind the lower ball joint. Moving either cam so the upper arm moves inward moves the camber negative. Negative camber is the top of the tire leaning inward toward the vehicle centerline. Never aligned an early Mopar that had excessive positive camber and caster. I've aligned hundreds. Usually start with the front cams all the way out. The rears all the way in. Now you have to tweak the difference between the front and rear cams to obtain the camber you desire. Then a little more adjustment to get the caster equal on both sides. Seldom will you have over 3 degrees positive caster with 0 camber.
Doug

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: dvw] #2794494
07/08/20 07:29 PM
07/08/20 07:29 PM
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Apollo, PA.
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Thats the way I started, front of the arm all the way out ,rear of the arm all the way in, in other words upper ball joint as far rearward as possible had between 3-4 degrees positive caster both sides, but top of the tire is leaning out, positive camber. The only way it will reduce positive camber is bringing the ball joint forward.

Bringing the upper ball joint rearward never shows camber moving negative, no matter how far I move the upper ball joint rearward the camber tracks positive, it never starts to go in the negative camber direction.

If I start from the front position (upper ball joint) camber is negative, moving the upper ball joint rearward, it continues the camber in the positive direction until I run out of adjustment in the cams.

When I get to 0 camber my caster is almost 2 negative, again any movement of the upper ball joint rearward puts me in positive camber land.

Right now I have the rear cam all the way in and the front cam is approx. straight up (middle of adjustment, resulting in 1/2 degree negative caster and 1 degree positive camber. If I go after positive caster the camber goes positive more.

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: B1MAXX] #2794529
07/08/20 09:45 PM
07/08/20 09:45 PM
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Ply72rr Offline
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B1MAXX, Get the Moog offset bushing and install them the way BDW's post shows. That will move the rear of the control arm in which will help move the caster positive and the camber negative. I don't know if you will get to 3 or 4 degrees positive caster but it will be better than what you have now and you will be able to get the camber in the 0 to -.5 degree range. You may have already done so but I would check the condition of the rest of the suspension (lower control arm bushings / ball joints will affect camber) and make sure the floor is level where you're measuring the alignment. I have to use shims under the tires to level mine before doing alignments at home.

Re: help on front end alignment [Re: Ply72rr] #2794601
07/09/20 05:53 AM
07/09/20 05:53 AM
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MI, usa
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I'm assuming you have not installed the offset bushings yet. Your readings in post #1 send up a red flag to me. Never seen that much positive caster on a B body in my life. Does this car have B body lower control arms? A body will fit (the shocks wont). A body will be stamped V/L on the front of the arm. Something isnt right. There is no way you can get that much camber with the rear cam pulled all the way in in a normal situation. Moving the rear cam in will reduce positive camber and add positive caster.
Doug

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