Can someone please tell me what the alightment specs are for my 1964 F100?
Mostly I need the angle that my wheels should be set to: and should they be set like this / \ or like this \ /.
Thanks

 

What are U looking for? toe.. (where the front of the wheels point) Camber ( how much and what way the wheel lean) Or Caster( the Angle the hub sits compared to the axle)?

 

Im looking for Toe. Thanks

 

ok than.. Are U doing this yourself? or do U have a shop to do it for U? If so do U know what company unit there using? If it is hunter tell them to contact support for OE247-TU6 and there will get the specs they need.. If it another company they meed to there Tech support for help. Other with if U are doing it yourself.. I need to know how U plan on doing it and with what type of equipment So I can give U the right settings

 

Im going to do it ghetto style / measure the distance from the OD edge of the front of the rims compared to OD edge of the back of the rims and determine the difference.

 

OK Getto style..
1. jack and level front axle
2. set front wheel as close to center as U can get it( lock stearing whell somehow in place
3. measure leading edge of wheel and write it down
4. measure back edge of wheel and write it down
5. make all the centering Adj. U can now for best setting. tire down the stearing whell once more as tight as possable( U can not allow it to move at all from here on)
6. Now U want to set the leading edge 1/2in wider than the tailing edge.
7. Now lock all the setting in and make all the tire pressure the same on the front end...( Very important).
8. Test drive
9. If it wondering add 1/8in more to the outer edge.

This is assuming that the front end part are all lube and good working order. If U need any thing fix do it first before adj. the front end..

Best luck and keep trucking

PS: For everone else reading this.. this is a base setting for all rearwheel drive vehicles from 1945 to 1970 with a solid front Axle for Ford.

 

Mark,

Are you sure those alignment specs go back to 1956? I'm just wondering 'cuz my shop manual says the toe-in should be 0" min and 1/16" max for all size 1956 trucks. Are they measuring it at some different spot, like closer to the axle or something? I've included the table from the shop manual so you can see why I is confused. I gotta do the alignment, or have it done, on my truck at some point and I want to get it right. Help me out on this.

 

Yep.. Ur manual is the setting for OEM Tires, And that would be for Bias tires.. Not today tires.. I know.. I have heard about the Old setting.. I was A Hunter School instructer for 4 years.. Thats why I refored to the tech order OE247-TU6 from Hunter..Its sad when manual dont take in the fact of the tires diffrences.. And the setting I use are a base line.. there not for every setup and depanding on load and tire, Pressure, Eng, trans, And other parts.. the setting could be diffrent.. I have mine at +5mm Toe. +8mm camber and 5 degree - Caster on my truck.. It rides like its on rails now.. and thats no where near the OEM Specs

 

That's a new one on me, I have never herd of anyone setting toe to the positive. What is that in english about 5/16" ???.

 

Mad, are you sure about your numbers? Most machine toe alignment specs, Hunter and Bear included I've seen are degrees per wheel and degrees total toe, not inches or mm. When using the string (or pole, or toe gauge) method of setting toe where inches of TOTAL toe (in/out) are used the readings are taken from a consistant point near the center of the tread front and rear on a horizontal line thru the center of the spindle, not at the edge of the rim. The edge of the rim could be used, but since the measurement difference would be smaller they would be harder to make accurately. Even the Nextel cup guys still use a pole gauge to check toe settings in the pits after an accident. If the toe setting in the service manual is given in inches as they were before computerized lazer alignment racks became the norm the measurement was supposed to be taken at the center or the tread of the OEM tire size. The reason degrees is used more today is that the tire diameter can affect the inch measurements and changing tire sizes is quite popular even among manufacturers. Our Celica was available from the factory with the base 15" wheels or optional 16" wheels.
To see what happens use two 12" rulers and two yardsticks. Lay the yardsticks down on the ground a distance apart and parallel to each other these will represent large diameter tires. If you measure the distance between them at each end from the center of the width of one to the center of the width of the other yardstick and the measurements are the same, this would represent both 0" and 0* of total toe. If you designate one end of each yardstick as representing the front of the vehicle and move them so the front ends are closer together than the back ends, this would represent toe IN, with the difference in those measurements equaling the TOTAL toe in for THAT DIAMETER tire. If the front ends were further apart than the rear, that would represent toe OUT. Now without moving the yardsticks representing toe IN carefully lay the 12" rulers on top the yardsticks with the 6" mark on the foot ruler directly above the 18" mark of the yardstick. Now the foot rulers represent much smaller diameter tires or the rims of the yardstick tires. Both rulers are pointed in at the fronts the same DEGREE measurement relative to straight ahead, but the difference in the inch measurements at the ends of the yardsticks would be significantly GREATER than the difference of the measurements apart taken at the ends of the foot rulers. Degrees will not change with tire dimensions so it's the more consistant measurement for setting toe in/out.
The inexpensive way to set toe yourself is with a nail or awl and a pencil and an 8' tape measure (and an assistant). Jack up one side of the vehicle until the front wheel is off the ground just enough to spin freely without dragging. Find a place in the tread pattern that is the most smooth all the way around. Rest your hand on the ground in front of the tire and hold the point of the nail or awl against the tire while your assistant turns the tire so that the point of the tool makes a thin line all the way around the tire. Do the same on the other tire then let the vehicle back down. Have your assistant hold the end of the tape measure on this line at the front of the tire level with the center of the spindle. You read the measurement to the line at the same point on the other tire and note the exact measurement to closest 1/32". Now do the same at the back of the tire. The difference in the measurements is the total toe in/out. To adjust the toe you screw the tie rod end adjusters in or out the same number of turns at each end. Snug up the adjusters, and then roll the vehicle forwards and back a couple feet 2 or 3 times finishing by moving forwards to the same spot you had it parked at before. Recheck your measurements and readjust the same way (including rolling it back and forth!) until you have the amount of toe in/out you wanted then lock down the adjusters tightly. With some cars the chassis components can get in the way of your tape, preventing an accurate reading. In that case you may need to make or buy a set of toe plates. Email me for directions on making simple to sophisticated toe plates.
There is a difference in bias ply and radial ply tire characteristics that require different settings, the bias ply usually requiring MORE toe because of tread squirm. In my experience almost every RWD car or truck uses toe IN. Some FWD vehicles call for toe OUT. With 15" radial tires I'd expect to use between 1/32" to 1/8" total toe IN with my beam axle. With IFS conversions I'd use the donor car or crossmember manufacturer's settings.
Toe OUT would tend to make the truck very sensitive to small steering inputs and want to follow the cracks and seams in the pavement refered to as tramlining.
I've never taught alignment equipment use, but I have aligned a LOT of vehicles both on racks and by hand and studied the effects of alignment changes on handling. It isn't unusual to see serious autocrossers change toe settings to better match conditions between runs.

