What did you do to your Maverick or Comet today

Makes me thankful I work at a hose shop!

 

I put my car on level concrete, checked my caster with plumb bob, tape measure, and triangle calculator to come up with 4.2* per side. I added a .o92 shim to each side to get it closer to 5*, checked camber and changed one side that was 3* the wrong way, and set toe in 1/8." The toe was out almost 1" after messing with the camber, and was probably out way too much before that.......but now it rolls straight, and is very stable, even at 70. It is not twitchy at all. Yahoo!

 

still grinding, filing and sanding...

 

Stu, how did you do that at home, do you have any special tools for it?

 

My alignment with crude tools will be better than the alignment done with state of the art tools by someone in a hurry.....at least that has been my experience. I used a magnetic clip, string, weight, tape measure, a triangle "angle" calculator on line, a "level" app on my phone, two floor jacks, and two jack stands. I am at a point that if I "paid" someone to do it, I might have to "check it."

 

How you get 4.2 per side? I assume you have .092 shims in up control arms? I have . 250 shims and have strut rods out pretty far w/ 3.6 & 3.8 respectively. I probably cud get another half degree but car works ok w/ present setup.
Are you using stock control arms?

 

Changed engine oil and filter. Replaced Holley street warrior with a new Holley street classic. Both were 600 com. Cleaned and polished it. For car show tomorrow. Found transmission mount broken
Will try to.be careful driving it tomorrow
I will replace it next week.

 

Stock control arms, yes....BUT, I did a 1" Shelby drop and instead of using either of the common templates, I drilled my holes one inch straight down and back about 1/8 inch. I turned the control arm shaft 1/2 turn to put the arm slightly rearward, and I have the front of my control arm shaft shimmed out .092 x 2. I did not use the strut rod to alter the caster at all, as I assumed it would put the bushing in a bind. My angle measurement could be off slightly, but it was measured as follows: Remove front wheels, support each lower control arm on a floor jack, raise car until the body under the door is level. Hang magnetic plumb bob in wheel well so the string hangs down the backside of the spindle, as close as you can get without touching anything (true perpendicular). measure the distance from the string (this is where it gets tricky and looses some accuracy) to the center of each ball joint. Subtract the top measurement from the bottom; this will give you the distance of the short leg of a right triangle. The distance between the upper and lower ball joints in the spindle will give you the long leg of the right triangle. With the "right triangle" angle calculator, you can find the angle opposite the short leg....which is your caster angle. This stuff goes back to High School geometry which would have been horrible if you had a poor teacher....I hope it makes a little sense.

 

Algebra & math were not something I excelled at. Didn't quite get a grip on all you were trying to convey, but, seems to have accomplished the results or ultimate goal. The end results are all that really counts. I assume the 1" drop was provided the most part of additional caster?

 

I think you are right about that...I hate to admit, but I never measured anything prior except where I thought the new control arm mounting holes should go. I figured if I ruined it, I would buy control arms that had the drop built into them and fit them back into the factory holes.

 

The arning/shelby drops typically help the camber most of all but will also help the castor gain a bit moreso on the compression phase of a-arm movement. I believe most of your caster gain came from all those other listed mods. Way to do your homework on available tricks and good job!

 

I was lucky, I had a great teacher! Your method is similar to my plan, thanks for proving it out for me!

 

Mounted one of my front tires, not as easy as it was when I had a tire machine!

 

Three tires mounted now and only one blackened fingernail!

 

Got the reverse lights working, registered the car and took it for a shakedown run yesterday. Loved every second of it.