Front End Alignment

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  • #232845
    Montie Henderson
    Participant

    @montie

    I’m doing a few improvements to Audrey, trying to get ready for the trip to Carisle.  

    I have a long list to do on her before the trip.  We’ve never been on the interstate highways yet.  Still runnin on her original 20 year old new tires.  So tires are high on the list, right after new ft shocks, coils, and ft end alignment etc..  Speakin of the alignment anyone got any suggestions.  The shops around here say they need the specks to do it, and their books/computer dont on back that far?   Did Pintos even have specks and will it be the same on the TD??

    Merry Christmas to all..

    Montie

    #240347
    Steve Crites
    Participant

    @ringo

    Merry Christmas Montie!

    Maybe the alignment guy has specs on a similar year Mustang II.  If he does, I’d try that first.  They are similar and the weight of the TD replica is close to the same as those ‘stangs.

    Ringo

    #240348
    Montie Henderson
    Participant

    @montie

    Thanks,

    I check with them next week.  Seems like when I worked in a garage, oh say, about 40 years ago, we just did alot of measuring and had some gauges that clamped on the wheels.  But I was ALOT younger then and was just helping do it. 

    Shes going in for front shocks and new coils this week end, rt side is about an inch lower.  I wish I knew the year of her doner car, seems there is a few differences from ’71 to ’80.

    I just tried to update some pictures, I couldn’t do it in the gallery sections, any clue??

    Montie

     

    #240349
    Richard Wobby
    Participant

    @richard-wobby

    In my younger days as I would sit on a barrel, keeping a cool brown one from getting warm, This is from one of the many books Mr Lyon had sitting in his shop it was on installing a front end on a mustang II. Set basic alignment specs as follows: ?? toe-in, 0 degrees camber and 1 degree caster. Then take it to an alignment shop and have it aligned to stock Mustang II specs.

     This comes from:

    http://www.rodandcustommagazine.com/techarticles/135_0401_independent_front_suspension/index.html

    ALIGNMENT
    Proper alignment is always vital on any car, but things can get tricky if you aren’t prepared when you walk into the alignment shop, especially with an IFS under the fenders. “When swapping suspensions, the heart of the idea is to make the spindle think it’s in its original home,” VanDervort says. “Believe it or not, I’ve heard of shops trying to use ’40 Ford axle alignment specs on a Mustang II front suspension just because it’s in a ’40 Ford!”

    By using the manufacturer-supplied alignment specs for the spindle, your new IFS should work as well as it does in a brand-new car, if not better. The kit manufacturer should supply all alignment details, and the following information should be used as a loose guideline only. Camber on an IFS-equipped car with radial tires is generally set around 0 to 1 degree positive, which puts the top of the tire slightly outboard of the bottom. This creates a tendency for the tires to turn toward the vehicle centerline, providing straight-line stability.

    Toe-in keeps the car tracking straight as it moves down the road, and with radial tires somewhere between 1/16- to 1/8-inch toe-in works pretty well according to VanDervort. While the car is underway, this is usually reduced to 0-inch as any slack in the steering system comes under the pressure of driving.

    “Caster is where things get interesting,” VanDervort says. “By leaning the kingpin angle back somewhat, an effect is created where turning the wheels raises the car. Therefore, the car’s own weight attempts to push the wheels straight again. As you can imagine, more caster provides increased straight-line stability at the expense of harder steering. Bonneville cars often run up to 15 degrees positive caster to gain the stability they need at ultra-high speeds.” For a more in-depth look at caster, see illustration number seven.

    Richard Wobby40172.8584490741

    #240350
    Dan Rosa
    Participant

    @dan-r

     Montie Last spring i had mine done after the first set of tires wore out in 600 miles!!at 5 oaks tire  the guy at the counter said he could not do with out specs. I went in side and talked to the alignment guy,, Robby “gimme that !!!??? ### thing ” about an hour later perfect $ 50.00 3,000 miles the tires still look like new  ” if you know what you are doing you don’t need a !!!???### book” Robby , the trouble the guys at the desks only know things, not how to do things..I have to give that quote to him to not quite exact , and Yes they had books on Pintos you should get one about $10.00 or so a great investment.


    Good luck and driving Dan

    #240351
    Paul Mossberg
    Keymaster

    @pmossberg

    I’m surprised an alignment shop is asking YOU for the wheel alignment specifications. But if you need to find out for yourself, Chilton manuals, like the used book in here will have the info.

    If you really cannot find the Pinto specs, I agree with the above posters that recommended you start with the Mustang II specs.

    I respectfully disagree with Ringo re the weight. A Mustang II ranged form about 2,600 to 2,900 pounds depending on engine and other equipment levels. VW based TD replicas are under 2,000 pounds. I may be wrong, but I imagine Chevette and Pinto based replicas are also in the 2,000 pound ballpark.

    PMOSSBERG40172.9931134259

    Paul Mossberg
    Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
    2005 Intermeccanica Roadster

    If you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)

    #240352
    Montie Henderson
    Participant

    @montie

    Paul, they ask me because their books didn’t go back that far, (too lazy to research).  You’re right about the weight, she about 1900 lbs.

    Dan, I agree, I think I need to forget the counter guy and the service writer and talk straight to the mechanic.  Goodyear may make good tires but not sure about their mechanical abilities, and the Ford dealership is just too big for their britches.

    I’ll talk the the mechanic thats puttin on the springs and shocks today.  He seems very knowledgable.  He built his Nissan “FAST AND FURIOUS” car, says it has 500 hsp off the axle.  Took me for a ride, WHEW what a ride, white knuckles all the way!!  He keeps askin me when I want to make Audrey fly.  I dont think she was designed for that, but I do have a few dress up parts for the engine compartment, a header, polished alum valve cover, a few chrome pieces and red plug wires and hoses (just to match the trim on the car.  I’ll post some before and after pictures when done.

    Thanks again for all the help.

    Montie

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