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    Results 1 to 18 of 18
    1. #1
      Join Date
      Nov 2011
      Location
      Livermore, CA
      Posts
      668
      Country Flag: United States

      had the chevelle aligned today and they stated they could not get caster into spec

      Not sure what this SPEC is that they speak of, this car was never designed for what is bolted on to it..

      Although if I was on the track I think the starting point would have been better than the 2.x of caster that it's now. Just trying to get an idea on what you all think of the current settings.

      I probably should have asked for a good starting point before heading to the alignment shop, but I was excited to get it out and tomorrow I get plates on it!

      Thanks
      Tory
      Attached Images Attached Images  

      Livermore, CA
      American:
      1966 Chevelle SS "Tribute" Retro / Pro-Tour
      For Sale

    2. #2
      Join Date
      Dec 2010
      Location
      Fredericksburg, VA.
      Posts
      3,155
      Country Flag: United States
      All the alignment shops in my area just set the front specs to what their computer tells them regardless of the suspension that is actually installed. First place I went to had some young kid doing the alignments and his first question was what year the car was and then proceeded to look up 68 Camaro specs. I just left. I found the same thing at a half dozen other places so I finally just purchased the gauges and toe plates and I now do my own alignments.
      Steve Hayes
      "Dust Off"
      68 Camaro

      Given sufficient initial acceleration, even pigs can fly!

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Nov 2011
      Location
      Livermore, CA
      Posts
      668
      Country Flag: United States
      I had them way back in the day, the toe plates, but since sold. I tried to set it with some long pvc and measure front and rear, I was a tad off )

      Livermore, CA
      American:
      1966 Chevelle SS "Tribute" Retro / Pro-Tour
      For Sale

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Feb 2011
      Location
      dallas, tx
      Posts
      1,729
      Country Flag: United States
      im a district manager for ntb so i have the luxury of a few alignment machines lol

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Nov 2006
      Location
      Mountain Springs, Texas
      Posts
      4,488
      Country Flag: United States
      They tried to set it to factory. This is wrong for your car. Should have been around -.5 camber and 5-6 caster. You were better off before they aligned it.

      Don
      1969 Camaro - LSA 6L90E AME sub/IRS
      1957 Buick Estate Wagon
      1959 El Camino - Ironworks frame
      1956 Cameo - full C5 suspension/drivetrain
      1959 Apache Fleetside

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Feb 2013
      Posts
      799
      Country Flag: United States
      Try going to a small independent shop. I have one about 2 miles from home and I just gave them the settings I wanted. Had to consult briefly when he ran out of space to shim - my car's caster doesn't adjust that way. In the end he learned something and I have a place to go where they will let me stay in the garage while they work.

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
      Location
      The City of Fountains
      Posts
      15,971
      Country Flag: United States
      The A-bodies stock "spec" actually calls for negative caster, if you can believe that! Your original settings were actually pretty close.

      They also set you up with positive camber! WTF?

      Good starting street alignment specs for A-bodies is:

      4-6 degrees positive caster
      -.5 negative camber
      0-1/16" toe in

      That's about where my GTO is...

      Next time tell them to use 4th ten F-bodies if they need a "spec" and it'll get you close.

      Andrew
      1970 GTO Version 3.0
      1967 Cougar build
      GM High-Tech Performance feature
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      Dr. EFI
      I deliver what EFI promises.
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      Please get in touch if I can be of service.

      "You were the gun, your voice was the trigger, your bravery was the barrel, your eyes were the bullets." ~ Her

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Jul 2013
      Location
      Gilbert, AZ
      Posts
      934
      Country Flag: United States
      Wow, I knew the Chevelles had horrible original alignment, but negative caster?!?! And yeah, they were doing it all wrong. Sucks that the caster was better before they touched it.
      Josh Campbell- Pushing the limits of my HOA since 2011
      71 Firebird- 455, Ridetech front suspension. https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...04#post1124504
      67 Camaro RS/SS clone, Speedtech front suspension, coilovers, soon to get LT1/T56.
      82 Z28- cheapie beater, soon to get a 406.
      66 Mustang coupe- 393, T-5, sold. https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...-Coupe-GT393-C

    9. #9
      Join Date
      Feb 2013
      Posts
      799
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by CampbellshotrodsAZ View Post
      Wow, I knew the Chevelles had horrible original alignment, but negative caster?!?! And yeah, they were doing it all wrong. Sucks that the caster was better before they touched it.
      I think mine (Impala) was originally -0.5 to -1.0. Makes the car feel all floaty. 5 degrees positive has made it drive like an actual car.

