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Caster Adjustment Possible

67 GTX

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To give a little background, I rebuilt the front suspension on my 67 gtx a few years ago. Before the rebuild, the car tracked straight and the steering wheel was centered when doing so.
During the rebuild, I found that the ear on the lower control arm (I think pass. side) where it attached to the spindle was bent. So, I got another lower control arm that wasn't bent and finished the rebuild.
The car drives much better, but ever since the rebuild and alignment that followed, when going straight, the steering wheel has to be turned to the right about 10-15 degrees.
Thought it could've been the tires as I got different ones during the front end rebuild, but swapping them side to side did nothing. I've since gotten new wheels and tires and the problem still exists.

I can't find the alignment print out when I had it done a few years ago, but from memory, I believe the passenger side caster was out, and that was it.

Am I correct in saying that with these cars, only toe and camber can be adjusted? Or does playing with those adjustments also affect camber?
I'm not sure why removing a bent part changed these things, and how the car was fine before with said bent part.
 
These front ends were designed for either super slow manual steering or overboosted power steering and skinny, bias ply tires.
To get them to handle well with radial tires, you do need positive caster.
The alignment cams only move the upper control arm. The lower just swivels from a pivot shaft.
Adjusting the alignment cams affects everything but mostly caster and camber. It can be hard to get a lot of caster without offset bushings or aftermarket control arms.
Somehow, I was lucky. The man has been able to get 4 degrees of positive caster in my '70 Charger but I have the offset UCA bushings in place. I have only heard of a very few others that have had the same results. Many have trouble getting even 2 degrees with these bushings and even less with stock ones.
I don't have an explanation as to why the old setup tracked straight despite having bent parts.
If the car pulls to one side and road has no crown, that is often a caster issue, low tire pressure on one side or bent parts. If it wanders around, that is often related to toe OUT.
 
All 3 are adjustable, caster, camber toe.

Ignore the wheel position for now. If you let go of the wheel does the car go straight down the road or does it pull to one side?

If it goes straight the caster is fine. The toe can be adjusted to straighten the steering wheel.

If it pulls to on side the caster could be off. Or other problems.

You don’t need 4 degrees of caster to have an old mopar drive well.
 
The last guy that did the FEA got lazy and didn't center the steering wheel and adjust both wheels
for toe-in/toe-out. Simple adjustment of the tie-rod sleeves.
 
The last guy that did the FEA got lazy and didn't center the steering wheel and adjust both wheels
for toe-in/toe-out. Simple adjustment of the tie-rod sleeves.
This.
 
The last guy that did the FEA got lazy and didn't center the steering wheel and adjust both wheels
for toe-in/toe-out. Simple adjustment of the tie-rod sleeves.
Not necessarily. If the rear axle isn't square in the car it will dog track slightly. You will have to turn the wheel to compensate. A modern 4 wheel alignment machine should be able to compensate. Older machines will not. If the toe measures correctly you can carefully straighten the wheel by moving both tie rod sleeves equally. Which ever direction thE wheel is off will reqire both wheels moved in that direction. Example; in the OP's case the wheel is off to the right. He would need to shorten the right tie rod assy by turning the sleeve clockwise when viewing towards the inside of the RF wheel. The drivers side conversely would need to be lengthened by turning counter clockwise when viewing towards the inside of the LF wheel. I would sugest trying one full turn on each. Remeasure the toe to make sure you didnt rotate the sleeves in the wrong direction. It should be the exact number you started with. If the wheel is off to the right, you need an additional turn or 1/2 turn, etc. If it's now off to the left one turn was to much. Try 1/2 turn
less. When your careful this method can get it dead nuts. Now that I'm retired and have no alignment rack access I use this method. I set the caaster as far as teh adjustment will aloow and set the camber with a digital level. Then toe with a tape measure.
Doug
 
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I rebuilt the front end on my 66 Charger about 4 years ago. After re-build ,took it to my local tire shop I have been doing business with for probably 12 years now with all our families other 4 cars. Great folks, but not so good aligning an older car. Had it back to them twice but never really right.
Gave them the specs from the "skosh" alignment below that was recommended on this and other forums for a B Body. https://www.allpar.com/threads/turn...erformance-on-classic-mopars.237041/realizing Finally asked a friend , Ford Guy, who is into older Mustangs who he uses that really knows what they are doing with alignment on older cars. He put me in touch with a local Mopar collector who sent me to a small shop he uses about hour from my home. This alignment guy was not an old timer, but about 35 or so I guess, but this guy got it right first time! Guaranteed his work, told me "it would be perfect when he was done" and it was and still is.. Sometimes you just need the right person doing the alignment.
 
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My son did dads bee on an up to date dealership alignment rack. I think wayne mentioned to me it still wasn't feeling the way he wanted it. maybe some tweeks need to be done after driving the car to dial it in for each drivers personal preference! to me castor is the most important adjustment for good drivability. I hate when you have to bring the wheel back manually out of a turn!
 
