1952-59 Ford Front End Alignment Fail

Got up early and was first in line at the local Midas, where a highly recommended guy works...who does front end alignments.

He looked at my car and immediately said that their machine wouldn't work on a 54 Ford because it has to clamp all the way around the rear wheels and the low rear wheel openings weren't going to allow for that.

He said I needed to find an shop that has an old style alignment machine.

Anyone know of one in the Houston area?

 

The other alternative (which is what I'll probably end up with) is to do it myself.

The toe-in, toe-out is easy enough to do with a pair of jackstands and some string....it's the camber adjustment that I've never done before. And now that the car is lowered, I figure it's probably out of adjustment.

 

Have to consider caster too.

 

Sounds like either your Midas technician was just lazy or never read the machine's instructions for 2 wheel alignment. Find another shop with a greybeard.

 

Agree with 55Brodie 100%, check out some of your local cruises and get a recommendation. Most alignment guys these days are like the parts guys take away their computers and they are dumber than a brick about cars. Several of our Hispanic shops still have the old equipment you might try some in your area.

 

Look for the oldest truck shop around. They'll be able to do it. I'll be doing mine using a friend's shop. All he has is the turn tables, Snap-On gauges and something for the toe. I usually get it real close before I bring it to a shop.

 

Agreed with the rest of the guys...ask around the local hot rodders and find out who is doing theirs. I can't imagine it should be a problem in an area as big as Houston.

 

I performed the toe-in alignment with jack-stands, string and a tape measure. It was fairly easy and straightforward.

Now to figure out how to do the camber adjustment. I think I'll make a steel bar that mounts to the front wheel to which I can stick a magnetized protractor.

 

ditto to Brodie & jeff - My frame alignment man aligns car we get from those kinda guys all day long that say can't align because frame is bent. My guy use ols school gauges, sometimes on the floor and it right as rain. Find a guy like what has been mentioned already