To The (Alignment) Rack!

"MM54" (mm54mk2)
10/06/2020 at 18:50 • Filed to: '71Chevelle

It’s been a while since I posted anything with the Chevelle.

I was finally able to get it aligned today, after quite some time of forgetting it needed it except while driving and the shop I use being booked way out. It was last aligned ~2012 to I-don’t-know spec after replacing all the bushings/joints/etc , and has been completely apart and put back together again since then. It drove like it needed an alignment.

How out of whack was it? Camber was -1.25/-1.5, Caster was 0/0, Toe was 0. No wonder it drove like it needed aligned. It’s now to a closer-to-spec 1/8 degree of camber, caster about 1.25/1.5 (you really can’t get much with the geometry of these) and toed in 1/16" - drives like it should now, e.g. it doesn’t have a mind of its own.

Normally I’d sneak another degree of camber in t here but this car doesn’t really turn in either way. The geometry is so ass-backwards that the camber goes positive under compression so it’s not much worth fighting with the stock arms (aftermarket bits resolve this but that’s no time soon).

One of these days I’ll outline the next steps for this project, since summer is sadly winding down and the trapped-in-the-garage season is nearing. It’s not too exciting.

DISCUSSION (9)

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > MM54
10/06/2020 at 18:54

I replaced the tie-rods on my car and it was 4-deg out of toe after my great work. So you actually started much better.

lone_liberal > MM54
10/06/2020 at 19:15

That thing is looking so damn good. I’m jealous! I don’t even know how far out the alignment on the Camaro was but it was probably pretty bad given how it drove. Now it tracks fine but it rubs and bottoms out for some reason. I could almost excuse the rubbing (it shouldn’t!) but bottoming out with stock height springs and spindles in the front just doesn’t make any damn sense. This thing might get blown apart this winter.

MM54 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/06/2020 at 20:26

When I did the upper ball joints in my crown vic (which set caster and camber and thus affect toe) I eyeballed them. When I got it to the shop I told them the spec I wanted (way more aggressive than factory) and asked them to let me know what they were at since I was curious how close I eyeballed it.

One side was within factory spec and the other was darn close to where I wanted it.

You can set toe at home with some string and a tape measure, even to ballpark it makes a huge difference for the drive to the alignment place ;)

MM54 > lone_liberal
10/06/2020 at 20:28

It’s bottoming out as in hitting the bumpstops while stock?? Either those springs are very saggy or something is out of whack, that should be just about impossible. The rubbing also is suspect - what’s it rubbing on?

lone_liberal > MM54
10/06/2020 at 20:57

It’s tire rub which I could understand if they were big but the tires are only 235/60-15 so I wouldn’t think they would rub. I’m going to have to do more testing about hitting the bump stops. It could have just been the tire hitting the inner fender hard. The springs are brand new Moog units and they sit fine at rest. More investigation is in order. Luckily I have all winter.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > MM54
10/06/2020 at 21:10

I actually tried using string but the rear is 0.5” narrower than the front so it didn’t work very well. I’m only 2 miles from the tire shop so it wasn’t a big deal. My car also July has toe adjustment on the front, I dint have camber plates or adjustable control arms so it’s probably pretty easy for the shop to align.

MM54 > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
10/06/2020 at 21:27

For the toe/string method you only need to know that the string is parallel on either side of the car (and not necessarily parallel to the car) , track width rear/front shouldn’t play in to it. Once you know the two strings are parallel you just measure the distance from the string to the front/rear edge of the tire on both sides, and the net difference is toe in/out.

MM54 > lone_liberal
10/06/2020 at 21:29

I’m surprised 235s are rubbing too, are they stock wheels (or at least stock offset)?

lone_liberal > MM54
10/06/2020 at 21:39

That I don’t know. They’re an old set of CenterLine Auto Drags that were on it when I bought it. They don’t stick out noticeably but it could be off just enough.