I just had my front end completed with disc brakes with new spindles. So the guy told me it will need to be aligned which i pretty much figured. Are these older trucks able to be aligned like newer autos. Can i take it to a reg alignment shop etc? just wondering thanks Jeff

 

1966 2WD? The twin I-beams have to be bent slightly for any camber adjustments. Typical front end alignment shops don't have the equipment any longer. But, as long as camber doesn't need to be adjusted by bending the beams they can adjust everything else. If camber does need to be adjusted, then you'd need to find a shop that can still bend them. Larger trucks still use beam axles, so some big truck shops are set up to be able to bend them. Crazy thing with the twin I-beams is camber actually changes dynamically with the undulations in the road as the beams pivot.

 

Thanks for the info on that Ill be calling around shops and asking.
Im' trying to get the truck in good running order with the engine and alignment now that the front disc brakes are installed
thanks Jeff

 

All the regular shops can do is set the toe. But they can tell you what the caster and camber is now. From experience, if you used Ford disc brake spindles up thru 1979 odds are 99% if it was in alignment other than toe before you installed them it still will be.

 

The only time I've had to align my older twin I-beams was after rplc'ing tie-rods and what not, and I used the redneck tape measure system, the toe-in/out is the only adjustment I've ever had to do, and I have literally beat on a few of my trucks back in the day when I was in the Marines and young, dumb and stupid. Now I'm old, tired and a tad wiser, but not much...

Seriously, I've had a LOT of old Ford twin I-beam trucks, swapped I-beams and rad arms from drum to disc, rplc'd all front end components and have never had to have beams bent for alignment. I've adjusted them all with a tape measure and have never had abnormal tire wear or any funky steering. The only time I've had issues was on my 66 F250 when I went with taller coils, I knew it would throw the camber off, ended up cutting the coils bit by bit (yes, with a sawzall, not torch) till I was happy with the height.

If you are going to take it to a shop to get aligned, I would suggest rplc'ing all the steering components, tie-rods, king-pins, radius arm bushings, pivot bushings prior too. And make sure the shop knows all you need adjusted is the toe-in/out, as that's all they can do, if a shop tries to tell you you need the I-beams bent, go find another shop, or you can buy a tool to adjust your toe.