Front Suspension And Alignment Secrets For Your Classic Mopar Drag Racer (A Dale's Demon Update)

In this video: good steering alignment specifications for drag racing; the importance of tie rod end height to proper steering geometry; tips for setting alignment on your drag racer; front end alignment using a Quick Trick alignment tool (an incomplete guide); front shock options for drag racing; and much, much more.
I've been working on my ramp truck and the Demon every possible moment for weeks. I probably should have started sooner. In fact, I am literally uploading this video, then hitting the road for Tennessee to race Uncle Tony. There are a few things that I didn't get finished, but the car is pretty well set and good to go at this point - so I guess those, like many other things, are problems for Future Jamie.

[@barrycuda3769]

I dont know much about what's the ideal wheel alignment on A bodies for drag racing, but in the early 1970's ,the New Zealand circuit race driver Leo Leonard spent a lot of time track testing his Aussie VH Valiant Charger ( A body ) and trying out different suspension setups ect . One major success from his efforts was his own wheel alignment settings , and he also came up with alternative settings for normal street driven Chargers , I own a VH Valiant sedan, and years ago I decided to have it's wheel alignment set to his specs , and it was well worth it , it steers much nicer , feels more stable , I wish my father ( the prior owner) had known about it years ago , he would have been impressed. I'm pretty sure it would apply to any A body. I haven't memorized the specs , but I've got them written down somewhere . They are provided in the book " Hey Charger" .I can dig out the specs if anyone is interested.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I would be interested!

[@barrycuda3769]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Its written in the back of my Valiant workshop manual, I'll have a look for it .

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

The factory generally alignment has understeer designed into it as a safety feature. It is popular to modify the alignment for less understeer. I'd be interested in the specs you have, if possible.

[@barrycuda3769]

@@BrandonLeeBrown Yeah, I was just thinking about that , I will find that book that Iv'e got it written in , it wont be too hard to find, it's just that I moved house a couple of years ago , and I'm still not sure where everything is . I'll get back to you. 🙂

[@nathanmccree2217]

Can't wait to see your guy's race

[@adeeponionbreath]

I hope you have a safe trip. Come back to us. Use worn shocks. Run Lowest rolling resistance front tyre setup. Concentrate from a relaxed state during the race.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Hey, I did all those things! Ok, except I haven’t gotten to a relaxed state yet…

[@Kilnor]

That Demon looks like a ton of fun! I Love the look of the old school muscle cars especially this one in that blue.

[@johnkendrick7304]

That demon is an absolute badass car

[@stannelson2582]

This is the best Jamie word salad video ever. Totally over my head buts it so entertaining.

[@paul44235]

Man, that probably is my favorite Mopar body style! The color is amazing too!

[@beljames1563]

Having fun is the objective, beating Tony the goal. Hopefully a raft of new subscribers is the outcome. Best wishes for the trip and the race.

[@ThisValiantAdventure]

Good luck tomorrow! Can’t wait to see the footage from both you and Uncle Tony (and JustMoparJoe). Should be a blast.

[@allenm00]

You are so brave. I take my wheels off my cars and drop them off when I need new tires and my car is just a dodge journey....... I just hate having to break my lugnuts loose after they "torque them".

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I use these guys a lot. I trust them.

[@musclecarmitch908]

I don't trust taking any of my classic cars for alignment to any of the places in my area nowadays, only youngsters working there now that have only seen newer vehicles, I believe it's going to be left up to ourselves to align our old muscle cars like your doing!👍

[@klapaucius77]

I have some very tired old ones that I'm just too lazy to change, now I can say I'm getting it ready for drag racing instead!

[@Bob-Whiting]

Lolin'

[@tannerlawson1721]

Here we go yeah buddy

[@craighansen7594]

I'm going thru some of the same suspension set up. My 1970 340 4spd Dart Swinger needs to stay street driven but I am working the alignment specs to favor drag racing. I do have a set of rear drag shocks and I cut open a pair of old super cheap stock fronts to play with the valving and oil level.

[@AtZero138]

Mopar A Bodies Forever 🇺🇸

[@tonyb3864]

Nice instructional video. You should do some live streaming while on the road trip. You would be surprised at how many people would tune in and watch.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I have considered it, but the audio will be terrible, and I don’t know how I would manage comments.

