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Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. #367882 07/06/09 10:34 AM 07/06/09 10:34 AM
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast. mymcodebee OP master
mymcodebee OP master Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast.	Just got the cuda up and running. All new front parts and of course needs to be aligned. I have a guy up our way that is an ace on alignments but he is on vacation. Any tips on how I can get it close so I can drive to Carlisle and have him align it when I return. It has Polyglas GT's. Thank for any help. I am driving from Maine to PA. Reid

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: mymcodebee] #367883 07/06/09 10:51 AM 07/06/09 10:51 AM
Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska R RapidRobert Circle Track
RapidRobert Circle Track R Joined: Nov 2003 Posts: 36,040 Lincoln Nebraska	If I absolutely had to I'd put it on a level driveway,steering wheel straight, crank up tbars for ride height,adj tie rod sleeves till the tire treads are parallel then move the front of each tire in a 1/32" then put a carpenters level vertical on each tire & get it level(0 camber) live every 24 hour block of time like it's your last day on earth

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: RapidRobert] #367884 07/06/09 11:01 AM 07/06/09 11:01 AM
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast. mymcodebee OP master
mymcodebee OP master Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast.	OK the Camber was my big concern. Thank you.

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: mymcodebee] #367885 07/06/09 11:17 AM 07/06/09 11:17 AM
Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 349 Athens,Ga M mjk5thave enthusiast
mjk5thave enthusiast M Joined: Jan 2006 Posts: 349 Athens,Ga	messure from somewhere to the center of the upper ball joint to line the wheels parrell with each other. maybe use two areas like a hole in the frame to center and maybe the bumper bolt to center. just to make sure somthings not out of wack. Mark

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: mjk5thave] #367886 07/06/09 11:27 AM 07/06/09 11:27 AM
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast. mymcodebee OP master
mymcodebee OP master Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast.	Ah. I see what you mean. I measured front and back of the tires but that would not mean that they are parallel with the car. Thanks for the tip.

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: mymcodebee] #367887 07/06/09 11:44 AM 07/06/09 11:44 AM
Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 21,822 Kirkland, Washington Pacnorthcuda Too Many Posts
Pacnorthcuda Too Many Posts Joined: Nov 2007 Posts: 21,822 Kirkland, Washington	Camber is the easiest to get in the ballpark. 1) Park on level concrete, wheels straight of course. 2) Place a level against the top (12:00 O clock) position of the rim and the bottom (6:00) 3) Adjust Camber till true vertical (thats 0 degrees) done. You will find the hard part is adjusting the camber bolts while the suspension is loaded...it will want to 'fall' when you loosen, so it turns into a trial and error procedure whereby you unload the suspension, make an adjustment, lower the car, roll the car (at least 6 feet or so), and check. MUCH easier if you mark your bolt washers (the offset adj washers) with a sharpie as you go, that way you know where you've been and what direction you need to go. I forgot----best to START the adjustment by adjusting both adjusters (on each corner) for max caster, THEN adjust for 0 camber (you will remove some caster in the process).

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: Pacnorthcuda] #367888 07/06/09 12:49 PM 07/06/09 12:49 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,789 Hamilton, Ontario Canada Magnum master
Magnum master Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 5,789 Hamilton, Ontario Canada	Quote: make an adjustment, lower the car, roll the car (at least 6 feet or so), and check. Important step there. Bouncing does not sufficiently allow the tires to spread out to where they were. The caster will be pretty much out of the question without a gauge. At home this is not easy. Like they said, toe and caster is not much of an issue. I do toe setting at home all the time. Problem with camber adjustments at home is it disturbs the caster. For what it's worth. This job is 10 times easier on a rack, with plates and reference to the rear wheels. You can see all 3 (actually more) adjustments for EVERY move you make. At home you have to recheck each one over and over after each move. My vote is do it on a rack. 69 Super Bee, 93 Mustang LX, 04 Allure Super

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: mymcodebee] #367889 07/06/09 11:18 PM 07/06/09 11:18 PM
Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 824 NH 72challorange He's Game
72challorange He's Game Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 824 NH	Bring it to someone, anyone and have the wiz do it again when you get back. Should cost 60 bucks. Tom I'd hate to see you ruin those tires!

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: 72challorange] #367890 07/07/09 09:36 AM 07/07/09 09:36 AM
Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast. mymcodebee OP master
mymcodebee OP master Joined: Sep 2003 Posts: 2,968 Far Northeast.	I just it back off the rack for $75 from a local garage. They did a nice job. Not really worth the risk when you factor in a 10 hour drive to Carlisle.. I will have enough other issues to worry about I'm sure. Thanks for the input everyone. See you at Carlisle. Reid

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: mymcodebee] #367891 07/08/09 06:58 PM 07/08/09 06:58 PM
Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 824 NH 72challorange He's Game
72challorange He's Game Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 824 NH	See you there! Driving down in the AM. Tom

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: 72challorange] #367892 07/13/09 01:49 PM 07/13/09 01:49 PM
Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 824 NH 72challorange He's Game
72challorange He's Game Joined: Jun 2006 Posts: 824 NH	I think I saw you on the ride home, man you guys were moving! Tom

Re: Do-it- yourself Front End Alignment Help Needed. [Re: Magnum] #367893 07/13/09 07:58 PM 07/13/09 07:58 PM
Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,982 Ansonia, CT C CJK440 master
CJK440 master C Joined: Jan 2003 Posts: 9,982 Ansonia, CT	Quote: The caster will be pretty much out of the question without a gauge. At home this is not easy. Like they said, toe and caster is not much of an issue. I do toe setting at home all the time. Problem with camber adjustments at home is it disturbs the caster. Caster can just be measured as camber change at steering angle. While its tough to dial in camber to a certain spec, its not hard to equalize it which is most important. I put the tires on a floor tile / grease quadruple decker sandwich so no need to roll the car back and forth to equalize the suspension. I get my camber with the wheels straight and make sure "camber" with the wheel turned one turn one way matches one turn the other. 2017 Contusion Blue Challenger T/A 392 M6 "BLKNBLU"

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