DIY Front End Alignment

ncgoblin

Goblin Guru
Hey all,

I am adjusting caster and need assistance to get 8.5-9.0 degrees. The tools I am using are Longacre 52-78290 and toe plates. The steps I follow are:

1. 0 Gauge out on level surface.
2. Moved tire out to 15 degrees, set caster mode, leveled gauge and set to 0.
3. Moved tire in to 15 degrees, leveled gauge and read 8.0 degrees. As shown in the pic the gauge states negative this may not be a concern but I do know there is negative and postive caster so maybe someone can clear this up for me.
4. To get 8.0 degrees the upper ball joint has to be turned out more then seems right. The photo with the upper ball joint turned out just 2 turns is 4.4 degrees degrees.
5. The lower ball joint I turned all the way in if it was 4 turns out and the upper ball joint was in the current position it would only be 7 degrees.

All build logs I have scanned through show very slight adjustment to the default -4 turns out.

8.jpg

6.jpg

5.jpg

7.jpg
 

Ross

Goblin Guru
My lower A arms have the heim joints threaded almost all the way in. My upper A arms have about 4 threads on all the 3 heim joints.
We want about 1.5 degrees negative camber as shown below. (I used 0.7 degrees after studying my tread wear)
20024

The 8 or 9 degrees is the positive caster angle.
20025

The caster can be adjusted using the upper or lower A arms, as it is a measure of the difference between the upper and lower A arms.
 

Towerdog

Goblin Guru
The first step is to adjust the ride height using the locking nuts on the bottom of the coilovers. Adjust the height until the lower control arm is level with the ground when viewed from the front.

Is this done empty or driver passenger weight added? Just noticing on my short test drives that the front seems light and bouncy.
 

baustin

Well-Known Member
The first step is to adjust the ride height using the locking nuts on the bottom of the coilovers. Adjust the height until the lower control arm is level with the ground when viewed from the front.

Is this done empty or driver passenger weight added? Just noticing on my short test drives that the front seems light and bouncy.
Either but preferably with weight in the seats for your normal drive weight.

If I'm thinking of it correctly:
Are you maxing out the shock travel with where you set your springs even when sitting on the wheels? You can check this by jacking up the front of the car, does the front suspension have any droop? It shouldn't droop much on these, there's not much weight per front wheel anyways and I think it's preferred to have a slight preload on the spring so it doesn't rattle at full droop. If it doesn't extend any when jacking up the front of the frame then you have preload+ force on the springs which will ride very rough since it won't compress till you get a high enough force to overcome the preload, this would essentially lock the shock into max length unless you went through a roller coaster dip in the road and just be a rigid suspension.
 

Lndshrk Steve

Well-Known Member
The beginning of this thread for front end alignment it states "these instructions assume that you adjusted your control arm rod ends the way we showed in the instructional video." Is the video still available anywhere? I've been looking and sometimes you can find the on YouTube but I can't seem to locate it. Or can you tell me simply, these rod ends out 4 turns these rod end in all the way etc.?
 

k.rollin

Goblin Guru
The beginning of this thread for front end alignment it states "these instructions assume that you adjusted your control arm rod ends the way we showed in the instructional video." Is the video still available anywhere? I've been looking and sometimes you can find the on YouTube but I can't seem to locate it. Or can you tell me simply, these rod ends out 4 turns these rod end in all the way etc.?
Initial assembly said to run them all the way in, then back then out 4 full turns.
 

Lndshrk Steve

Well-Known Member
Thanks! That what I thought I read somewhere, but I was thinking the larger outer rod ends started full in. This should get me started.
 

chief404

Active Member
Next, the camber needs to be set. Zero the digital angle finder to the main hoop and then check the camber at each of the front rotors. Same as the rear, we shoot for 1.5 degrees of negative camber (top of the tire leans in toward the car).
What exactly does main hoop mean? Where is the best spot for the angle finder?
 
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