need front end alignment help

[69chevy lwb]

i have a few questions about the numbers i should be looking for when aligning the front of my truck to start the truck had awful understeer and bad straight line stability with stock suspension so with the addition of some air bags and lower strong arms i noticed a large difference but was looking for more so i added strong arms uppers, cpp 2 inch drop spindles, wilwood brakes, and kyb shocks after all this im not to sure how far my alignment will be i am still running my stock shim stacks. im looking for a fairly sporty feel or as close as i can get on a long wheel base pick up with manual steering my main questions are, can i set my alignment without tires and turn plates if i block the suspension and set my ride height? and what numbers do i need to look for should i set the passenger side to follow the crown of the road or match it side to side? thanks for any help
broc

[brad_man_72]

Hop over to the suspension forum. Read thread "make it handle". Enjoy!
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[Custom 68]

Look around over here there is a ton of information including alignment specs plus other ideas for better tracking...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...splay.php?f=25

[Custom 68]

lol Brad you beat me to it...

[brad_man_72]

Do you really have the whole weight of the front of your truck on the sway bar mounts? I didn't think they were that strong.
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[Custom 68]

btw good looking rotors, where did they come from? ECC?

[BMERDOC]

I started a thread on C10 alignments. Click on the link in my signature. Long and short of it is...As much positive caster as you can get (up to 9 degrees max), up to 2 degrees negative camber (-1.5 is ok) and 1/8" total toe in, 0 or 1/8" total toe out. The further toe'd out you are the more agressive it is. 0 toe may work fine in your situation.

[brad_man_72]

Looks almost like you could swap the upper control arms from side to side.
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[BMERDOC]

Swapping arms side-to-side will yield somewhere in the +13 to +14 degree caster zone. It makes it completely undriveable...even in a parking lot.

[69chevy lwb]

Thanks a ton for all the replies, its funny you say they look like they should be switched around because I put it together like that at first and the wheels were about 1 1/2 inches offset so I knew I did it wrong the rotors are cpp drilled and slotted 6 lug it was the only way I could tuck d52 calipers in a 15x7 wheel
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[BMERDOC]

The easiest way to do it is to remove the shim stacks before you take it to have it aligned and have them equalize both sides to get the most of each angle closest to the numbers I provided for you, then set toe.
I'm still not sure what angles all the aftermarket parts available will provide but as long as you stay as negative as you can while staying at or under -2° camber and as much positive caster as you can muster you'll have one nice ridin' truck! BTW!!! Since you have Bags make sure to set it at intended ride height before its aligned!

[69chevy lwb]

I plan on doing my own alignment I have a camber/ caster gauge but I do need to know if I can do my alignment without tires on? I'm not sure if I need the tire scrub to get accurate numbers or not
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[BMERDOC]

I haven't done a floor alignment in years but I don't think you can check caster without tires and plates. I'm sure you could measure the 15° to 20° necessary to meaure caster swing some kind of way. It'd get you close enough to equalize the two sides.

[Wrenchbender Ret]

You have to have the tires on & the weight of the truck on them at the riding height you plan on driving at. I do my own alignment & set my stock 70 stepside at -1/8 camber & 1 1/2 degree pos. caster. 1/8 in toe in. It handles like a sport car & tracks like its on tracks.

[69chevy lwb]

alright so i finally got around to aligning my truck but theres a small problem i equalized both sides at -1 1/2 degrees of camber and +6 1/2 degrees caster and 1/8th of an inch toe in and now the truck pulls just a little to the left my understanding is that it should actually pull right when equalized because of the crown on the road. the pull is minimal it takes probably 300 feet for the truck to go from the center of my lane to the white lines so i need to know what shims to add where to stop this i really prefer not to take the wheels off again if possible other than the pull the truck handles great the steering is much tighter, there's a more direct feel, and it no longer gets a sense of weightlessness around a corner