Frontend Alignment Clarification 2.0

[GlennC]

Appreciate the replies from my previous post on this subject. I've been trying to get some baseline measurements concerning the frontend alignment on my early Gen 1 car. After setting the toe, camber, & caster on one wheel as close as possible it appeared that I have run out of camber adjustment (everything, Linkage Adjuster to tube & Clevis to Linkage Adjuster has bottomed out). Taking a clue from some other builders with early cars with this problem I trimmed a 1/2" off the rear lower control arm tube. Trimming the 1/2" reduced the length of the rear lower control arm from the zerk to the center of the bolt from 14" to 13-1/2" which, if I understand it correctly, is the same dimension as the revised FFR arms.

My questions are:

- How much thread engagement is considered a safe amount? The Linkage Adjuster engages the lower control arm tube itself 7/8" after cutting the tube & getting the camber set pretty close & still having a small amount of adjustment. This measurement doesn't include the jam nut. Is this enough thread engagement?

- It also looks like I may have to trim the female end of the Linkage Adjuster & the possibly the male end of the Clevis a little just to give a little more adjustability. How much thread engagement should I shoot for between the Linkage Adjuster & the Clevis if I need to trim some more?

Thanks,

Glenn

[edwardb]

Sure seems like a topic Factory Five should be involved with. Yours isn't the first Gen 1 Hot Rod and the front end setup should be known. In theory, without cutting or modifying.

[33fromSD]

The standard I was told years ago is as follows:

The minimum recommended thread engagement to make a strong connection for a component with a tapped hole is approximately 1 times the nominal diameter in steel and 2 times the nominal diameter in aluminum.

Jim

[progmgr1]

Yep, that was what I was taught in engineering school...

Keith HR #894