DIY wheel alignment

[ejp2fast]

I am getting ready to lower the car and was wondering how to align it myself. I noticed on www.rockauto.com they have some alignment parts... for example "alignment camber wedge", "Alignment kit", "alignment shim", "alignment tool"... can someone guide me in the right direction on this? what tools or kits do i need for my festy? will these work on other vehicles? Thanks in advance.

[scottxd45]

Well first you need to purchase and install an alignment rack.....



J/k

I don't really know how you could this accurately on your own but alignments aren't THAT expensive. I would just get it done right.

[b8kedbeans]

Good luck doing it yourself. I hate paying for alignments. $79 for less than 10 minutes of work. What a racket.

[scottxd45]

10 min?! It takes that long just to set up the rack! And I've seen alignments advertised for as little as $40 around here. Just shop around and make sure they are doing a real alignment and not just setting toe and sending it out. Most places will print out a before and after for you too.

[floydiancomplex]

Order a set of Long Acre Racing toe-plates from www.longacreracing.com
they are about 50 bucks, look around the net to find the best price. The only
thing you can really adjust on a festiva is the front toe setting anyway. All you
need is flat concrete and about 15 minutes.

[quaddawg]

Order a set of Long Acre Racing toe-plates from www.longacreracing.com
they are about 50 bucks, look around the net to find the best price. The only
thing you can really adjust on a festiva is the front toe setting anyway. All you
need is flat concrete and about 15 minutes.

Ditto, or make your own, or buy some string.

Alignments done on a rack by.....cough, cough... the folks that work in shops around here is a JOKE. I can do a better alignment with my eyes...

that being said, a GOOD alignment guy, working with good calibrated equipment does earn his money.. trouble is, there are only a few around here I trust, and on my Festy, I set the toe, and the camber (with bolts) and go for it.

I took my truck to Pep-boys for an alignment.... what a joke, I ended up stringing it out, and they had it ALL fudged up... re-set it myself and it's much better...

it's all according to who's doing the work, and how adjustible your car is... I wouldn't try to do a 4 wheel alignment with strings... but that doesn't apply to our little cars...

[scottxd45]

You can always get offset bolts and stuff like that to make all the adjustments. If the camber or caster is off you can't just say oh well the factory didn't provide the adjustment so I won't do them. Just setting toe isn't going to correct a pulling problem or tire wear. But if all you want is a straight steering wheel then you could maybe get away with just setting toe.

[quaddawg]

You can always get offset bolts and stuff like that to make all the adjustments. If the camber or caster is off you can't just say oh well the factory didn't provide the adjustment so I won't do them. Just setting toe isn't going to correct a pulling problem or tire wear. But if all you want is a straight steering wheel then you could maybe get away with just setting toe.

Tell me how you set the caster on a Festy?


You can't believe everything they cram down your throat at Tech school... I am close to 50, and have been doing this crap all my life.

If all your suspension bushings are in good shape, no worn out or bent parts and the car hasn't been hit, then YES, the toe-in is what needs to be set on a Festy.

[scitzz]

Yeah, but I am STILL trying to figure out what the toe setting is supposed to be! I have heard 1/8 of an inch. You told me (quaddawg) that you use I think 1/8 out? but that is for your autox racing. Is it supposed to be 1/8 out or in for a stock festy?

[scottxd45]

The spec for toe is: toe in .02-.26 inches.

Camber is: 89-90 limits -1/4 to +1 7/12 desired +2/3
91-92 limits -5/12 to +1 5/12 desired +1/2

Caster is: 89-90 limits +1/3 to +1 5/8 desired +1 7/12
91-92 limits +1 1/3 to +1 5/8 desired +1 7/12

These are according to Alldata

[festivaWES]

toe out 1/8 of an inch. I've done mine a couple of timesm myself. Drove from cali to missouri on my allignment and my tires were no choppy, they had nice even wear.

[scitzz]

Now THATS what I am talking about! Thanks guys, the first straight answer for me! Now, I gots to do my alignment.....

[ejp2fast]

Also, here is a post for aligment specs:

http://www.fordfestiva.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4256&highlight=alignment+specs

[ejp2fast]

Ok, I have never done an alignment before, and how do I adjust the "Toe in" and "camber ~degrees" etc?

[festivaWES]

on some flat concrete,turn our wheel straight, oll your car out of gear manually about 10 feet forward. Stope the mergency brake to keep from moving. Now after the drop measure the distance infront of the vehicle center tread to center tread and do the same for the back. If after measuring and you find out that your toed out to much, which is what will happen grab 2 wrenches and manual break the tierods bond and turn them in a full one ful turn and see what happens....then go from there if you need more. Retighten tierod ends. Get in car start it drive it back and foward a couple time and remeasure the distances.