 

Can you tell me what the Camber,Caster, and Toe should be on a 51 F1 I-beam with stock wheels and 15" Radial tires.

 

U know people.. someone asked for the Getto way of doing something.. I gave him the easyest way of doing so it would work.. I did in in a way where plates are not needed and where a simple measurment would give him a drivable truck.. but it seems here that all U want to do it tear it apart.. If U dont know how it to do field setup, than dont try to tear it apart.. I spent 4 years working for Hunter teaching people how to do it.. and 15 years in the Army doing it all the time on Old 2 1/2 trucks all the time. The setting I gave are NOT a thrust set up. Its call dead reacking. Its a basic way to get it on the road so it can be drivin. I use Inches where a person may not have a plate. And I use MM where I know what I was doing. And If U doing think it will work.. come and drive my truck.. Im Running 31-10.50-15 LC with a load range G tires on it. I went and did a full thrust setup by starting with a rear Axle Shift( mine was off center by 2.56- degrees and I got it to 0.14- degress. than I did a front Axle shift to center it to my settings.. U can do it 3 way on a hunter 7800 Unit( Inches off Axis, MM off axis, Or totel degrees off Center. Most are set for degrees becouse thats how the shop teach inhouse) Most Shop just leave the Machine at there basic config. when thay get them.. I have mine set to the mm becouse its more accurate to my taste.

But if U all want to tear apart what I have been teaching for years and dont think it will work.. than dont use it and do it your way........

" Only a fool walks without faith, Even that blind get a stick " Gen Adam Boyd

 

IMHO With a beam axle, camber is going to be whatever you have, it's built into the axle unless you bend it. I don't know if the dropped axle manufacturers change it from stock. (note to self: product needed- camber corrected replacement axles)
Caster may be adjusted by placing tapered wedges between spring and axle. I'd be looking for something in the +2 to 4 1/2* (*= degrees) range, with +3 to 4 1/2* end better for highway cruising. With the 15" radials I'd start with 1/16" total toe IN. I don't know what that is in degrees for your wheels and tires, but a good alignment tech knows or has a chart. Don't be afraid to test other settings or go beyond these recommendations depending on your particular setup, type of driving, comfort level, roads, you may find a setting that works better for you. More caster will return the wheels straight ahead quicker after a turn and give more "hands off" feel for cruising. More toe in will reduce the vehicle's tendency to follow seams in the road, less toe in to toe out wil give a quicker crisper steering response. Test other settings by driving them a week or so to get a feel, it's easy enough to change them back or adjust them more. One thing I'd suggest tho is changing to a heavy duty tie rod if you haven't already done so.

 

Toe plates can be as "getto" as a couple of pieces of 2x4, there are a lot of vehicles, especially lowered ones where you simply can't run a string or tape or pole across the vehicle without hitting something. You should always preload and settle the suspension by rolling the vehicle back and forth finishing in the forward direction after each adjustment before measuring.

 

Chuck,

Believe it or not, the shop manual says that's exactly how to change camber - bend the axle! They show a whomping big hydraulic tool that was used to bend the axle end up or down to change the camber on each front wheel. I thought that was pretty interesting.


Mark,

Didn't intend to be negative - just want to do my truck correctly. I'll reread everything and use it all to make the right decision.