I replaced the front coil springs, tie rods, ball joints, idler arm, and center link. I got the alignment done and I am at 0 degrees castor. The shop removed a ton of shims from the right front, but didn't touch the left front. The car will not return to center when driving. There are no shims on the front bolt of my right front upper control arm. The car drives like crap right now... what can I do to fix this problem?
0 caster and the car drives like crap
- Thread starter tpaul
- Start date
- Joined
- May 28, 2001
Been wrecked???
chopped39
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2004
Why did they do that? Sound like they dont know what they were doing. You are going to return the wheel youself with zero caster. Did they give you a printout of alignment? If so post it up I have to see this. I would not go back to that place for an alignment. And post up the place so anybody around you does not go there. Always get a printout of the alignment.
Are you sure you mean 0 caster and not 0 camber? 0 caster would mean that while you're going down the road the car will try and dart back and forth with any bump or groove in the road. Here's some reading that may help you out when you go back to the shop and raise hell with them for being incompetant.:biggrin:
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/g-body-drag-car-alignment-settings.290592/
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/g-body-drag-car-alignment-settings.290592/
Trust me, I'm not complaining or blaming the alignment shop. I simply asked what would cause this situation. This is not the first time I have redone the front end on a GN and I have never had a problem like this.
Yes, 0 degress Castor... like an idiot for the first time I did not ask for a copy of the printout. After sitting at the shop for 3 hours waiting for them to finish, I just wanted to get out of there. The shop manager told me it was 0 degrees castor and may pull on the crest of the road. I didn't realize how bad it would be. I may have installed something wrong, but I don't know what could have caused that kind of difference. The coil spring is in its pocket on the lower control arm. They removed well over a 1/4" of shims on both the front and back bolts.
I do have to return to center, and I guess that is my main issue with the way the car handles.
I will go back and see about getting the printout. It's a local Goodyear shop that has done me right with my other cars in the past.
The car has never be wrecked and I have owned it for over 17 years without this problem.
My big question is, how is castor adjusted on these cars? Do the shims control castor and camber?
Yes, 0 degress Castor... like an idiot for the first time I did not ask for a copy of the printout. After sitting at the shop for 3 hours waiting for them to finish, I just wanted to get out of there. The shop manager told me it was 0 degrees castor and may pull on the crest of the road. I didn't realize how bad it would be. I may have installed something wrong, but I don't know what could have caused that kind of difference. The coil spring is in its pocket on the lower control arm. They removed well over a 1/4" of shims on both the front and back bolts.
I do have to return to center, and I guess that is my main issue with the way the car handles.
I will go back and see about getting the printout. It's a local Goodyear shop that has done me right with my other cars in the past.
The car has never be wrecked and I have owned it for over 17 years without this problem.
My big question is, how is castor adjusted on these cars? Do the shims control castor and camber?
chopped39
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2004
Three hour alignment
The guy did not know what he was doing. They must have an old machine or they dont know how to use the machine they have. Any good machine will have specs in machine and a caster/camber program that will show them what shim to add and take away .
Have the shop hook it up and mesure caster and give you a print out. If not make sure they save the before measurements.
As stated above get the oldest guy in the shop. No cars use shims anymore. most have eccentrics that are used to adjust angles. Three hours to do an alignment on one of these cars is crazy. They take about an hour to do and thats adjusting camber/caster on both sides. If you didnt take upper arms off you did nothing to change caster its all on the alignment shop.
The guy did not know what he was doing. They must have an old machine or they dont know how to use the machine they have. Any good machine will have specs in machine and a caster/camber program that will show them what shim to add and take away . Have the shop hook it up and mesure caster and give you a print out. If not make sure they save the before measurements.
As stated above get the oldest guy in the shop. No cars use shims anymore. most have eccentrics that are used to adjust angles. Three hours to do an alignment on one of these cars is crazy. They take about an hour to do and thats adjusting camber/caster on both sides. If you didnt take upper arms off you did nothing to change caster its all on the alignment shop.
No removing of A arms, I installed poly bushings years ago, but not so many miles ago. The car was aligned after the poly bushings were installed in upper and lower control arms. I saw the clinic going on as the manager showed the mechanic how to deal with shims.
I will trailer the car to the shop on Wed. and ask for an alignment print out and start the fight there. This time I will watch as they make changes.
Thanks to everyone that has replied to me, you guys have been a huge help!!!
I will trailer the car to the shop on Wed. and ask for an alignment print out and start the fight there. This time I will watch as they make changes.
Thanks to everyone that has replied to me, you guys have been a huge help!!!
83hurstguy
Member
- Joined
- Sep 18, 2005
Something isn't right... just as an FYI, if he meant "0 degrees cross-caster", you have no lead pull built into the front suspension, which means you'll feel crowned roads. You can put some cross-caster on cars to help offset for the road crown, basically giving it an ever so slight left pull to compensate. I put 0.4 degrees cross-caster in mine the wrong direction on accident (what happens when you do your alignment at 11 pm after spending two days working on the car), and it tends to pull right on crowned roads. I need to reverse it.
Get this thing into a reputable shop and see where your numbers are. It should be easily fixable by a competent technician. The shims control both camber and caster.
FYI, this is what +6 degrees of Caster looks like.
This is 168 mph with a 10mph crosswind with 255/50 front tires on a 2 lane asphalt road that is used mainly by oilfield service trucks, so it is trenched.
One hand on the wheel waiving at the radar guy:
Driver's view of radar board:
My hand is moving in the shot because I'm pointing at the board. 169 and I would have been DQ'd.
This is 168 mph with a 10mph crosswind with 255/50 front tires on a 2 lane asphalt road that is used mainly by oilfield service trucks, so it is trenched.
One hand on the wheel waiving at the radar guy:
Driver's view of radar board:
My hand is moving in the shot because I'm pointing at the board. 169 and I would have been DQ'd.
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