How To Align Your Classic Car At Home Episode 333 Autorestomod

[@williamford6142]

Interesting and infomative. I've watched my Uncle (Jeffs Grandad) do the string & level that worked pretty well, that was about 65 years ago, I was but a teenager then.My how time flies !!!

[@willmm4745]

Still valuable info glad its here. had a shop tell me that my new power steering control valve was bad because he didnt understand how it works. then had another shop align my 1970 ,mustang and set one side to 0 degrees caster and the other side was at 7 degrees. my camber was positive 4 on one side and -1 on the other car was no fun driving it so i did what you did bought the tools to do it myself which showed me how far out they had everything.

[@RealJerb]

Thanks for doing this restoration. Your videos have been very helpful for my 1st gen stang. Keep it up. P.S. Just installed a double din radio in my 1965 mustang in the original location. The dash was already cut up so I went all the way. You have to modify the heater controls because the stud, that you mount the panel to the dash, sticks up to far (could trim it or modify the panel to have a stud on the opposite corners) other than that, the radio is the perfect size for the space between the gauge package and the glove box. I highly recommend this install for restomods. Many people go with pioneer touch radios, but I didn't like the software on them (not a lot of customization and very little app support.) I went with a 200 dollar android unit and it came with GPS, a Backup cam, and the unit itself is super user friendly (a pioneer unit with the equivalent feature set would be over $800.) If anyone is interested in this install, let me know because I couldn't find any information on any of the classic car forums or online for this specific generation of mustang. I'd love to see you guys make a video doing this install to this car. I can give you any information you need for the install and you may be able to get a radio manufacturer to send you a unit for the video.

[@AutoRestoMod]

email Jeff at: [e-mail]

[@Bikedueder]

RIGHT THERE WITH YOU!!!! Alignment shops don't get it. They just want to set it to 54 year old factory specs even though they're for a daily driver with 175/14 bias ply tires on it. I took my 1970 Torino to one place, TWICE. Not once did they touch the strut rods. In fact I don't even know what they did because it still drove horribly! Another shop actually got the concept of the strut rods being the caster adjustment. The car is WAY improved from before, but there is room for improvement still. It now drives well enough to use my angle finder to check the camber. Everyone I have talked to on the Fairlane/Torino/Falcon/71-73 Mustang message boards, they all said to crank the strut rods all the way forward, then set the camber with an angle finder., and then a short test drive and recheck a few times. Supposedly they all drive nicely after this treatment, or they wouldn't do it. As for me I am pumped because I finally got a new driveshaft, set the pinion angle with shims, and got the timing improved. A LONG project that is almost to painting time... Happy times, hehe.

[@AutoRestoMod]

Another option to that is to put 3/8 of alignment shims in the upper control arm front bolt position. That will give you more Castor but it will also not cause the tire to ride forward in the wheel well. You will have to put a longer bolt in the bowl hole and possibly open up the hole a little bit to allow for this.

[@GiletheCarGuy]

And I am joining the club on doing my own alignments too after my vehicle came out of Firestone in worse condition than when I took it in there. And they wouldn't align it unless I had them replace basically the entire front steering including the center link, which is a non-wearable item. As soon as he said he wanted to replace the center link, I knew he was trying to scam me. They wanted over two grand in parts and labor to align a car that I bought for that much...as an added bonus, they pulled the bushing material out of my idler arm, so that needed replacing immediately. 2001 Mercury Grand Marquis. Thank Ford/Mercury for making the pitman arm on these wearable too...

[@AndrewWallacelive]

We're fortunate in L.A. to have access to Marlon Mitchell, who actually knows what he's doing. But if you don't, or if you need to get the car well enough aligned that you can test drive it before you go to the alignment shop, this is a great setup. As Marlon said to me, "you don't need a computer to align a car, you need a wrench." The fallacy of computerized alignments is that the computer is always right-- even when a simple test drive can tell you that it isn't. Especially with old cars, the factory specs are a jumping off point. And at most shops if you've got something custom? Forget it!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Marlon is a legend! He is a member of our Facebook group. Wish that we were in LA so we could work with him and soak up some of that knowledge he has!

[@elizabetharredondo6043]

Fascinating! Thank you Jeff!!!

[@gerry.mcginty]

good video shame about not having Closed Captions though, as I had some trouble making out some of the words you guys were saying

[@ronwhite9117]

I've got a set of 1970s aluminum mags 8 slots 14" I took him off of my '67 Chevy and replaced them with 15" so if you wanna buy the fourteens they are for sale cheap and they're in great condition.

