Alignment Verification

[33fromSD]

Quick question / verification....on the lower control arm, the front adjustment rod adjusts Caster and the rear adjustment link adjusts Camber right?

At least from looking at it this is how it appears to me.

Thanks

Jim

[edwardb]

I wish it were that simple. Easiest way to think of it IMO -- both front and back in or out in the same direction adjusts camber. Both front and back in or out in opposite directions adjust caster. Then of course there's the tie rod ends to adjust toe. They interact to some degree. You just have to keep going round and round all three adjustments because one change will affect another until they get close. They you can dial in each one. The first alignment is the hardest because you're typically making pretty large changes. So be patient. For the future, once it's close, pretty easy to check and tweak if needed. Also, just to confirm, alignment has to be measured with the chassis at ride height and sitting with the suspension loaded.

[HVACMAN]

IMHO Edward is partly correct and you are partly correct. The first thing that must be correct is air pressure then ride height, and don't just set it and start adjusting the angles. After adjusting the ride height take it for a ride, then recheck. The 33 setup is kind of unique for several reasons. Because it runs such a high positive caster angle you must have the toe setting fairly close before adjusting the camber and caster. Otherwise, if one wheel is straight ahead the opposite wheel will cause the ride height to sag, affecting camber. After toe is close you can adjust caster and camber. but as you adjust recheck the toe as camber adjustments will change the toe angle. As for the lower control arms, the rear arm adjusts mostly camber but also affects caster, and the front arm adjusts mostly caster but also affect camber.

If any of this is not correct I hope someone will jump in and correct it.

[NAZ]

Yes, you have to keep chasing the adjustment on that unique front suspension on the hot rod and truck as the adjusters are on different angles. Works great when it's adjusted but is a PITA. So much easier with a conventional A-arm suspension where you set caster & camber independently.

Don't forget to adjust out the bump steer once you have the caster, camber, and toe set. It will have bump steer but you can easily adjust it to near zero.

[RoadRacer]

Quick question / verification....on the lower control arm, the front adjustment rod adjusts Caster and the rear adjustment link adjusts Camber right?

At least from looking at it this is how it appears to me.

Thanks

Jim

I thought the same at the beginning, based on some threads I found, but I now agree with all the above - both lower links affect both caster and camber. You have to go around in circles for a while, and if you're like me you'll even have times when you think it's never going to drive nicely. Then it all comes together!

I bought Tim Whittaker's bump steer kit but still haven't fitted it - that'll need an empty 3-day weekend to get done I suspect.

[JimLev]

I also bought the TW bump steer kit, after you cut an inch off the ends of the tie rods it won’t take more than an hour to install them.