I just did a rebuild on my front end and got a front alignment. Here is the sheet. I noticed most are in spec except for the caster but I can hardly make a u turn without it making some horrible noise.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...nmentsheet.jpg

 

I would say the car is pulling a fair amount to the right when you let the wheel go on flat ground at low speed. Your SAI and IA are terrible. The car obviously was in an accident at one time or something under there is bent bad.

The alignment shop did you no favors either if I am reading their specs correctly that the sheets 'before' is previous and the 'actual' is after they set it. They did not touch a thing. the rear is doglegging out to the left also forcing the front to steer right. You should have about +1/2* MORE caster on the right side than the left- you have 5.6*L and 5.5*R- have them drop that L back down to 5.0.


Back to the problem of the SAI. Heres what you are going to have to do, its you best chance at a fix but no gaurantee. You are going to have to jack up the front of the car and take the force off the tires. lossen (but DO NOT REMOVE) the strut to spindle bolts (The two large ones on each side- Just do one side at a time.) Now on the left side the SAI was 26* so you need to reduce that- hold the top of the tire in and pull the bottom of the tire out and have someone tighten it back up. You have a tad bit of slop in those bolt holes and can fudge this slightly to reduce that 26 a degree or two. Now on the other sode do the reverse- you have 21.4- pull the top of the right side tire out and press the bottom of the tire in while having someone tighten it back up- again gaining a degree or two there also we hope. THis hopefuly will get your SAI closer to even on both sides so the car does not pull.


After this, you will have to get the car realigned again to reset the camber and toe also. Try and have them get it into the neg side on the camber (0*to -.04 range on both sides) and about 3/32 toe IN. You do not want toe out unless you are low speed racing like autox.


Good luck, Dean


Edit addition- I just saw you live in Hacienda Heights (I use to live there back in the late 70's and went to Mesa Robles, older brothers went to Wilson). I am down in Orange. I will recommend to you a great alignment shop in Orange called Accurate Alignment on Batavia. Jon is the owner. You can mention my name. he knows my Camaro well The one with the brakes that cost more than the car. He's always giving me crap about my cars in a good friends way.

 

THANKS!!
The only reason I went to Firestone is because they had a lifetime warrenty deal. Guess it wasnt such a deal huh . the car was in an accident on the right front of the car. Got all the body work done so maybe they didnt do a good job straightening it. I guess I will have to try and work out this problem by doing what you suggest. Thanks again for the help Dean.

-Matthew

Can the inner and outer tie rod ends effect the SAI and IA?

 

[quote=BobItzaboy;3539975]
Back to the problem of the SAI. Heres what you are going to have to do, its you best chance at a fix but no gaurantee. You are going to have to jack up the front of the car and take the force off the tires. lossen (but DO NOT REMOVE) the strut to spindle bolts (The two large ones on each side- Just do one side at a time.) Now on the left side the SAI was 26* so you need to reduce that- hold the top of the tire in and pull the bottom of the tire out and have someone tighten it back up. You have a tad bit of slop in those bolt holes and can fudge this slightly to reduce that 26 a degree or two. Now on the other sode do the reverse- you have 21.4- pull the top of the right side tire out and press the bottom of the tire in while having someone tighten it back up- again gaining a degree or two there also we hope. THis hopefuly will get your SAI closer to even on both sides so the car does not pull.quote]


All that does is move the camber will have no effect on SAI. SAI is NOT adjustable.


SAI is the angle from from vertical between the lower ball joint and the upper strut mount. It's primary purpose is to tell a competant alignment technician if the spindle, crossmember, lower control arm, upper strut tower or strut is damaged/bent. With 4.6* cross SAI you need a body shop if you want to fix that. I would take it back to your body shop and tell the to fix it right.

 

yeah thought so. Its been a year since I took my class and I didnt get to practice with this stuff much. Well I guess I have to take it to the body shop then . I sent you a PM also Dean.

 

[quote=bilms01;3540165
All that does is move the camber will have no effect on SAI. SAI is NOT adjustable.
SAI is the angle from from vertical between the lower ball joint and the upper strut mount. It's primary purpose is to tell a competant alignment technician if the spindle, crossmember, lower control arm, upper strut tower or strut is damaged/bent. With 4.6* cross SAI you need a body shop if you want to fix that. I would take it back to your body shop and tell the to fix it right.[/quote]


Trust me, there is a bit of slop in those bolt holes. Enough to get a degree or two. This is were you are not seeing what I am refering to so I will try to be more understanding. Your SAI is in relation to the vertical centerline of the wheel and the strut mount. If you move that slop in the 'spindle to strut' bolts you will move the strut mount over keeping the same camber reading in essense. I say in essence BECAUSE when you move the bolt slop, you move the camber- so- then the strut mount has to be repositioned to the original camber setting YET the strut mount position is diferent-THUS- the SAI is now different. Make sense? I hope so. I do not know how to explain it any easier without doing a diagram.