Instructions for a front end alignment
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Drive to alignment shop. Have alignment done. Pay the man. 
If alignment is too bad to drive it, call for a tow to the alignment shop.
That's probably not what you had in mind.
There are many ways to do a home alignment and I won't go too deeply into any of them.
To get the car driveable, you can set the camber by making some kind of fixture for your wheel that you can put a torpedo level or some kind of angle finder on, then add or remove shims to get the wheel to be vertical, which is 0 degrees camber.
Then you can set the toe in, best to make a fixture again, but you can get by with just a tape measure, set it to where the front measurement is 1/16" -1/8" less than the rear measurement.
Both of these need to be with the car on the ground with full weight on the tires.
The above will get you driveable enough to get you to the alignment shop. Don't worry about the caster for now.
If you do a bit of googling, you can find articles and equipment to do this at your home shop. But you'll have to spend some money or a little less money but some time to get the tools to do a reasonable job.
We can get into this further if there's interest.
If alignment is too bad to drive it, call for a tow to the alignment shop.
That's probably not what you had in mind.
There are many ways to do a home alignment and I won't go too deeply into any of them.
To get the car driveable, you can set the camber by making some kind of fixture for your wheel that you can put a torpedo level or some kind of angle finder on, then add or remove shims to get the wheel to be vertical, which is 0 degrees camber.
Then you can set the toe in, best to make a fixture again, but you can get by with just a tape measure, set it to where the front measurement is 1/16" -1/8" less than the rear measurement.
Both of these need to be with the car on the ground with full weight on the tires.
The above will get you driveable enough to get you to the alignment shop. Don't worry about the caster for now.
If you do a bit of googling, you can find articles and equipment to do this at your home shop. But you'll have to spend some money or a little less money but some time to get the tools to do a reasonable job.
We can get into this further if there's interest.
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166 Posts
Very good question. I cannot find anyone in my area to check the alignment.All of the new machines have to mount thier equiptment to the wheels and they cant do it on a lowered car!I am not showing any wear yet but it wants to get a little squirrely at high speeds!
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1,621 Posts
I would add to Rick's list that after you do the camber and toe-in you can just set the castor to the max you can get with your shims available to remove. That will help straight line tracking and steering return to center. (Of course if the steering gets way to heavy, back off the max castor a little).
If you are good with the camber and toe-in, you can fine tune the castor (at its max setting) by removing shims to get it to go dead straight on a level road with hands off the wheel. Be sure you have tire inflation, tire condition, wheels and bearings, and shocks, all in good shape too. Better adjust the steering box too. You can check the alingment with heavy chalk on the tires and see how it wears off.
If you are good with the camber and toe-in, you can fine tune the castor (at its max setting) by removing shims to get it to go dead straight on a level road with hands off the wheel. Be sure you have tire inflation, tire condition, wheels and bearings, and shocks, all in good shape too. Better adjust the steering box too. You can check the alingment with heavy chalk on the tires and see how it wears off.
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52,789 Posts
Whole-heartedly agree with Rick on this one :tuDrive to alignment shop. Have alignment done. Pay the man.
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19,668 Posts
Drive to alignment shop. Have alignment done. Pay the man.
If alignment is too bad to drive it, call for a tow to the alignment shop.
That's probably not what you had in mind. AGREE WITH RICK TOO ONE THIS ONE
keep us posted on how u come out with alignment :wavey:
If alignment is too bad to drive it, call for a tow to the alignment shop.
That's probably not what you had in mind. AGREE WITH RICK TOO ONE THIS ONE
keep us posted on how u come out with alignment :wavey:
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817 Posts
here is a lnk to the spec sheet they should be able to do it no sweat with it.
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1955/55csm0312.html
http://chevy.oldcarmanualproject.com/shop/1955/55csm0312.html
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