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Front end alignment for radials


Oldsfan

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The patient is a '62 Starfire. She is getting new sneakers (again), so we will be aligning the front end (again). Last time it was aligned to the specs in the service manual, which, natually is for bias-ply tires. Using a different alignment guy this time and he was to align it for the radials. Something about positive vs. negative caster. I remember reading something about it along time ago. It related to the front wheels of a grocery cart, but I can't remember what I read. He's wondering what other folks are doing about alignment specs for radials.

Paul

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Guest Jim_Edwards
The patient is a '62 Starfire. She is getting new sneakers (again), so we will be aligning the front end (again). Last time it was aligned to the specs in the service manual, which, natually is for bias-ply tires. Using a different alignment guy this time and he was to align it for the radials. Something about positive vs. negative caster. I remember reading something about it along time ago. It related to the front wheels of a grocery cart, but I can't remember what I read. He's wondering what other folks are doing about alignment specs for radials.

Paul

The caster should be adjusted to positive with radial tires. Negative caster will make the car handle terribly with radials.

Jim

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Guest Jim_Edwards
As I have a '62 with radials, does anyone have the degree figures that an alignment person should use?

Dave you can try these as they are known to work well on some '60s cars. Beyond that it may become trial and error for individual handling preference.

1. Basic rule - No more than .25 degrees difference between driver's side and passenger's side.

2. +2.0 to +3.5 degrees caster.

3. -.5 to 0 degrees camber. No positive camber, please. There is no problem having a slight variation from driver's side to passenger's side to account for the crown in the road (only a big deal on older 2 lane highway driving.

4. 1/16" to 1/8" toe in

Jim

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