SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

^^^^^
HE is a man who knows what he is talking about, do as he say and you will be great.

02LS1Z28BC
with that caster span you should pull hard right, if you release steering wheel car should be off the road in a block or less, may not wear tires but will not drive rite, the only way car would not pull right is if you have a tire with a broken belt which would offset the caster span.

enough said
Johnny

GMRL

I usually set camber to 0 on both sides
Caster around 5.0 on the left 5.5 on the right
Toe to about .04 on both sides.

That will give you nice even tire wear and decent predictable handling.
Thats a big caster split you have now. You really dont want more than .5 degree difference. Anymore than about a degree will cause a pull to the most negative side. I usually set a -.5 caster split to compensate for the crown of the road. It differs with every car though.
Caster will not wear tires, only camber and toe.

02LS1Z28BC

iTrader: (4)

Mitchntx, I am going to assume your meaning "toe plates" because I could not lock down a "turn plates" without having almost 45 thousand items on ebay. No hits on Longacre Accugauge but I will continue to hunt for it. You are sure of the spelling? Anyway, if you also have any other name brand, I can narrow the search. OK, you use 4 jackstands in your setting up of the car? Is that for all settings, or just camber and caster. I figure the toe has to be set when the car is on the ground. Let me know if thats your procedure.

I know once I find the tools, I can do what I need to get it set up, sure thought the two (camber and caster) were set in stages (going back and forth to fine tune closer to desired number). I saw that with the guys at firestone. One thing that also kept coming up was moving the entire cradle assembly (where the LCA's bolt on to) to the left some. I do notice the engine is not centered in the bay, and the thrust angle is slightly off (the image of that on the machine was showing the engine to the right side of the car (as your sitting in it). Is this thrust angle adjustable? If the entire assembly was moved to the left (somehow) would that make the camber/caster numbers be more cooperative?

Lot to digest in the fantastic responses, please keep them coming. The more I understand this affair, the more prepared I can be in getting this set up.

SS SLP2, the car tracks pretty straight down the road, no pulling. Also, the shimmy is almost gone. The shimmy is slight now at @ 55 to 65 on certain roads, and barely noticable on smooth asphalt roads. Someone suggested I threw a belt in one of my tires, could it be the belt is slowly coming back to its normal location?

I don't do any performance turning or racing, just a few assinine displays of childhood with the local kids who think their tuner is the hottest thing in town. The car is stock except for an SLP smooth intake, a fram air hog washable filter, a flowmaster clone dual exhaust setup from the engine side of the muffler to polished stainless steel tips out the rear, and a hypertech engine tune eliminating top speed and pushing the rev limiter to 6500 (I believe). Actually, my son used to help me gauge who to take on, as he seemed to know more about what was under most of the hoods on the cars around me than I did. He has a knack for knowing these things, I guess the years of hot rod/car magazines I subscribed to before he left for college last month paid off in some ways.

In all actuality, the childish displays are few and far between. Done in no traffic situations and/or pulling off from a stop light. I really do baby the car best I can given the extremely limited resources I have to work with. Hey, isn't it recommended once in a while, we WOT the LS1 to keep it clean inside?

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

thrust angle is adjustable with adjustable rear LCAs. otherwise no. In my opinion you could still get a car the track straight with the thrust angle being off though, the front is set based on where the rear is facing. That being said i did straighten correct my thrust angle when i did my alignment.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

correction!!



My "proof-reader" had the day off, yesterday.

Toe setting should read ".04 degrees, .08 degrees total", not ".4 degrees"...


The part number for the camber adjusting tool is J-38658. I believe it's a Kent-Moore number, as they had an exclusive deal with GM for a long time, but it could also be an OTC number. I did a Google search on the number (don't forget to put it in quotes), and found several for sale. I wound up buying 2 of them, so I could set up and hold both sides of the car at once. The tool isn't all that cheap, but it's worth its weight in gold, as it makes the job so much easier.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

turn plates

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Rand-...motiveQ5fTools

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Stain...motiveQ5fTools


Longacre
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pro...asp?RecID=5547

Sorry ... the name on the digital level itself is Accugauge.