    10. #10
      Join Date
      Nov 2011
      Location
      Livermore, CA
      Posts
      668
      Country Flag: United States
      holy crap, that didn't occur to me, I totally missed that, positive camber ya wth!!. The caster I totally agree, would have been better where it was but to go positive camber that seems holy silly.

      I'll pop by there and see if I can have some of it redone.. w0w ya.

      Thanks
      Tory

      Livermore, CA
      American:
      1966 Chevelle SS "Tribute" Retro / Pro-Tour
      For Sale

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Nov 2011
      Location
      Livermore, CA
      Posts
      668
      Country Flag: United States
      Okay guys were totally cool, said come up with the alignment spec you want and we will make it happen, no worries.. So that's awesome..

      so I'm thinking if I can get it back to 5 caster that would be ideal, I think -1.0 on camber would be fine for street driving and would much rather have 0 toe. I guess once I get ready to track it, I can add some shims to bring it closer to -2.* degrees camber, which will also give me slight toe out for better turn in.

      So ya.. +5 Caster, -1.25 Camber and shoot for 0 toe.

      Thanks for making me actually look at the data

      Tory

      Livermore, CA
      American:
      1966 Chevelle SS "Tribute" Retro / Pro-Tour
      For Sale

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Mar 2014
      Location
      Burlington, KY
      Posts
      181
      Country Flag: United States
      I always go into the shop and check in with them about halfway through, just to make sure they didn't start to do something silly like that.

      DIY alignment gear is on my to-buy list.
      1969 El Camino

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Dec 2010
      Location
      Fredericksburg, VA.
      Posts
      3,155
      Country Flag: United States
      Quote Originally Posted by icemanrd19 View Post
      im a district manager for ntb so i have the luxury of a few alignment machines lol
      I have an NTB in the area, will they set the alignment to my supplied specs and not the factory specs if I ask?
      Steve Hayes
      "Dust Off"
      68 Camaro

      Given sufficient initial acceleration, even pigs can fly!

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Apr 2005
      Location
      Colorado Springs
      Posts
      760
      Its very important for any of us to tell alignment shops that we require customized specs for our cars. Left to their own devices, most shops will pull up the factory specs, which were design for skinny bias ply tires at a time when steering effort was more important that road feel. If they insist on using a factory spec, either find another shop or input a late model unit that is more inline with what you want, like an '05 Mustang GT that has the same aggressive specs that we would want under a PT car.
      TonyC@HP2

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Aug 2013
      Location
      Shelton WA
      Posts
      133
      Country Flag: United States
      I had to call around to a couple of shops to find a place that would do a custom alignment. When you call asking about getting an alignment on a Monte Carlo with custom suspension in my neighborhood they automatically think DONK and don't want anything to do with it.

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Feb 2011
      Location
      dallas, tx
      Posts
      1,729
      Country Flag: United States
      if they are good at what they do and your cool about it. Guys in my area we take care of them but theres others that want their alignment set every month and we won't do that.

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Feb 2011
      Location
      dallas, tx
      Posts
      1,729
      Country Flag: United States
      I could see about setting up a pro touring company account for everyone. I think a basic one time alignment comes out to be $55 or $60

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Sep 2005
      Location
      Chit-ca-go
      Posts
      459
      An issue I have is that my car is too low for a regular rack. It requires a pit. It seems those wrecks and far between.

      1971 Firebird
      2017 Slipstream SS






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