[@bigsexy4093]

I have a 65 mustang and i did the Shelby drop. Followed buy the upper ball joint camber kit. I like everything you do to classic Fords. I just need to know how you shimmed the upper for starts. My car is power steering. I looking forward to becoming a member to drive it to a open house. Thank you in advance

[@AutoRestoMod]

Biggest thing is to shim for camber first, then put caster into it. Keep in mind that your caster has already been effected by the drop goal would be 3 degrees.

[@slowcountryboy476]

Such a wooonderful video! uhmm, so you set up all the strings, and gadgets, and levels and measured rod lengths, and presto chango, the car is aligned!! I seem to have missed even after replaying the which bolts or shims, or cams, or other hardware were turned or messed with to get the alignment to the specs you mentioned. I failed to even one wrench turned to adjust it to specs!!??

[@AutoRestoMod]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@mustangeroo]

I agree. Do it yourself if you want it done right.

[@squirrelkilla7371]

We have an old school local shop that still uses a square stick to do the measuring. Never had a better damn alignment.

[@charlessnider4385]

I have a sixties mopar and do my own alignments for the same reason you mentioned. Alignment shops just don't know how to work on fifty plus year old cars.

[@RealJerb]

Also, if you have the Shelby drop on these classic mustangs, do the numbers change? Just curious, I would think it would but then again I have never messed with car alignments. We have plenty of alignment shops in my area. Although, you where totally right about new shops not knowing how to do the old cars, last time, my shims started falling out after a couple days cause they didn't tighten them up right.

[@kerrymcdonagh1327]

I usually do not recommend the "Shelby drop" for a road car. It is done to produce camber gain in cornering so not real useful in a normal street application. If already done, then the specs I use are 0.5 degrees negative for camber, caster at least 3+ for non power and up to 8+ for power steering. Toe is as Jeff says 1/16"

[@AutoRestoMod]

Any time you unbolt something from the shock towers on the suspension it it will need at least a check up. For us the QuckTrick makes sense because we are always mucking about on the cars LOL.

[@arcorob]

Hello...you told us how to set the camber with the shims and the toe (toes is easy) but what do you adjust to do the castor? Is that the strut rods in and out ? Can you explain ? Thanks...oh and on the shims for camber, are they easily inserted by loosening the control arm and slipping in (or out) ? Where do you buy those antiques? LOL ...again my thanks guys

[@AutoRestoMod]

On 1965-'66 Mustangs, 1960-'65 Falcons the caster is set by shimming the front of the control arm; there is no adjustment on the strut rods. You can also get a set of strut rods that are adjustable which will allow for better (deeper) caster adjustment. National Parts Depot sells the shim kit, but in a pinch you can use one from Harbor Freight.

[@arcorob]

Thank you ! I get it now..so for camber, equal shims but for castor, the front would get more (or less) shims....awesome....Knew you guys would help...again though, I don't have to take the control arm off to shim? Just loosen and work it in ?

[@AutoRestoMod]

Yep. You have it!

[@arcorob]

Had to share this with you ..just a quick before and after on my 66 Coupe trunk kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHnQi3dqaM2dhLc

[@AutoRestoMod]

Good work!

[@doofynor]

Just love your show! Keep it up guys!

[@emilmaki3001]

I've got a 67 Fairlane. The drivers side front tire has too much + camber so much so that the inside of the tire is wearing. Do I need to shim the upper control arm out to add more negative camber? If so, do I need to remove the spring, please say no, to do so?

[@AutoRestoMod]

The '67 has adjustment on the lower control arm. So it isn't as bad as all that.

[@65sohc]

Great video. Alignment on my '66 is my next project after I solve my stalling on hard braking. A lot of the guys on the vintage mustang forum use the camber/caster tool from Longacre Racing. It simply attaches to the hub magnetically. Do you have any experience with that type of tool? Also, as far as moving the wheels left and right 20 degrees to set caster, I read that the 20 degree figure is nothing magic as long as you turn the wheel the same amount in both directions. eg. one turn of the steering wheel left and right or whatever looks close to 20 degrees.

[@AutoRestoMod]

We have not used the Longacre Racing one, but agree that it does have a great rep. Yes, the 20 degrees is mostly to give you the same, same on the car.

[@clarkclifford2338]

I'm a mechanic and work 35 miles from home. I replaced my upper control arms on my 1997 F150 and put in the adjusting bolts. I took it to a local tire place and watched as the guy faked adjusting the caster and camber. I know this, because I asked for the print out and checked the upper bolts hadn't moved. Honestly, I would care more except now that the toe is set, I'll just drive it to work and do it myself.