[@user-us7ic7js2p]

Think you for all your info that's very cool

[@pcbullets8726]

Can't wait to see the race! Good luck Dude!

[@edmo9712]

I believe Slag Hammer has been estimated to have anywhere between 450 to 500 HP. Are you staying naturally aspirated and zero power adders? A 150 shot of Nitrous would certainly wake things up!

[@ronaldrey8474]

EXACTLY what I was thinking... 100 shot & 50 more on a button.

[@Roosters_Restos]

I talked to Jamie about going on the bottle so it's discussed and being he is seeing mopar Joe before the race anything could happen 😂

[@ronaldrey8474]

@@Roosters_Restos AWESOME ✌️ Bet ya Tony has button hidden

[@BlindBatG34]

:)

[@Mr.mopar71]

It's good to see you keeping up on "my" demon. Ahhh, A body...

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

You’re really all in on this 😅

[@Mr.mopar71]

@@DeadDodgeGarage absolutely Jamie. I'm pretty sure we're a state away from each other as well.

[@Bob-Whiting]

Somewhere around here should be my old Direct Connection belt buckle with a Duster lookin' Mopar on it. I hope it didn't get lost in the move out here.

[@mypronouniswtf5559]

Hope you had good weather for the race...I hope a Mopar won at least :) YES... I mean YOU!!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The race is on Friday so we’ll find out…

[@kenjohnson3641]

Very interesting info 👍

[@PaulSteinberg-il4tw]

That's a lot of info to think through but very interesting. Good work my friend and good luck!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Thank you!

[@noberet]

Thank you for your service!

[@user-hi2ev7ug4l]

A-body content...good stuff....thanks...🔧🔧🐐👍

[@NatPeterson.89_]

get the entire driveway paved 😂

[@codyhollinger6531]

Those fancy battery-powered tools are totally worth it.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Seriously though. I have zero regrets on that. They make this job so much easier.

[@Fleetwoodjohn]

Sounds healthy Jamie 😎 🚙💨

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

It’s running good!

[@staceyrenner5418]

Oh man, I just realized that you were eating at Billy's!! You lucky bugger, probably one of the best breakfasts I've ever had.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

That place is the best. But was I eating there in this video? I don’t remember. Lol.

[@rtraymond]

Those old DC race and engine manuals NEED to be reproduced but with updated information. What are your thoughts on pinion snubber clearance/setup for street cars? A friend INSISTS on it being right up against the floor at all times, we constantly argue over that. I just heard you mention the pinion snubber in another vid, so I'll watch it

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I dropped mine off of the floor because I kind of like having a functioning rear suspension on the street. The snubber plate on my car is destroyed from the snubber being preloaded against it for years. Tight snubber is great on a four speed strip car. On a street car? Absolutely not necessary. Leave at least a little gap.

[@rtraymond]

@@DeadDodgeGarage He has a 70 Cuda 440 and 71 Duster 340, but they ride like shit because the snubber is stopping suspension travel, kinda like driving a first gen 4x4 Ram😂

[@dadalebreton184]

Seriously, very nice information content. Question?? How much drag coeficent does Zero Tow helps on ET, if it does affects ET? Here at the dragway park, if you dont run slicks, they make you tee off on the left side of track so it doesn't peel off the compound they say. Last time I left the tree, the car slip enough that I almost hit the tree. And yes, my car is aligned straight.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

A Direct Connection Bible is all of the Mopar Performance bulletins together in one book, that is a large paperback book, like a big city phonebook. The bulletins were available separately, and they fit a there ring binder, but I'm not sure I've seen a complete DC Bible like that. It could be a collection of MP bulletins. In my wheel alignment tools, I have a toe gauge tool that looks like a large set of precision calibers. I can't find those for sale now. Speedway Motors snd SPC sell similar in function toe gauges, but they just don't seem as refined. Tape measures will do in a pinch though.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

The sub sections in the book indeed appear to be the same as the individual Direct Connection “race bulletins.” DC was started in 1974 with the goal of supporting racers. This book was put together right around that time, but the cover sheets don’t carry the DC name. I have yet to see another one like mine.

