Front-end alignment

[Hair]

Putting the front end back under my truck.
With wheels on the ground:
I have set the toe perfectly parallel between right and left.
I have set the camber perfectly vertical on both sides.

Now, is that right? Is toe supposed to be perfectly 0 or is there a certain angle toe in or out that is supposed to be ran? What about camber? Is that supposed to be a little in or a little out or is that supposed to be perfectly perpendicular like I have it?
I've set them as perfectly parallel and perpendicular as I can. Is that correct? I have some really nice measuring equipment so I know I do have it very close, probably closer than required, but is perfectly parallel and perpendicular right?

Here's my final question, what about caster? What is my caster supposed to be set at? I know that it is not supposed to be staright up and down. What should it be?

[slammed1]

A general way to do this with no specs is to shoot for 0.0 camber or a little negative,1/8th inch toe IN and around 3.00-4.00 caster with a little leighway. Usually caster needs to be around a half degree more on the right than the left for road crown,and I try to always get my camber almost identical side to side best I can,withuot having like -0.2 left and +0.3 right(for example). if one side is -0.2 I try to have the other close. Toe IN is generally on most all cars with some being negative but not much at all. Toe IN allows the tires to straighten out at speed for best wear and contact.
Toe in or out will actually be the fastest tire wear item,with camber second and caster usually dont wear tires but makes driving the car a chore or a dream if dont right.
I dont know what kind of equipment your using,but it might be good or great enough to get you close but these newer alignment machines with the "RIGHT" person operating them can do a real nice job.

[Hair]

When you say 3.00 - 4.00 caster do you mean 3 to 4 degrees? And right side is passenger side correct?

[slammed1]

yes in degrees,and positive. Right side is passenger side.More caster on the right than the left by 1/2 a degree is enough.
(example 3.50 left/4.00 right)
keep im mind these are specs to get you by for most vehicles if you dont have specs.

hardly any cars have neg caster anymore since Bias ply tires left,and most cars have negative camber for better cornering,and most all cars have 1/8th inch toe in.

the more caster you can get the better your car will drive.....Mercedes have 12.00 degrees of caster or more.

the specs i gave will get you in the ballpark and if your measuring tool is set right,your tire wear will actually not be bad.

[Hair]

It is a 1971 GMC 2wd inline 6. Does anyone know where I could find the proper front end alignment specifications for it.

[shifty]

Factory Service Manual, I would assume. I've heard a lot of the old-timers around here swear it's the best $40-50 you'll ever spend.

[Psycho71]

I do not have it with me, at work, but I thik the factory assembly manual has this info. It seems like I ran across it when thumbing thru it one night.

I'll look when I get home tonight, if no-one here has one accessible, and post's it before I can. But slammed1 seems to know his stuff.


Jay

[Hair]

Good deal, I appreciate that. I can't do anything until tonight anyway, at work too, Thanks a lot to slammed1 also.