InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

I just got my car aligned, new k-member, a-arms, madman rack etc. The guys doing the work were pretty incompetent when it came to working on "aftermarket stuff" as they put it. In any case the car was aligned with one of those newer Image Aligner machines, the manufacturer was Hunter. Anyways things did not go that well at all, I actually ended up getting under the rack myself with the guy trying to show him how everything worked. I felt a little better being able to just do the work myself like I always do but I was a little unsure about some things myself as far as how to adjust the caster and camber. It's like we would get the camber good and then the caster would be off, and the toe as well.

The end result is posted below. Everything pretty much came out GREEN except for the Caster. You will see that the left side isn't so bad, it's about 0.2 degrees from being in ranfe, but the right side is about 0.8 degrees from being in range. I am wondering if I should have the car looked at again by someone else or if these numbers will be ok to work with. I honestly think that it could be done perfect if I had the right guy under there working on the car. Right now the car drives straight and doesn't pull at all. But I would hate to leave it mis-aligned and have it cause long term wear on whatever. So I am wondering if having the caster off like it is will it cause any long term problems or am I probably ok to leave it like this?

patred48

There's not much to adjust on a Camaro. For caster or camber it's basically loosen the two inner bolts on the A arms and use a pry bar or something to add or take out slop (although I don't know what "new" stuff you had put on the car if it's OEM or aftermarket with more adjustments). The toe is the easiest thing in the world because it's just loosening the jam nut on each tie rod end and turning the tie rod.

I don't know what "good" numbers are as far as caster so maybe somebody can chime in, but being 2 degrees off either side doesn't seem right. I'm guessing most competent alignment shops try to get #'s as even as possible for regular street cars (haven't paid for an alignment in about 5 years -- do it myself now ).

Those numbers probably aren't bad in that they won't kill your tires (the biggest tire killer is too much toe out), and if the car tracks straight you *probably* don't have much to worry about. But if you're worried and don't want those monkeys touching your car again, post in your regional specific section here to see if anybody else who lives near you could recommend an alignment shop.

Pat

InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

Well it's all STOCK STYLE stuff but just BMR a-arms and k-member. Then of course the madman rack.

As for adjusting, I know which two bolts your talking about on the a-arm which are obviously the only two that hold it on but yeah it seemed like the guy was only doing one bolt at a time which is probably why he couldn't seem to get the numbers right one way or the other. But yeah the toe is perfect and so was the camber it's just the caster thats off 0.2 degrees for the left and 0.8 degrees on the right.

10SecDreamer

iTrader: (7)

Have you noticed your car pulling? I'm not totally sure but I think the car would pull to the side with the least caster.

InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

Honestly it doesn't really pull but if I had to say it was pulling I would say that it does pull to the right just a tiny bit on different roads, never to the left but to the right.

ls1pwrdss

iTrader: (74)

chances are its following the crown of the road. and if it does pull it should pull to the right based on those caster measurement. the could have evened the toe up though. i do alignments allday long its eaiser to get a camaro to align with the after market parts because you get mor adjust ment in the a arms.

InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

See thats what the hell I was saying. This guy was trying to tell me the opposite. He was saying "oh with all this after market stuff it's gonna be nearly impossible to get it perfect. I was thinking

I see what your saying about the toe though..... So you do alignments then? Have you ever let a car slide off with these kinda caster numbers? Is it gonna be a big issue for me?

ls1pwrdss

iTrader: (74)

no i always try to find the cause if i cant get it in specs. such as bent struts bent a arms bent cradels things like that.
but in your case everything is new so there should be no problems it should be a cake walk i just did mine because i have everything umi makes on my car. as far am my alignments i worked for a chevy dealer for 6 years and now im at a bmw dealer so they have to be dead on. just out of curiosity how much did you pay for this alignment.

Ojustracing

iTrader: (4)

Hey did anybody take a look at the rear readings? Did this car ever take a hit? Alot Positve toe on left and zero on the right Its like the rear end is bent on the left side Camber back there is different by alot too. Might give the car a wierd feel. Yeah the front could use some toe adjustments and caster adjusted up a bit.

John

ls1pwrdss

iTrader: (74)

even if both sides were 5.5 it wouldnt be bad becaus thats only .2 degrees out of spec
it could fly

InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

It was like an $80 alignment knocked down to $60 cause I ended up helping them out working on it myself in their shop. Go figure

I noticed this as well, I have a Moser 12 bolt in the car and I have never had it in an accident so I dunno. What else could cause those kinda readings? Is there anything to even adjust out back? Either way the problem that I have is the readings UP FRONT. As long as everything out back is within Manufacturer Specs then I am happy.

One thing I was always concerned with is that I run 17's up front and 18's out back so I dunno if this could have any affects on any of this readings...

VIP1

Look in the sticky:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/showpost....38&postcount=3

InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

Wow I guess I should have researched this stuff a bit. I have been searching the forum and I never realized that this was such an in depth topic

I am going to take it to a better place tomorrow that specializes in this kinda stuff along with taking in my own specs that I have put together

Crash00527

iTrader: (6)

$80!! knocked down to $60!? it shouldnt be no more than $50 bucks for our cars. b/c they are rwd. we have a solid rear axle. only 4 wheel alignments cost 70-80.

VIP1

If you have adjustable components in the rear (like I have), then you need a 4-wheel alignment.

Crash00527

iTrader: (6)

ive never heard of a 4 wheel alignment on any rwd solid axle car. doesnt matter how many adj. componants you have.

how do you move around a whole SOLID rear axle to adj.?? i just got mine done today. and the guys been in bussines for 20 years. he looked at me like i was crazy when i asked about the rear alignment. (didnt realize which car i was driving) ive also been told this by 4 others in the past years.

VIP1

Copy and paste from the FAQ:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspension-brakes/696182-general-suspension-issues-questions-faq.html

All of that "adjustment" is "alignment". In this case, you can substitute one word for the other.

InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

Because some people have ADJ Panhard Rods, ADJ Lower Control Arms etc.

InjectedSS

iTrader: (17)

Alright I finally got my car re-aligned today. The guy got everything right except he was being all weird when I told him I wanted 4.5° of caster. He ended up setting the car to 3.9° on the Right and 4.5° on the left... I was like WTF? He said he did that because of the slope in the road so that the car doesn't pull to the right.. I don't know whether or not he was BS'ing me or not. Can anyone comment on whether this theory is true or not, or was this guy just trying to move me along? If so I am just gonna take my car back down there tomorrow and chew his *** out for not doing it my way in the first place and have him do it the way I wanted it done to begin with. He INSISTED that HIS WAY was better for the car.

VIP1

The theory is sound, but I always insist that they make both sides even anyway. The difference may be good for roads with big crowns, but its not good for flat roads or autox. Sometimes I notice a slight pull, but road unevenness is a greater pull... if you understand what I'm saying.


You aren't having any luck with shops actually aligning the car the way you want.