Does anyone know of a good front end shop to align my front end on my 32 roadster. I have replaced everything for new parts and have installed it in the car only hand tightend. Need to have someone who is knowledgeable of a hairpin F.E. to insure its all proper and line it up. I'm in the westchester N.Y. area so I need something within a resonable distance from me
Last year I took my Avatar into a shop to get the toe set as I had reasoned the caster was fine. When I looked through the shop window, I saw they had all kinds of computer.laser stuff attached to the wheels etc. I went into the shop and explained all I needed was the toe in set. They didn't really comprehend that all they needed to do was adjust the tie rod so that it was within the specs I provided. Seems they never saw a non-independent suspension before. In the end, I worked with them as they had the lift and tables etc. that I did not have at home to set it accurately myself. When I left--I realized how great it was to have this set properly. Nice guys--just too young. My suggestion would be a shop that works with trucks.
I do my own. Run a string line around the rear tires,up about six inches,to stay away from tire bulge,run the string forward past the front tires,tie it off to a pair of jack stands. Move the jack stands in or out till the string just touches the front edge of the rear tire,you've just made a big square. Now take all your measurements from the string to the front tires and make adjustments accordingly,and adjust your toe in. Really pretty easy and accurate.
Rule number one on putting a front suspension and steering together, Never leave one freaking fastener loose or only finger tight or one cotter key out because you might have to make an adjustment. All of the high end computer readout equipment is nice and a great sales aid and probably necessary with some of the ultra high performance cars on the road to get the best handling but an angle finder and a tape measure should get your I beam front end damned close if not right on the money. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't take it to a front end shop for final checking or adjustment but you should be able to set the caster with an angle finder (you can use and app on your smart phone) and set the toe in with a tape measure. My guess is that they may be close now unless you just threw it together. The hairpins are going to be a pain in the **** if you don't have them pretty close anyhow. To change the caster you have to take the hairpins loose from the bat wings and make the adjustment and then put it back together and check your work. In a shop that is charging by the hour that means the meter is going to spin pretty fast. This is where a few hours of your time (could be a few minutes) might save some serious coin at the front end shop. Setting the toe in is simple and all you need are a tape measure and a pencil and a jack. Raise one tire off the shop floor an inch or so and scribe a line in the center of the tread while gently spinning the tire. I always use something to steady my hand holding the pencil so I get a nice line around the tread. Let that side down and do the same with the other tire. Then with the tires sitting on the floor and pointing straight ahead measure from the center of your mark on one tire (requires a helper) to the center of the mark on the other tire. I'd measure the back side first so I knew how high I wanted to measure from on the front side then measure the front side at about the same distance from the shop floor and calculate the difference. Usually you want between 1/8 and 3/16 toe in but I usually shoot for 1/8. After that you should be able to drive it to the front end shop when you are ready to have them check your work and fine tune it if needed.
what they said. I set them up on axle cars as above-then take to FE shop for final ck--usually on the money or very close.
Here's a neat trick I use to scribe tires (for toe check) I raise the front end with a floor jack, under the axle. Chalk a center line (1" diameter chalk, come in 4" lengths) chalk line 1" wide on center of tire tread. Drive an 8d nail (2" long common nail) diagonally thru the end of a short 2" X 4" block. Turn the block upside down, place it in the center of the chalk line of the tire, spin the wheel to make a scribed line. Repeat on other side... Now, measure the difference between front of tires, then go to the rear of the tires. Adjust the tie rod so the front is less than the rear, just as Mr48 Chev said. Same op, only the method of scribing is much easier with a 'tool'. Amazing how much stuff we can do with our 'I' phones! Tach, speedo, level... If mine had an antenna, I could scribe with it!
old thread, but why bother marking the tires, when you could just go by the tread? Has anyone seen the treads vary that much?
The Jalopy Journal
