Alignment DIY 101

[ricko1966]

I've tried to do an alignment write up twice I can't seem to do it all my text dissapears.I can do alignments so can you if someone wants to write it up and post it get a hold of me we'll get it done.I have 30 plus years expeirience doing alignments at chains independent shops and a gm dealership.I would trust my own string alignment over 90 percent of paid for alignments.When was their machine last calibrated?When was the last time a head got dropped,etc.etc. .Our cars only have two adjustable settings toe and camber.

[bhazard]

Type your writeup out on wordpad or something similar and then copy and paste it into the post.

[ricko1966]

Our cars(festiva) only have 2 adjustable angles front toe and front camber.Look down at your feet ,point your toes together that is toe in,point the towards the walls that is toe out.Stand straight up , now lean to the left,now lean towards the right, that is camber. These angles do not have to be exact there are tolerances such as .15 in + /- .30 I think that is our actual toe spec. So -15 to positive 45 would be green on the alignment machine. The car has to be level to check camber. To level your car pick the closest to level spot you have park your car 1 foot behind that spot . Place a floor tile in front of each wheel. Roll your car back a foot and paint around each square. Get your car out off the way and check leve from square to square stack floor tiles and plywood squares to achieve level. Move your stacks left and right park your car in your painted squares. Raise your rear wheels ad your stacks plus 1 more tile,raise the front put a splash of motor oil or wheel bearing grease to the top tile now add one more tile lower your car.Bounce the front bumper bounce the rear bumper.Your car is level. Set camber first use a piece of angle iron and a carpenters level is the wheel straight up and down? If wheel isn't straight up and down turn your upper strut mount 180 degrees pick your best setting,thats all you or the guy at Firestone gets without making modifications.Now set toe look up toe plates on the Internet I like ten hulzen the best but joes racing or others are similar,mine are homemade.Place a toe plate on outside of each front wheel and center it front to rear.Take two tape measures and measure across the front and rear. Are your measurements real close to identical,then you are close are they way different?Adust the lengths on your tie rods until your toe measurements are as close to identical as you can get them then set toe I run 1/32 toe in and camber as close as it will get to zero without mods.Look at some long acre racing toe plates and an intercomp racing Dunlap style camber adapter number 360101 both are easily copied just by looking at the pictures.If your tires are straight up and down and both pointed straight ahead your tires will be happy.I could make it more complicated and accurate but this is good enough for a first timer on his daily driver.

[WmWatt]

To save that on your computer highlight the text, press Edit at the top of your screen, press copy, then open a text file on your computer and press paste - or right click on the text and click Save Page As then My Documents and the folder where you want it to go in and press save and that saves it as an HTML file. I just saved it on my computer in the Festiva folder - full of good Festiva advice from this site.

[ryanprins13]

This is a good writeup and i figured i would give it a bump because i have an alignment question. On the rear im reading 5/16 toe in unloaded with nothing in the trunk and 3/4inch toe in loaded (400 pounds in rear).
That seems like too much. What is normal? Its even on both sides and i get the same measurement using string.

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[Dragonhealer]

Wow, which spring rate did you settle on for the rear?
shoot for zero toe unloaded, make sure you have no more than 1-1/2 inch bump travel before hitting the bump stop, 1 inch is enough. If you have more than 1-1/2 at your selected ride hight, add more bump stop.

And I must agree, clear, concise, simple, effective. +1 ricko 1966

[Grey Vw]

Wow, which spring rate did you settle on for the rear?
shoot for zero toe unloaded, make sure you have no more than 1-1/2 inch bump travel before hitting the bump stop, 1 inch is enough. If you have more than 1-1/2 at your selected ride hight, add more bump stop.

And I must agree, clear, concise, simple, effective. +1 ricko 1966

How did you settle on 1.5" of bump travel? I don't know anything about it.

[Dragonhealer]

How did you settle on 1.5" of bump travel? I don't know anything about it.

Trial and error, at 1 to 1-1/2 travel to bump,(in the rear) the car is neutral through a corner at full tilt. Different setups, eng trans etc. Will be a little different but for what he is doing (trailer hauling) 1 inch will be better.

[Grey Vw]

Trial and error, at 1 to 1-1/2 travel to bump,(in the rear) the car is neutral through a corner at full tilt. Different setups, eng trans etc. Will be a little different but for what he is doing (trailer hauling) 1 inch will be better.

Thanks!

[ryanprins13]

Thanks!

First try i ended up with 3/4inch. Took it around a corner hard and it didnt feel like the car was going to flip over! Lol. Quite an unusual feeling in a festiva for me.

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