finishing touches on suspention rebuild.

[Reaper]

well i have my front springs in.. THANKS JAN (buzzard)

now once i get everything buttoned up i should put the tires on and tighten up the upper and lower a arms right?

also what else should i do?

on and how is the easiest way to set up the front end to get it close enuff to drive to get it aligned?

thanks!

Jan i owe ya man! thanks

Dathan

 

[GN ERGY]

Dathan, If all you did was change ball joints and bushings it should be close enuff to drive it to get aligned with out doing any harm to your front tires.
Tarey D.

 

[Reaper]

no Tarey i re-did everything... upper and lower ball joints, new arm bushings upper and lower, center link drag link idler arm, everything!

 

[Turbo6inKY]

Set the toe with a tape measure, don't worry about the caster/camber for the ride over to the alignment shop. Messed up camber won't do a lot of damage in a short drive, but screwed up toe will eat tires very quickly.

 

[Reaper]

Originally posted by Turbo6inKY
Set the toe with a tape measure, don't worry about the caster/camber for the ride over to the alignment shop. Messed up camber won't do a lot of damage in a short drive, but screwed up toe will eat tires very quickly.

ok how do i do that?

 

[Donald McMullin]

Dathan, if you have a level concrete portion of your driveway, I can setup your toe, caster and camber close enough. Then you can have it checked afterwards.

When do you want to do it. It will cost you a six pack, after we have completed the work.

It will take 2 to 4 hours depending on how much we have to shim to get caster and camber correct.

Give me a call at work today, 480.831.0310 ex206 or at home tonight 480.539.1495.

Deep Enough
Donald McMullin

 

[Reaper]

Donald, can you post the basics?


i need neet it close, however i will buy a beer next time i see ya. i will give ya a ring friday after work!

 

[Donald McMullin]

The best alignment for good handling with driver in the car (or weight in driver’s seat to duplicate your weight) for you GN.

Caster: [plus] 2.5* (drivers side) and [plus] 3.0* (passenger side)

Camber: [negative] 0.2* to 0.3*

Toe-In: 0.07” to 0.08”

The stock settings are:

Caster:[plus] 2.8*, +/- 1*, this results in a range of [plus] 1.8* to 3.8*

Camber: [plus] 0.5*, +/- 0.8*, this results in a range of [negative] 0.5* to [plus] 1.3*

Toe-In: 0.1, +/- 0.2*, this results in a range of Toe-In 0.3” to Toe-Out 0.1”

Which type of bushings did you rebuild the suspension with?? If you went with stock rubber bushings you will need more toe-in than what I specified. If you are going to an alignmnet shop, I would recommend Network, they have one in Mesa and one in Gilbert. I use the one just south of Houston on Gilbert to check my work. I do my own alignment, but I have had them check my work a couple of times to confirm my readings.

If you want to save the cost of having them do the work, you and I working together can dial your car in within 1/4 to 1/8 of a degree, this is closer than the factory tolerances.

Deep Enough
Donald McMullin

 

[Buzzard]

setting toe in

Dathan, here is what you need to do to set up the toe so you are close enough to drive to get it aligned. Don't worry about caster and camber it should be close enough to drive it. Set your wheels as straight as you can by eyeballing it and take your tape measure and ck the distance between the same two points at the front of the tire remember the distance and compare it to the same two points taken from the rear of the tire. Subtract the two and you have the toe. I use a reference like the second set of tread nobbies from the outside edge. If the distance is larger in the front that the rear you have negitive toe and you need to make the tie rods shorter by turning the adjusting sleeves. If the distance in the front is shorter than the rear you have positive toe and you need to make the tie rods longer by turning the adjuster sleeves. Try to shoot for about a 1/4 inch of positive toe to start (the front mesurement will be 1/4 inch less than the rear mesurement that equals 1/4 positive toe)Don't worry about the centering of the steering wheel. We can fix that on the alignment machine.

Any questions just call me.
Jan