Date: Tue, 11 May 1999 14:54:49 -0500
From: Shawn Mahaney <Shawn.Mahaney@ekkinc.com>
> I'm frustrated with the local shops and abot ready to do the
> front-end alignment on the Neon myself.
> What's the minimum I'm looking at for tools (i.e. gages)?
> What do I need to be wary of before I start un-torquing the big nuts?
I just did a driveway alignment on a Neon, so I think I can tell you wahat
you need. First off, you need a fairly flat and level place to measure what
you have. I have a section of my driveway that is within about 1/8 inch over
the width of a car. Get a good 4 foot level. Get some VCT floor tile, this is
the 1/8 inch thick industrial suff with no glue on it. I also used a 2 pairs
of 2x10's to drive the car on so the suspension could be loaded and I could
still get under the car to adjust toe. Place a pair of VCT tiles where each
tire will sit. A tiny bit of grease between them will make it so you can push
the car sideways with one hand. Be careful, you could push it off the 2x10's.
Use the level across the left and right tiles, add as needed to make them
level to each other. Within 1/8 is good, but if you wanna get real picky,
thinner shims can be used. Drive the car on and bounce the suspension to get
out any friction. Measure what you have. I place the 4 foot level vertical in
a flat press vice. Set it by the front wheel, and make sure it is straight
vertical. Then measure the distance between the rim and level at the top and
bottom of the rim. Get the difference, and the distance between them. I use a
scientific calculator to change it from rise run to degrees distance. After
you measure both sides a couple times, getting the same result each time, you
are ready to adjust.
Jack up the car so the tires hang free. Now measure the camber again. The two
sides won't match, and they will likely be way positive, it does not matter,
it is just a reference.
Take off the tire, and remove just one knuckle bolt. You will need a good
impact, and probaly an air hammer to get out the stock bolts, they have a
knurl to lock the alignment at stock. Put in the new crash bolt, it fits a
bit loose. One bolt will get you about 1 degree of movement. If this is
enough to get what you want, put the tire on and move the camber til you have
the new angle required. For example, you had -.25 degree on the ground, you
want -1.75 degree. You need to change the angle by 1.5 degree. With the car
jacked up you had +1 degree, so you need to move it to -.5 degree, got it??
Now put the car back on the ground, bounce it, turn the steering til the tire
is straight ahead, and re-check your camber. Is it what you wanted? If not,
figure how much it has to move and repeat. On the car I did, I had to use two
crash bolts on one side, but only one on the other side. Once you get the
camber you want, you have to reset the toe. I made a large jig for this that
goes around the outside of the car, but it can be done with string and jack
stands. stretch a line the length of the car down each side. Make sure they
are parallel to each other, (same distance apart in front and in back of the
car) then measure the distance off the car on each side in front and then in
back. Move and repeat til the strings are about 6 inches off the car, same on
both sides at the front and back, and equal distance to each other in front
and back of the car. Level the steering wheel, and measure the distances from
the rims to the strring to get a toe angle just like you did camber. Each
tire adjusts independantly, but with the tiles under the car, it may move on
you. Re-check your position each time. You can also do the rear camber and
toe on this setup. Be sure to TORQUE everything to spec. I think the crash
bolts were 130 ft lb.
Last step is to drie the car, and make sure your steering is centered. It
should be very close, but if it is off, you can dial a bit of toe in one
side, out the other til it is centered perfectly. Do small changes.
I ran SP, EMod, and now STU so I came up with easy ways of messing with
alignment here. It has come in very handy. My toe jig is made of aluminum and
sets up in 1/10th the time of strings, but it is limited to about a 90 inch
wheelbases, and 67 inches wide. I may have to make a bigger one.
Gary M.
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