Technical 49-54 Chevy car control arm modification for camber

So back when I first got my 53 I was warned there isn't a lot of camber adjustment and that if I lowered it much the top of the wheel will lean out. What i was thinking was I could take a spare pair of upper arms and cut to the flange and bend back and reweld. Should give a couple more degrees the right direction even though be basically worthless on a stock front end. Front of my 53 is technically already slightly lowered due to a broke coil but I want more lol. Think this is a viable option?

 

When lowered, the wheel tilts in, not out.
Most '49-'54 cars with 2 coils cut can be aligned not to wear tires & go straight.
Dropped uprights are best.

 

So it's different than every other unequal control arm suspension?

 

Yes, Chevrolet pass. only. Corvette thru '62 ??

 

On my 52 Chevy Ute, with just cut coils, it does lean out at the top (slight positive camber). So the fix is either shorter upper arm, or better is stepped lower control arm and add a small amount where the step is to push the bottom of tire out. That gets you lower and fixes the camber curve without as much cut spring required.

The factory camber adjustment is in the bushing for the upper arm. It has an eccentric, but even with max adjusted, my 52 is slight positive. But being that it's a short term issue, I live with it for now. Once I swap to a planned Olds 394 I'll figure out what I am going to do for front suspension, leaning to Jaguar IFS swap since I already parted out a RHD Jag and have the front end ready. Be nice to pick up power steering and a more modern suspension design camber curve.

 

You could lower it with stepped control arms. That will not affect your geometry & will let you get low & still get a proper alignment.

 

This thread has some pics in case you were scratching your head too.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...uspension-swap-49-54-chevrolet-stuff.1190465/

 

How much camber is a slight amount? Most cars I aligned call for around 1/2 degree positive.

 

I'm only talking about bending and welding them the thickness of a cutoff wheel. Like not even a piece cut. Too brain dead rn to do the math lol

 

Any pics of the car at ride height?

 

For reference the car has 3" blocks in the rear. Would preferably want it to sit level but would be happy with a very slight tail dragger stance

 

I know I have seen photos of stepped 49-54 Chevy A frame on the HAMB.

I have been searching every combination of "Stepped Chevy A frames" I can think of but can not come up with anything.

 

All of the dropped lower a arms I've seen were for running bags on a car like mine. And I'm a diehard static drop guy lol

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/tech-month-stepping-lower-a-arms-king-pin-style.317696/

 

Stepped arms, 54 Uprights and one cut one coil. Aligns just fine (as long as you have a shop that still knows how).
This could be lower if I cut another coil, but I wanted a tail dragger stance.

 

@Lone Star Mopar, that's a beautiful car.

 

If you find some cheap used alignment turn plates (2) you can skip the alignment shop.

 

@Lone Star Mopar that is RIGHT!

 

Anthony is right. Get a hub mounted Caster/Camber gauge, make a homemade toe-in rig and find some used turn plates. Most alignment shops today do not have the tools, know-how, or want to do it. I had to make tools to do my 53 Ford based on the original K R Wilson ones

 

I have the advantage of there being an alignment shop I used to work at a few blocks away that will let me do it myself. I'll probably still have to pay for it but still cheap and I'll know it's done right

 

Same here. Always worked with alignment equipment but during a chassis set up. I’ll set the caster and camber so the old school bubble gauge comes out.
Caster being way off can screw you up centering a tire.

 

The car actually drives decent as is aside from a bit of slop in the idler arm ....which another member provided me a spare to rebuild. So unless I totally fubar positioning caster should be ok. I will for sure check camber. I have an angle gauge I use for that. One of my unexplained natural abilities is eyeballing alignment. One car I have hasn't been on an alignment rack since 2011. I bought it in '12 and drastically lowered it, repeatedly had major suspension parts out, and swapped a bunch of suspension and steering parts on top of changing wheel and tire size. And wrecking it once lol. Tires wear perfectly flat and I just need two fingers on the wheel at 92 mph. And feels super stable. So HOPEFULLY I can get this car close lol. It hasn't been aligned since 1969 though lol