It's funny I see many posts about alignment guys not knowing older cars. Car is a car. Specs are specs. Anybody that has a clue knows how to tweek those specs for different situations and driving styles. The bottom line is aligning an older car takes more time. You have to understand how moving caster and camber affect each other. Most modern stuff has no caster adjustment, many have no camber adjustment either. So it's set the toe and let it go. A real mechanic can fix just about anything. When I started many years ago I apprenticed. My mentor says what do you do? I said I wanted to be a brake specialist. He made me learn everything. I didn't like all of it. But I could fix all of it. Ill bet i've done 5000+ alignments. The stuff I hate the worst. Vibrations, air leaks, body water leaks.
Doug
 
All 3 are adjustable, caster, camber toe.

Ignore the wheel position for now. If you let go of the wheel does the car go straight down the road or does it pull to one side?
If it goes straight the caster is fine. The toe can be adjusted to straighten the steering wheel.
If it pulls to on side the caster could be off. Or other problems.
From memory, if I let go of the wheel, the cars drifts to one side slightly, and I think that's left.

I rebuilt the front end on my 66 Charger about 4 years ago. After re-build ,took it to my local tire shop I have been doing business with for probably 12 years now with all our families other 4 cars. Great folks, but not so good aligning an older car. Had it back to them twice but never really right.
Gave them the specs from the "skosh" alignment below that was recommended on this and other forums for a B Body. https://www.allpar.com/threads/turn...erformance-on-classic-mopars.237041/realizing Finally asked a friend , Ford Guy, who is into older Mustangs who he uses that really knows what they are doing with alignment on older cars. He put me in touch with a local Mopar collector who sent me to a small shop he uses about hour from my home. This alignment guy was not an old timer, but about 35 or so I guess, but this guy got it right first time! Guaranteed his work, told me "it would be perfect when he was done" and it was and still is.. Sometimes you just need the right person doing the alignment.
Where was that alignment shop? I've heard that as well, where sometimes you just need the right person or someone who will take the necessary time with the car.
 
It's funny I see many posts about alignment guys not knowing older cars. Car is a car. Specs are specs. Anybody that has a clue knows how to tweek those specs for different situations and driving styles. The bottom line is aligning an older car takes more time. You have to understand how moving caster and camber affect each other. Most modern stuff has no caster adjustment, many have no camber adjustment either. So it's set the toe and let it go. A real mechanic can fix just about anything. When I started many years ago I apprenticed. My mentor says what do you do? I said I wanted to be a brake specialist. He made me learn everything. I didn't like all of it. But I could fix all of it. Ill bet i've done 5000+ alignments. The stuff I hate the worst. Vibrations, air leaks, body water leaks.
Doug
There's lots of moron front end people that don't know what the heck they're doing with the older cars and trucks. One jerk went full circle with the cams and flared the ears. Talk about pissed! That's when I learned front end geometry and learn how to do it myself. The last shop I ever went to was one after I did my own alignment and only went there to have my work checked. He said everything look good except for my toe was not set right so he reset it. The car drove really strange on the way home knew it wasn't right and his reset turned out to be 1" toe in instead of 1/8. That was in about 93....how do ya do such a lame move as that!?
 
You would be wise to find a shop with experienced techs. If you only focus on the bargain $59.95 alignments deals, you end up with problems. These guys need to get them in, get them out as quickly as possible since they are on the clock due to the price. Set the toe and let it go is quite routine on old stuff as there is not enough time to do it correctly. You will need to be aware that it could take a couple of hours possibly to get things right depending on what shape the car is in. Old rides were sketchy on precision back in the day compared to current stuff. Add in any old damage from ditch jumping as a potential too. You need to find a shop that will hang targets on all four wheels as this will get you the Thrust Angle reading and the alignment needs to reflect off all four wheels. Watch vehicles around you as they are moving. Are they straight driving or is the back end swinging around? Back end swing means front alignment done only was done, possibly some other issues as well. Don't forget too that the road crown can cause a pull to the side.
 
It's funny I see many posts about alignment guys not knowing older cars. Car is a car. Specs are specs. Anybody that has a clue knows how to tweek those specs for different situations and driving styles. The bottom line is aligning an older car takes more time. You have to understand how moving caster and camber affect each other. Most modern stuff has no caster adjustment, many have no camber adjustment either. So it's set the toe and let it go. A real mechanic can fix just about anything. When I started many years ago I apprenticed. My mentor says what do you do? I said I wanted to be a brake specialist. He made me learn everything. I didn't like all of it. But I could fix all of it. Ill bet i've done 5000+ alignments. The stuff I hate the worst. Vibrations, air leaks, body water leaks.
Doug
I think I asked before but are you still doing alignments?
 
I think I asked before but are you still doing alignments?
I would be if I had the equipment. I have enough tools to do my own. But it's time consuming.
Doug
 
I would be if I had the equipment. I have enough tools to do my own. But it's time consuming.
Doug
I get it. I've got a lot also. I even broke down and purchased a brake lathe as the parts stores were butchering my stuff. I think if I could find one reasonable and local I would think about it. My old time alignment shop closed down. I gonna give the place on Woodward with the 63 Chrysler on the roof a try.
 
I get it. I've got a lot also. I even broke down and purchased a brake lathe as the parts stores were butchering my stuff. I think if I could find one reasonable and local I would think about it. My old time alignment shop closed down. I gonna give the place on Woodward with the 63 Chrysler on the roof a try.
Jakes Automotive will do them.
Doug
 
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