Wheel alignment done right

**Sarge** · 02-27-2009, 05:27 PM

Shit.....finally got all the time I needed on the rack.....
Guys....-8.1 degrees on the drivers side and -8.3 on the passenger (caster) is the fucking balls.....finally.....this thing tracks like its on rails.....so after almost five years I got this alignment thing down....

**GTO1_OHIO** · 02-27-2009, 05:34 PM

You ever get your cradles aligned? ...drum roll

**Sarge** · 02-27-2009, 05:43 PM

Nope....

**qwkgto** · 02-28-2009, 01:50 AM

I heard ther was a lot of issues with this had mine checkd,they said it was all good maybe them frame ties have something ti do with that...?

**Sarge** · 02-28-2009, 04:09 AM

No GM/Pedders specs all call for -7's ish.....go -8's.....even my steering wheel is now smooth as hell at all speeds...

**Too Fast** · 02-28-2009, 04:20 AM

Now are stating the caster is supposed to be negative 8 degrees caster? Should be positive, correct?

**Sarge** · 02-28-2009, 04:45 AM

Moving the wheels back...

**Too Fast** · 02-28-2009, 04:54 AM

Alright, Alfalfa, by moving the wheels back, you must be stating the relationship between the upper pivot point and the lower, by pushing the lower ball joint forward for more positive caster. Or maybe you could explain the caster reading better? Or maybe when I get back to the shop Monday I can see what the factory specs are, and what your good results are. As you know, once you start modding cars the factory specs aren't the best.

**Sarge** · 02-28-2009, 05:07 AM

LOL....by adjusting the spacers in the radius rod bushing....front/back 8mm/4mm/2mm increments we got the 8.1/8.3 and finally got this pig to track the way she should....factory specs are like a full degree less in the 7's......

**Sarge** · 02-28-2009, 05:10 AM

We are a tad over a half degree off Pedders more aggressive specs...
http://www.peddersusa.com/images/PDF...nt%20Specs.pdf

**LS2Tuner** · 02-28-2009, 05:39 AM

Yeah Sarge -8.6 and 8.8 feel great on the space saver spares on the big end @ 120+ too.

**Sarge** · 02-28-2009, 06:35 AM

Noticeable positive difference....

**GTO1_OHIO** · 02-28-2009, 07:12 AM

Back Street Performance, my tuner and Pedders dealer ... don't have my car set up using the vanilla Pedders specs either. ...and I did have a front and rear cradle alignment done.

**cquist** · 02-28-2009, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by GTO1_OHIO

Back Street Performance, my tuner and Pedders dealer ... don't have my car set up using the vanilla Pedders specs either. ...and I did have a front and rear cradle alignment done.

What did Rich charge for the service? How you been? Going to Dayton in July?

**Too Fast** · 03-01-2009, 05:49 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

LOL....by adjusting the spacers in the radius rod bushing....front/back 8mm/4mm/2mm increments we got the 8.1/8.3 and finally got this pig to track the way she should....factory specs are like a full degree less in the 7's......

Now that makes sense. You are increasing the positive caster. Usually that gives more stable handling, depending on front suspension design. I guess I didn't want anyone confused by your first post, if you look at it one way it looks like you could be saying the caster spec is -8.2 degrees, and that would be hard to get since the stock caster spec is like +7.2.

**Sarge** · 03-01-2009, 06:25 AM

Yeah I see what your saying......

**GTO1_OHIO** · 03-01-2009, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by cquist

What did Rich charge for the service? How you been? Going to Dayton in July?

Mine was bundled in wih some other things plus my car was the first Pedders car that he did so I got a major discount for the install. Rich charges way less then the other Pedders dealers for labor though since he's a smaller operation and dosen't carry the same overhead costs.

I just posted over on lsxgto that I am ... have to if I'm going to win the drag race Stock Bracket.

**PatrizioD** · 04-07-2009, 06:53 PM

Bringin this back hoping Sarge sees it somehow... will these caster angles help with strut rub? And what would be ideal camber? The Pedder's pdf that im lookin at says
Left -0.25 Right -0.3 Camber
Left & Right 7.5 Caster

Also, if my factory bushings are still good, will these specs work with 'em? Dont have the cash to swap out the bushings/strut mounts yet unless they're shot.

**Too Fast** · 04-08-2009, 04:36 AM

Caster should not affect strut rub. Camber would, if it is too far negative or if some suspension piece is worn out. Too far negative would be more than -.5 degrees.

**ne0fiend** · 04-08-2009, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by Sarge

No GM/Pedders specs all call for -7's ish.....go -8's.....even my steering wheel is now smooth as hell at all speeds...

Though I respect setting an alignment to specs you, the driver feels most comfortable with, I think it's important to note that a bad or out-of-tolerance alignment cannot cause steering wheel shake.

In many cases when we set out to aliviate a shake or shimmy in our wheel by adjusting our alignment, we offten make it worse.
It's also important to note that extreme or otherwise beyond-thresh hold tolerances can, in fact make the shake go away - the root of the problem is still there.

I find that when I'm coming out of a straight away into a turn - depending on the angle I start my drift - I can feel a shake in my wheel from 11 o'c to 1 o'c.
Because I use posative camber in the rear and negative camber in the front, It's hard to say if it's the measurements or just tire balance.

Anyway, the ability to set your own alignment is a wonderful weapon in your racing bag.
Alignment is, at least in my opinion, the most over-looked element in over all tuning.

Here's an easy key to use as reference when setting Cs, Cm and Toe -
Caster: The measurement of forward/backward position of the wheel.
Camber: The measurement of latteral tilt, ascertained from top, to bottom of the wheel.
Toe: The measurement of Inward/Outward angle of the tire, ascertained from front to back of the visable face of the wheel.

Normal Caster: O--O
Caster set with an extreme right side measurment: O--o (note the right tire is behind the left somewhat)
Normal Camber: ||--||
Camber set for extreme cornering: //--\\ (note the outward angle of the tires)
Toe is self explanitory.