[@BrandonLeeBrown]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Yes, I remember the start of Direct Connection. I wasn't quite old enough to drive, but I started buying car magazines around 1973. Moper Performance started in the early 1960's, around 1962, with the solid cam and two 4 barrel intakes for the 383 and 413 and the 413 Max Wedge parts, which were different from the add-on performance parts. My oldest Mopar performance catalog is the 1964 and my oldest Direct Connection catalog is 1975. The original Mopar Performance parts were available only through participating dealers, while Direct Connection allowed ordering Mopar Performance parts from any dealer and participating speed shops. I have a 1970 Mopar Performance hard cover book, which has the engine bulletins and my Direct Connection Bible is 1979 or 1980. There is a performance bulletin for converting the 727 Street Hemi automatic transmission to reverse manual shifting. In the 1980's, the K-car 4 cylinder engines and AMC Jeep stuff was added, along with possibly some 4x4 truck stuff. In the late 1970's Mopar had some custom van stuff, but I think it was separate from Mopar Performance and Direct Connection. I think my Direct Connection bible might have been the last year, because the 4 cylinder and Jeep stuff would have made it way too big. You could get a Mopar three ring binder and only purchase the performance bulletins you wanted in it. They may have sold them all together in bulk form, before the phonebook style DC Bible, or maybe separately became more popular after the 4 cylinder, Jeep and truck stuff were added. Originally "Direct Connection" was an expansion of the availability of the Mopar Performance parts, through a larger network of dealers. I have some old car magazines from the early 1960's with Mopar Performance parts ads in them.

[@johnmullins2798]

Good info!

[@dadalebreton184]

I never make street burnout with racing tires. it hardens the tires rubber compound and makes microscopic scratchs that can make loose up to 10%+ grip. I also noticed that if I break a tire when I take off the tree, if I let go the gas pedal to try to get grip again, I always have worst ET than when I just leave it spin. The inertia keeps going foward. If I let go the gas, inertia slows down and the car can never get back what is lost. Ps. Understand that breaking the tires is always after the tee off. I dont mean to make a burnout. If I feel it slips, I let it be. EVEN IF IT SLIPS, IT DOES GRIP!

[@jeffreyvietzke228]

Been aligning cars since 1983. The sequence is camber caster toe. But you knew that.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Usually I’m shooting for a caster number, and setting the camber in a way I know will get me there. Improving the caster angle (using offset bushings or other means) is the best way to make these cars not handle like wet noodles, so for street cars, that is my focus.

[@jeffreyvietzke228]

@@DeadDodgeGarage Understood. Just saying how I did it in the industry following what I was taught on all types of production cars and trucks. Race cars are a different animal. I have played with more caster on GM A-bodies and anything over 2 degrees gives them a super harsh ride. Most of the cars you and I work on were set up to run bias ply tires and had little caster to make steering easier at low speeds with no power assist. Don't miss the Ford I-beam bending days or GM rear brake shim days of the '80's AT ALL. Your channel is excellent and your brother's stuff is great as well for this old retired car guy. Keep up the good work, and I hope Uncle Tony humbles you!

[@TheNismo777]

Team red! Milwaukee tools

[@idaholineman5788]

Dales demon..so good

[@steveduleck5125]

Good Video

[@JeffMiletich]

You showed us a lot about Castor & Camber, but what about the oil? How do you check the level of the castor oil??? I'll see myself out.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Buh-dun cchhhhhh

[@BigBoxDodge2020]

No eating corn dogs, while doing Wheelies.

[@staceyrenner5418]

So many numbers and maths!!

[@BigBoxDodge2020]

Would taking your wiper arms off Help you with better air flow?

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Not enough to make it worth doing, I don’t think.

[@p38kris]

1st at 1 a.m. mountain time

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Huh, this was not supposed to be live yet… I don’t know what happened

[@J.n.A.1993]

Flannel weather start and cut--off dates move as you age. The way I feel this year, 2025 may be the beginning of my all flannel all the time years.

