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Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?
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Greg P.
Posted 2017-06-28 7:24 PM (#543073)
Subject: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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Location: Oley, PA
I've got an appointment with my mechanic for a front end alignment for my 1959 Windsor. I have a brand new set of Coker Classic radials on the car and would like the get the alignment right.

According to the Service manual:

Caster should be +3/4 deg.

Camber should be 0 deg. (right) and +1/4 (left) - I assume the difference is for road crown?

Toe should be 1/8"

Should I have them align to factory specs? Or, since I'm running radials, should I align to something different? I've heard some people say that a bit more positive caster will help the car track better.

For those of you who have radial tires, what specs are you using?

Edited by Greg P. 2017-06-28 7:29 PM




(1959 Chrysler Alignment Specs.jpg)



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Attachments 1959 Chrysler Alignment Specs.jpg (22KB - 155 downloads)
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Shep
Posted 2017-06-28 8:14 PM (#543076 - in reply to #543073)
Subject: Re: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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In my shop I have been setting the caster to at least 2 degrees positive if possible, my 55 responded well to this as it tracked very precisely. Some cars respond to this and others it doesn't seem to make much difference, so far there has been some degree of improvement on other brands I did. Before doing this the steering was somewhat twitchy at high speeds on my 55. Camber and toe stayed in factory specs.

Edited by Shep 2017-06-28 9:03 PM
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wizard
Posted 2017-06-29 2:39 AM (#543100 - in reply to #543073)
Subject: Re: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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See this thread http://www.forwardlook.net/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=47158&... for radial tires&highlightmode=1#M382348

Be careful with those Coker tires - they don't have the proper weight and speed class for our Heavy cars.

Recenty, I saw two Caddies here in Sweden with Coker tires that was worn 1/2" out on the sidewall by the rims....
A friend of mine had 4 Coker blow outs on his Caddy '74.

The side walls are just as strong as a wheel barrel tire.

Oh, American Classics are just as bad.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but this is a matter of safety
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Greg P.
Posted 2017-06-29 9:39 AM (#543119 - in reply to #543073)
Subject: RE: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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Thanks for the replies. Some good info here.

Wizard, I did read that thread and the consensus seems to be that I should try to get as much positive caster as the adjustments will allow without compromising camber. It seems like +1.5 deg to +2.0 deg might be reasonably achievable, but it may be impossible to get more than that on a 59 Chrysler. Does that sound right? What caster setting do you use?

With regard to camber, there seems to be some difference in opinion. Some people seem to like the idea of a little negative camber. Not sure what the real benefit would be. I'm inclined to set the camber at 0 deg to minimize tire wear. A tiny +offset for road crown compensation seems like a good idea. What camber settings do you use?

Also, I appreciate your comments on the Coker tires. I've heard various complaints from other over the years too. From my own experience, I've been using Coker tires, both bias ply and radials on a good number of FL cars since the 1980s. My experience with the Coker tires has been good. I did recently have a tread separation on a Coker radial, but the tire was at least 20 years old, had obvious dry rot, and had been driven many miles on very bad suspension bushings, so it's hard to blame Coker for that. That said, I will keep a close eye on these tires and see how they do.

It's worth mentioning that I don't drive my FL cars aggressively. I suspect that may contribute my good tire experience. I just don't feel the need or have the desire to push the limits on a 58 year old car. I know that some of you guys do, and I respect that. I'm just happy to cruise around at reasonable speeds and enjoy the experience.
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wizard
Posted 2017-06-29 2:11 PM (#543140 - in reply to #543073)
Subject: Re: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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Aim for my values;

Caster +1.5º to +2.0º Caster

Camber left -1/2º, right -1/4º (more on the left for road crowning)

Toe-In 0 to 1/8" (aim for 1/8")

These values should be acheivable on our type of cars.

Mind that the values above comes from a modern alignment Equipment (too sensible). I'm building a fixature for to measure the front alignment directly on the spindles and a mechanical toe-in trammel. I'll recheck and post the values, but I need some more time.

The Caster wont ever wear the tires, but much caster needs Power steering. Camber to a reasonable level won't wear the tires either, but wrong toe-in will surely hurt.

With C-class tires and those values an FL car will really ask for Active driving.

As for the older Coker/American Classics, yes, correct - many drives on them and are happy with them. The new ones - not so much

As for the Caddy's with Coker tire problems - all are driven painfully slow (45-50 mph)

Hope this will help you.
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1960fury
Posted 2017-06-29 3:04 PM (#543150 - in reply to #543140)
Subject: Re: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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wizard - 2017-06-29 2:11 PM

Aim for my values;


Toe-In 0 to 1/8" (aim for 1/8")




certainly do not run 0 toe-"in" you could as well run toe-out and you will find your car all over the road.
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BigBlockMopar
Posted 2017-06-29 3:15 PM (#543155 - in reply to #543073)
Subject: Re: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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Cars with stock/soft rubber strutrod bushings should indeed best not run with 0 toe-in.
Stationairy the toe-in might be 0, but the car runs down the road, the forces on the front wheels because the rear wheels are pushing the car forward, can/will push the fronts to a toe-out setting.
Not to mention what happens while braking and more force is put on the stock/soft strutrod bushings.
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1960fury
Posted 2017-06-29 3:34 PM (#543158 - in reply to #543155)
Subject: Re: Best Alignment Settings for Radial Tires?



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BigBlockMopar - 2017-06-29 3:15 PM

Cars with stock/soft rubber strutrod bushings should indeed best not run with 0 toe-in.
Stationairy the toe-in might be 0, but the car runs down the road, the forces on the front wheels because the rear wheels are pushing the car forward, can/will push the fronts to a toe-out setting.
Not to mention what happens while braking and more force is put on the stock/soft strutrod bushings.



correct, i wrote that in another thread, there is always some play and the "pulling to either side problem" when braking is often blamed on the brakes, but its probably mostly only the rubber idler arm bushing (that should be replaced with a ball bearing unit) running 0 toe will very likely make your car pull to either side even with a good idler arm bushing and that not only during braking. you will need some toe in, even if its only 1/32", that is what gives stabilty.
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