Blwn_by_Twins

iTrader: (6)

Please forgive me for the bitching I'm about to do, but I am at my wits end. I purchased my car back in March and have spend several thousands of dollars trying to get rid of "minor" problems and prep for a big power plant. For instance, I just got home from getting the car aligned.....again.....for the 5th time. Here is a little back story. Car pulls to the right since I bought it. I've done, new rims, tires, brakes, steering rack, and now 5 alignments. 4 of the 5 were from Firestone under their "Lifetime" alignment. Finally after feeling they were just being lazy I took it to someone very familiar with f-bodies and paid another $146 for it to be done right, and I'll be damned if it isn't still pulling. Caster is off on the passenger side, but just barely, and he told me to bring it back and they will finish it, but it's pulling so bad it HAS to be something else. The reason it cost so much is I have UMI lower control arms and adjusting them is a bitch. They have to completely unbolt the arm to turn the roto's and "I" bolts.

I have over $300 in just alignments for this thing now and still have to turn the wheel left to go strait. Car has never been hit. It is strait as a board every were. I've had my rear end centered and set as well so I don't know what else it could be. Just to give an example of why I'm so upset, here is a list of what I've done so far. Keep in mind everything I've bought was new, so I've spent a lot.

Nitto 555r's for the rear
Nitto 555's up front.
WS6 rims, sold the 18" vette knock offs to get these
Brakemotive Rotors and pads
Strang D/A shocks
All new Moog mounts and tie rod ends
New steering rack
BMR springs
UMI lower a-arms, track bar, LCA's, relo brackets, & SFC's
Tick M/C & Speed bleeder
Monster stg2 clutch & flywheel
New slave
MGW shifter
TDP stg 3+ triple cone sycro 32 spine main conversion. Still breaking this in, but at the moment am not happy about this purchase at all.

Now I was planning on looking into ordering a fab 9" from MWC or Brutespeed at the end of the month, but I just don't know that I want to **** with putting more money into this car. I've contemplated selling it several times, and everyone says I'm just unhappy b/c I haven't got to play with it much. Well if I can't get the thing to even drive strait how am I suppose to enjoy it?

Here are the results from this alignment btw...

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

did you do your rack yourself? also , the caster you talk about will cause the pull, plus roadways are engineered with a peak in the center so they drain. any poor caster will be amplified especially when the caster is negative like yours is since that rim is already behind. also, that type of misalignment can be caused by impact from a parking bump, curb or anything else that contacts that wheel first. I hit a curb in a civic i had years ago. it moved my passenger wheel back a bit and it pulled like crazy to the right after that... wait for the correct alignment and see what happens.

Blwn_by_Twins

iTrader: (6)

You misread the paper. It's positive 4.1*, just lower than spec. I hope your right though. I'm going to swap the front tires and see if that makes a difference, but like I said the tires are new. Less than 3k on them.

Yes, I did the rack myself.

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

I goofed... how bad does it pull? can you make a right turn with it or does it just drift over?

Blwn_by_Twins

iTrader: (6)

I can go threw a curve very easily. If I let go of the wheel it will change lanes faster than if I do it myself.

wrencher

iTrader: (2)

All the stock alignment specs I've seen ay caster 4.5-5.5 +
The thrust angle is off too, so the rear's not centered.

Need to get that extra .5 into the RF & the rear trued up.

Still think that's only part of the problem.
Hows the 4 corner ride height?
Aligning it to stock specs lowered > BMR springs?
I know the tires are newer, ever rotated them for testing purposes & driven it then?

Blwn_by_Twins

iTrader: (6)

Hows the 4 corner ride height?
Aligning it to stock specs lowered > BMR springs?
I know the tires are newer, ever rotated them for testing purposes & driven it then?

I'm rotating the tires tomorrow to see if that makes a difference. I noticed the thrust was off, but the way it is off would cause it to go to the left, not the right, so IDK.

1BAD02WS6

iTrader: (-1)

The camber needs to be Dropped in a little on the right front. Also there is not enough split on the caster. Shooting for a specific number on the caster is not the way to go. There needs to be a -.5 to -.8 split with the right side being higher.

Blwn_by_Twins

iTrader: (6)

Camber will change when they readjust the front I'm sure. So your saying if Caster on the right is @ 4.8* then it should be between 4.0-4.3* on the left?

1BAD02WS6

iTrader: (-1)

Yes right now your LF wheel is actually ahead of your RF making your car pull right. With that and the RF tire leaning out is what's causing the pull

Blwn_by_Twins

iTrader: (6)

Okay, I'll let them know that. Should I adjust the lca's or the ph bar out in the rear to get the thrust in place?

1BAD02WS6

iTrader: (-1)

Both really

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

the thrust angle is unrelated to the pull. the lower caster and higher (positive) camber on the RF will definitely cause a pull.

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

OP, you you have gotten VERY good replys, and by YOUR replys I am sure you are very much in the know also.
lower the camber on right front, rase the caster on right front OR lower caster on left front to get the correct caster spread, close the toe to a little +, correct the rear thrust line angle, ( need rear adjustable LCA) after all this should = a good align if you still have a pull eather way try CROSS the two front, drive ,if ANY change eather way one of front tires are problem if no change try cross two rear only if no change then tires are not problem
( no problem changing the tire rotation for a short drive to test)

some times cars are like the ladies ( no offence) you must work with them to get good results
good luck with BOTH,
Johnny

ANTICOP RAM AIR

iTrader: (7)

yea, what he said.... even though left and right caster may be within specs, if one is maximum positive and the other is maximum negative, the spread is what matters... its almost like saying that it would be better if both were out of tolerance in the negative OR positive but as long as they are the same amount... honestly, yours doesnt seem like its that bad. Id concentrate on the thrust angle first, if they or you cannot correct it, set the front toe to compensate for it...

Blwn_by_Twins

iTrader: (6)

I have adj panhard par and lca's, so I can get that corrected. Thanks for the input everyone. I'll update with results when I get them.