Jackstands are for holding the string tight, not setting the car on. I still don't see how camber and caster can be set with the suspension at full droop. Doesn't make sense to me.


toe plates
http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/pro...asp?RecID=5124


alignment tool
http://www.thepartsbin.com/cartools/...ol-2282-d.html

http://www.sjdiscounttools.com/otc7840.html

http://www.amazon.com/OTC-7840-Cambe...1893668&sr=1-1

But I got mine from Oreilly's and I swear it was under $50.


I set aside a whole day to set my alignment. It takes a while.



Ledfoote ... you run 0* camber? in my race car, I run -2* (not -0.2*, but twi degrees negative) camber and still get outer edge tire wear. My car wouldn't turn set to 0*.

02LS1Z28BC

iTrader: (4)

Spy2520, right now the rear axle is pretty squared with the fenders. I know that means squat if the fenders are not aligned properly but my point is if I move the axle to the right (as viewed from the rear forward) then it may be noticable the axle is towards the right of the vehicle and not centered.

leadfoot, thanks for the number, I think its the same number in the service manual. I think I once ran that number but didn't find it will try again.

Mitchntx, wow lots of good links, thanks a whole bunch. Checked oriely's we have one close to me (@ 15 miles away), their site says I have to call them for the price. Am trying as I write this. I will get these toold and DIM (Do It Myself) then see if I can get the setting right. Shame these tools are so expensive, might gather em up over a period of time, or see if some of the local stores have them for loaners. Places like Advance, have "loaners" you basically buy them and get a full refund when you return them.

You guys all have been a great help, Mitchntx especially a attaboy goes your way for the extra mile on the url's and stuff.

Anything else I am missing? Oh, yes there is a question. My 99 F body service manuals have slightly different specs for the FE alignment, the printed specs in the firestone reports they printed, differ slightly on almost every spec. Is there a reason for this? Does anyone know why GM and Hunter differ on these numbers?

More questions than answers right now... sorry. Want to follow GM but are the numbers in GM's book wrong and Hunters are right?

Hey mitch, I see the admins are always admonishing you for your sig, ever try to put a "(dot)" in place of the "."? Most people if not everyone knows it tells you the same thing (unless people copy/paste it into a browser. Just a suggestion that you may have already tried, or not.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

admonish is my middle name. glad I could help

02LS1Z28BC

iTrader: (4)

Just scored a J-38658 GM used tool in "very good condition" off ebay delivered for 37 bucks. The picture looks like its almost brand new (lets see what I get, hope its not a "stock" photo or a retouched photo (been there b4, hate that)... Now to work on the caster camber setting tools, and the plates.

I luv ebay! (sometimes...)

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

The caster is set using the same tool!! You just have to open it up, and "lenghten" it a little, as the "caster" hole in the a-arm is a little further from the frame hole than the "camber" hole.

If you got to "Flea-Bay Motors" and punch in "Tools" then "wheel alignment", there's a lot of neat stuff there, including "race style" tools for working in the shop at home, as well as turn plates.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

GMRL

You could prolly do it without turnplates, it may take quite a bit longer however.
Jack the car up and adjust the control arms. Lower it back down, and roll it back and forth a few time to settle everything back down. Take your measurements and repeat untill you get it where you want it. Maybe even use a flat piece of sheetmetal between the tires and ground to make it easier to do a caster sweep. Might be a bit ghetto and time consuming, but it would work.

mitchntx

iTrader: (14)

2 pieces of sheet metal with a layer of grease between them works. It's kind of messy, but works.

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

2 peices of plywood about 24"x24" with a garbage bag between with a spoon full of moter oil will make a turn plate ( x2 and you have a pair of turn plates)

Johnny
try my site to better understand auto alignment

http://www.jgruggles.com