Re: Front end alignment

[Skagdrager@xxxxxxx]

Thanks a lot, Schuyler.
With all the rabbits everybody has been chasing from the original thread,  
I'd pretty much lost hope of a practical answer.
You're the guy!
Paul
 
In a message dated 10/2/2007 11:36:33 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
sky62@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:


Paul, here's an old post I saved from Don D. some good info here,  I  
think.
Schuyler

for radial tires  the specs are  normally quite close to 0 camber and  
0 caster (aka a neutral  alignment. ) to check take a small plum bob  
or make one with a heavy  washer and a piece of string. With the  
wheels straight ahead   hang the string and bob over the fender so the  
string passes through  the centre of the wheel. When it stops swinging  
measure the distance  from the string to the top side of the  wheel  
rim and then from  the string to the bottom side of the wheel rim. In  
real life the top  measurement should be just slightly shorter than  
the bottom  measurement . About 1/8 of an inch which gives the car  
just a slight  amount of Posotive camber and helps put a bit more load  
on the inner  wheel bearing which is larger on our cars. Anything from  
that to  both exactly the same would be "in specs" so to speak.
Next with the wheels  still straight ahead hold the string to the bolt  
of the upper ball  joint . the washer or bob should be almost centered  
over the bolt  for the bottom ball joint. That would be 0 degrees. If  
it is forward  it would be neg caster and if it is behind it would be  
positive  caster.

rule of thumb

When i am standing facing the front  of my car anything coming towards  
me (from front to back or from the  side)  is negative (Caster Camber)  
anything going away from me  is postive (Caster . camber  ) It makes  
sense of you think  about it . "if i am standing in front of a car  
anything coming  towards me is negative. " hard to forget.

And now a short note for  those who have already said i think it would  
be a lot better getting  it lined up on a modern computer ized  
alignment machine. (which  never has your 62 to 65 alignment specs  
init anyway and may have  been dropped five times that week alone and  
could be seriously out  of calibration from ther drops and abuse) let  
me assure you that i  can absolutley guarantee that the bob weight is  
hanging exactly at 0  degrees.  No ifs, ands or buts about it.
Other than that there is  Radial tire pull. a very v common problem  
and the previous  recommendations a bout swapping the tire side to  
side is standard  check for this. Also rear axle steer if the springs  
are severly  arched is possible as the spring gets longer as it is  
compressed  flatter which can move the position of the rear axle.  
other than  that there os  no magic no phantom stuff. assuming the  
front  end is in good condition . I have seen a siezed shocjk hold a  
car  out of alignement but that is rare.
Measure also to see the wheelbase is  the same both side of the car.  
Short side always pulls. infact the  condition is known as short side  
pull and was used by some  aligmnment guy including me to offset for  
the tendancy of the crown  of the road to pull the car slighty toward  
the ditch as you  drove.  By puttng a 1/2 degree + caster in the  
drivers side  that made that side just a wee bit shorter and would  
hold the car  straight even on a crown road.
Don
Author of
Return to Deutschland  (True Adventure)
Old Reliable  (Mopar)
http://stores.ebay.ca/Don-Dulmage-Enterprises

Schuyler 62  Dodge Dart 440 wagon w/ Poly 318
<http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/ml-wrobel62.html>
FYI - I Do  the Decal designs for the Poly head 318 and more! email me  
with your  needs -
<sky62@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>



On Sep 30, 2007,  at 12:38 PM, Skagdrager@xxxxxxx wrote:

>
>
>
> I  often suspect that my front ends (62 Dart 4dr. drums & 62 Dart   
> convert w/
> disc upgrade per the book) are not aligned  properly, though I've had
> "professionals" (who claim proper knowledge)  adjust them several  
> times. Neither one
> corners very  comfortably.
> Is there a way to learn the proper protocol to align our  cars  
> ourselves,
> without needing expensive  equipment?
> Thanks.
>  Paul
>
>


----
Please address private mail -- mail of  interest to only one person -- 
directly to that person.  I.e., send  parts/car transactions and negotiations as 
well as other personal messages  only to the intended recipient, not to the 
Clubhouse public address. This  practice will protect your privacy, reduce the 
total volume of mail and fine  tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

'62 to '65 Mopar  Clubhouse Discussion  Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html.  









************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


----
Please address private mail -- mail of interest to only one person -- directly to that person.  I.e., send parts/car transactions and negotiations as well as other personal messages only to the intended recipient, not to the Clubhouse public address. This practice will protect your privacy, reduce the total volume of mail and fine tune the content signal to Mopar topic.  Thanks!

'62 to '65 Mopar Clubhouse Discussion Guidelines:
http://www.1962to1965mopar.ornocar.org/mletiq.html.