[@AutoRestoMod]

We've had that happen...twice.

[@clarkclifford2338]

Autorestomod Manic Mechanic Gasoline Media yep. I believe it. Now, I just take a stick and set total toe and drive it to work, then set it how I want it.

[@mcinkyt]

Most garages today unbolt and replace parts if the parts books go back 5 years. Beyond that they won't touch it

[@rudy_6776]

Read other comment sections on similar videos. Are most alignment shops that bad with older cars? Going to replace suspension and new brakes front and rear then take it to a shop. Better off trying this than going to a shop?

[@AutoRestoMod]

It's not necessarily that the shops are bad or good it is the fact that these shops don't typically deal with older suspensions. And most of the Hunter systems that are out there are not designed to work with the classic car suspension. They actually don't have the correct programming for old cars in the computer. Lord forbid you ask them to do a custom alignment where you provide the specifications.

[@jeff95519]

When you lower the car on the turn plates you should joust the car a couple time to make sure it's settled on the springs

[@AutoRestoMod]

Yeah, we did that. We have not had the car out yet. Usually I want to set it, drive it, and then get it back on the plates.

[@axleech]

Hi Jeff, I am getting an alignment tomorrow. My '67 has factory power steering and radial tires; what caster setting should I go with?

[@AutoRestoMod]

for a street car I'd go 2 degrees.

[@axleech]

Thanks! I will take that info to the shop and see what they say. I will report back.

[@axleech]

I had the car aligned today and he said the most he could go with stock UCA's was 2 degrees caster. He said the strut rods run out of travel. Wow, what a difference an alignment can do. It drives like new!

[@AutoRestoMod]

Tow will do fine. You can get more by shimming the front of the arms like you would on a '65-'66. The most we'd recommend there would be 3/8ths inch.

[@CraigFulton]

Great info! It seems like a very involved process. Alignment at the shop is $79. Is it worth buying a kit and going through this?

[@AutoRestoMod]

Depends. If you have a shop that can handle a classic car alignment that is not stock in nature I'd let them do that.

[@howardbarnes3439]

Yes definitely it is. If you turn wrenches anyway it’s easy with a gauge. Did mine in an afternoon. Tip I did, used grill mats under the tires, made turning to each degree setting a snap!

[@mickredfox]

Hello , what do you recommend for specs for a 66mustang with shelby drop and borgeson steering system.Great show. Grts from Belgium

[@AutoRestoMod]

Thanks for the kind words! 0 degrees of camber, 3 to 3.75 degrees of positive caster and 1.5875mm of toe in (1/16 in US inches).

[@mickredfox]

AutoRestoMod Muscle Car Resto and Modifications .thanks, another little question. Is it 1/16 inch toe in for one wheel ,or is it 2/16 inch between the two wheels? Thanks

[@AutoRestoMod]

1/16 inch total

[@SV-pt9qw]

How about when you don't have the special tools & your car has all the wheels tucked in 2"-3" inside the wheel wells ( can't run a string down the center line of wheel , that's not sticking out) ? How about then ?

[@AutoRestoMod]

Run the string lower. It will be harder to tell, but it can work.

[@SV-pt9qw]

@@AutoRestoMod thanks , I'll try it , get it close I guess.

[@mc-seven-e3101]

Do you have to remove the panels

[@AutoRestoMod]

No.

[@sekani3012]

Brushy Cutty Sharp Things.....that's a very descriptive label on that drawer

[@shawngrenaud]

Again, you're information is incomplete regarding the lower caster numbers back in the day. The most significant reason is the performance of nylon tires -- which balled up slightly where the front of a spinning tire contacted the road You had to include the "ball" in your caster measurement and this moved the bottom measurement forward.That done, you'll find the functioning caster numbers. That's the MAIN reason for the practice of setting classic car caster (when equipped with modern tires) to a higher number. The other reasons you list were less important, even though you continue to cite them.

[@AutoRestoMod]

OK!

[@brkooduh66]

good vid. and yeah, why do alignment shops have to be snobby (lack of a more polite word) to us muscle car guys? I said to a shop I need more positive caster because my car is really squirrely in the corners and the guy basically said ... sucks to be you

[@jimstafford3694]

very inadequate explanation

[@I_like_turtles_67]

235 too big... LOL.

[@I_like_turtles_67]

Update. Trying to put 315 30 18 on all four corners of the fastback now lol.