The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network







Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Go Back   The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network > 47 - Current classic GM Trucks > The 1967 - 1972 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Message Board

Web 67-72chevytrucks.com


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 08-03-2006, 11:27 PM   #1
sneezys72
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Glendale Az
Posts: 73
front end alignment?

I took my truck in today to get aligned. It's pulling to the right. I lowered (drop spindles and 1.5 "drop springs) it a couple of months ago with no probs. I took it to a local shop that said "72 chevys (pickups, chevelles, etc)are notorious for buckeling the cross member and collapsing the frame". I now need to take it to a "frame shop to have the frame bent back into place". He also said because I lowered it he can't get to the nuts on the upper control arm shaft to add shims to help with the camber. Does this sound right, the buckeling/collapsing or do I need to go somewhere else. Sounds fishy to me!
sneezys72 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-03-2006, 11:42 PM   #2
Green Machine
Senior Member
 
Green Machine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Estherville, Iowa
Posts: 3,371
Re: front end alignment?

Short answer - I would get a second opnion, lots of lowered trucks around without problems.
__________________
1968 C10 307 3spd Long Fleet ------ http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=201103
1970 C10 305 Super T10 Long Fleet --- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=202285
1971 C20 383 TH350 Dana Posi ----- http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=206894
2001 GMC Sierra 1500 C3 6.0
Green Machine is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-04-2006, 10:47 AM   #3
rodstored-72
chevy truck fan
 
rodstored-72's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Gilbert, arizona 85298
Posts: 2,008
Re: front end alignment?

sneezy,
i am getting my alignment done right now & as soon as i hear from the guy i will try to let you know. i have lowered mine 4.5" & 5". i told him that it was lowered like that before i took it to him & he did not say anything to me. i agree with the post above! i would just take it somewhere else. if this guy that i am using turns out to be good then i will give you the info. if you want. he is in mesa though.

good luck!
rodstored-72
rodstored-72 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2006, 02:48 PM   #4
sneezys72
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Glendale Az
Posts: 73
Re: front end alignment?

Thanks Green and Rodstored. I called the guy and told him I would pick it up and not to do anything. By the time he called me back it was done. Rodstored, please let me know your guy, if I have a problems I'll look him up. Thx again
sneezys72 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2006, 02:56 PM   #5
QKENUF4U
Senior Member
 
QKENUF4U's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: SUNNY WARM BIKE RIDING COTTONWOOD ARIZONA
Posts: 2,097
Re: front end alignment?

i can use the info restored.
QKENUF4U is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2006, 04:28 PM   #6
jasonrmorrow
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 98
Re: front end alignment?

I don't know about those crossmembers "buckling" sounds really really odd to me. First time i've heard of it anyways...

I work for a Toyota dealer and do all the alignments in the shop and have a 64 i've had mine on the rack but will need to realign after this weekend since bags went in...

we happen to have nice new machines that take all the guesswork out of "shimming". After initial setup the program tells me how thick of a shim i need at each of the 4 shim locations to bring the alignment into spec...all i have to do is loosen the nuts and remove or place shims as the program tells me.

as for not being able to reach the nuts...well with the newer machines you can "freeze" the measurements and then jack up the front end, the measurements will stay the same as if the weight was on the wheels, then you can gain a ton of access to the nuts, lots of room in these big wheelwells.

Even if you can't "freeze" the measurements, all you have to do is remember how many .10ths you need to go, or write it down.

Before i worked for toyota i had my truck aligned (3/5 drop with springs only) at a Fountain Tire, they had the newer machine and an old guy whose done a ton of chevy trucks, its setup perfect when i checked it at toyota, and only a total of 8 shims on the whole truck.
__________________
1964 - LWB 350 TPI Fuel Injection
On airbags
jasonrmorrow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2006, 08:58 PM   #7
ChevLoRay
Old Skool Club
 
ChevLoRay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas"
Posts: 10,880
Re: front end alignment?

I dropped mine 2.5/4.0 and replaced all components on the front and rear axle assemblies. When it was on the rack, it was aligned to factory specs with no problems at all. In fact, that was in the fall of '01, and it still tracks straight and drives great. A little play in the steering, compared to the rack and pinion on my Tundra and the wifes' Lexus, but honestly, it drives as good as it did when the '69's were new, as I remember...probably better with discs and better tires/shocks than in '69.

Yep, get yourself a trustworthy front end person.
__________________
Member Nr. 2770

'96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed.

'69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo

The older I get, the better I was.
ChevLoRay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-07-2006, 04:55 PM   #8
sneezys72
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2000
Location: Glendale Az
Posts: 73
Re: front end alignment?

Thx to all. Just got it back from a friend of my dads. First guy was wrong about bent frame. Only needed 1 shim on pass side. All better now.
sneezys72 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:08 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright 1997-2022 67-72chevytrucks.com