Wheel alignment
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Cargo Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,014
Likes: 91
From: Concord, CA
Wheel alignment
I have been taking the cars in one by one to get them aligned. I know exactly what I want for the Cougar, Mustang, Park Lane and Polara to get them to handle better and track straight and true. Definitely not the old Ford or Mopar specs. Cardinal rule no positive camber on any of them and lots of positive caster if possible. Just finished the Polara and it took over 2 hours to get it right.
The F100 is another matter. Clearly there has not been a lot of trial and error with our trucks compared to the cars. I have seen optimum settings from Ford saying +4.00 caster, +1.00 camber and 1/8" toe-in.
I am ok with with the caster especially since radials are on the truck. Toe-in I might go 1/16" instead. The (+) camber catches my eye. I'm surprised that 0 camber is not recommended to get the tires flat with the road. Since we are not road racing our trucks I know (-) camber isn't needed. Positive camber just seems to make it harder for the truck to turn confidently and not go into under steer on like a 270 degree freeway entrance.
Has anybody have any ideas on this? Do you just go factory specs and leave it at that? Or, do you modify the specs and to what?
The F100 is another matter. Clearly there has not been a lot of trial and error with our trucks compared to the cars. I have seen optimum settings from Ford saying +4.00 caster, +1.00 camber and 1/8" toe-in.
I am ok with with the caster especially since radials are on the truck. Toe-in I might go 1/16" instead. The (+) camber catches my eye. I'm surprised that 0 camber is not recommended to get the tires flat with the road. Since we are not road racing our trucks I know (-) camber isn't needed. Positive camber just seems to make it harder for the truck to turn confidently and not go into under steer on like a 270 degree freeway entrance.
Has anybody have any ideas on this? Do you just go factory specs and leave it at that? Or, do you modify the specs and to what?
Laughing Gas
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 860
Likes: 13
From: Asheville, NC
Caster and camber adjustments mean bending the I beams on the truck according to the Ford service manual, so much different and difficult compared to the cars. I would leave well enough alone unless you have a noticable control problem or your tires are wearing unevenly. I set the toe in on our trucks using carpenter levels secured to flat surface and measuring to frame.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 6,060
Likes: 7
From: Glendale Arizona
Use the factory specs. If you do not it will bump steer mercilessly.
The Twin i can not have the tires flat to the pavement with the opposing pivot design. The factory specs are a compromise in geometry.
Garbz
The Twin i can not have the tires flat to the pavement with the opposing pivot design. The factory specs are a compromise in geometry.
Garbz
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 2,113
Likes: 4
From: Iowa
With the I beam front end you need to set the alignment with the normal load it caries ( you and whatever is in it). The more push the front down the more the tires tip in. I have never heard of the bump steer from caster? Also why would you not want to have the alignment correct even if you had to bend the I beams?
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