Discussion Forum - Northstar Chevelle Club

bowtie · Secretary

Alignment specs???

Derek69SS · Founding Member

Is anything modified, or suspension all stock?

more ambition than brains · 1K+ Club

This is for a 82!

Sent request to AllDATA for correct year.

I bet Chris P. can help also.

Here is a screen shot of an 82 Malibu.
I bet they are pretty close.
Remember lots of positive caster, (equal both sides) results in a quicker return after corner.

Better snap back.

Karl

-- Edited by more ambition than brains on Thursday 5th of July 2018 05:34:56 PM

more ambition than brains · 1K+ Club

PM me your fax, have 5 pages from ALLDATA

Actual 72 specs!

Karl

-- Edited by more ambition than brains on Thursday 5th of July 2018 09:16:31 PM

67ss · 1K+ Club

Not at work to pull specs from the service manual.

bowtie · Secretary

Stock control arms, stock type ball joints, large Helwig front sway bar. Poly bushings, Viking coilovers, lowered some with those, . 245/45r17 front tires.

I also have the original specs, but I think factory specs might not be appropriate anymore? I can change caster, camber, toe, etc but where to stop so it’s not too much?

Lost in the 60s · President

The only spec you may want more of than stock is the caster and that will be limited by the stock control arms and the fact that many GM's from that era have sagged inward at the front crossmember from age and use. All they can do for positive caster is remove all the shims and you get what is left. When I had Andrew's car aligned, they ran into this and barely got to positive with no shims. The alignment guy then added what was needed to get the sides equal. Ideally, the frame should be locked on a rack and spread back out a few degrees.
If the original toe still calls for a negative, that should be at zero or SLIGHTLY neg, not like with original bias ply tires.

Derek69SS · Founding Member

More caster requires less toe.

I like to go as much + caster as possible, -0.5 camber, and 1/16" toe in.

Then drive it to see if it goes straight, or wanders at all. If it wanders, add a little toe.

jim larson · 2K+ Club

Derek69SS wrote:
More caster requires less toe.

I like to go as much + caster as possible, -0.5 camber, and 1/16" toe in.

Then drive it to see if it goes straight, or wanders at all. If it wanders, add a little toe.

When I went to radials a couple of years ago I was able to get +3 caster on both sides along with a -.05 camber, and 1/16 toe in. Car handles great. Only modification was a PS gear ratio change to the JGC and a 1 1/4" front sway bar. All other front end components are stock for 66.