[@davidbisnette7673]

If I knew you needed worn out front shocks I would have been glad to ship you the Montgomery Ward shocks from about 1976 I just replaced a few months ago

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Believe it or not, I have some around 😅

[@roycervantes1341]

Yeee Yeee!

[@larryakre5942]

Would a trip to Firm Feel yield any benefits? I understand they're close to your neck of the woods.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

They’re great, but I don’t need anything from them for this car.

[@paulhare662]

For us short people who have tecnical things go over our heads, ain't it pretty much tie rod on the same plane and swing angle as the lower control arm? FWIW, my alignment guy would set a tool box equal to my weight, 155 lbs, on the driver seat before adjusting anything.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Yes, I should have discussed that. You’re looking for the tie rod angle to match the lower arm angle so the two follow the same arc and the toe doesn’t change. You generally do that by getting the height of the outer tie rods right.

[@clutchkicker392ison5]

Yeah, this shit's WAY too painful to do on anything but a car u REALLY luv .

[@JohnLittlepage]

Please take down utg 😊

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I will do my best!

[@user-qb1qo4uf7b]

over whelming video .. but i did learn some shit like always, only have one question.....will you photo copy that direct connection book ??? and how much do you charge!!?? great side hustle!!! ...ill pay you cash!!!!!!!!!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

No. Lol. My apologies, but I’m not taking that book apart. You’re the second person to ask… I did not expect that.

[@4thdownclown]

I still can't understand why latex gloves come in only "too big" or "too small" sizes 😂. Also, does this apply to 4x4's? 😂😂

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

😅

[@Mr.mopar71]

2 questions, 1st where did you get the alignment units and 2nd please make me a copy of the Bible and let me know how much.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Actually a friend gave it to me, but it’s a Quick Trick. I’m sure they can be found online. And I definitely won’t be taking the book apart and making copies. Sorry, but that’s just way too much work. Haha.

[@Mr.mopar71]

@@DeadDodgeGarage I've looked all over the innerwebs for one. None had as of yet.

[@BlindBatG34]

Sir, has grunge taught you nothing? It is always flannel weather.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’m pretty dedicated to that most of the time. Haha.

[@michaelnault5905]

I've heard there's no sharp turns on a dragstrip. Allegedly :⁠-⁠)

[@ronaldrey8474]

I apologize... Truly thought you'd race with crap hard tires. Go work on 60 ft after new tires is my advice besides leave on yellow ( don't wait for green) surprised who doesn't know this

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I’m not as dumb as I look!

[@ronaldrey8474]

@@DeadDodgeGarage nothing about looks Sir. I recognize bad decisions cause I make them... Lol And your far more intelligent than myself & just something I recognized.

[@The_Painter31]

Yeah no way, coil spring car just buy the cheapest gas shocks you can find unless you exceed 500hp. Jamie, you could find a set of skinnies to take some more weight off up front and reduced rolling resistance. I'm guessing your making about 360 - 375HP based on size comp and that cam.

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

Done. Haha. Yeah, that’s about what I figure for power.

[@dadalebreton184]

WHO TOUGHT YOU TO ALIGN A CAR ? YOU NEED TO DO IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD SO THAT YOU CAR FOLLOW THE ROAD STRAIGHT IN THE W SHAPE LINES. PREFERABLY AT NIGHT WHEN THERE'S NO TRAFFIC. 😂😂😂😂

[@dadalebreton184]

For street drag racing purpose only!😊

[@butcher390]

Alright everyone , settle down !! Professor Jamie , is conducting suspension geometry 🧮 👨‍🎓🔩⚙ Those slide plates are cool but Just curious 🤔 Do you have access to an Alignment rack or even , a pit ? 1/16 " toe in ..... run it 🏁 The clear view is MINT !! No pulling or anything 🙏 I respect the hell out of drivers who can , drag race a manual transmission You could bill this race as ..... The Madman vs. The Mathematician I learned a lot , Thanks Jamie !!

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

No alignment rack per se, no pit. As I said I’d like to be doing this up on my four post lift. It would be much easier.

[@Grandadsjunk]

Alot to take in my wife suggested you have a shave less wind resistance you may gain half a sec on the strip lol

[@DeadDodgeGarage]

I was supposed to get a haircut before this trip. Haha.