Service Manual Camber values

[GordonRamsey]

Can someone tell me how to read the values they describe in the service manual for toe/camber/caster? I have no idea what the apostrophes mean. or any of it. besides degrees.

[GordonRamsey]

Also, anyone that has had experience with a Fastrax alignment tool give me some pointers. I'm having a tough time doing my alignment.

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

degrees and fractional degress AFAIK

I would string the car up and start in the rear. Set the camber, then the toe. Caster is non adjustable. Unless you are doing a specific track alignment shoot for zero toe and zero camber.

I just created a parallel box around the car using jackstands and strings. Measure to the wheel hubs (wheels can be on) to establish the parallel box. Don't forget the rear track width is 10mm less IIRC.

Then measure on wheel rim towards front of car and then the wheel rim towards the back of the car on each wheel. I think people recommend starting with the right rear.

If the measurement on the front and back is the same, and you setup your strings parallel to the hubs your toe will be zero all around.

I then double checked the toe with toe plates and went for a drive to confirm steering wheel centering. If wheel is off a little then turn both tire rods equally to steer in the direction of the wheel cock. If it is off a lot then you need to double check everything and make sure the tod rod's exposed thread is about the same. If all of that checks out then you'll have to pull the steering wheel and center it that way.


I set the camber alignment with a really cheap alignment tool with a bubble setup. DO THIS FIRST. Camber affects toe.

[KeithMac]

Fractions of degrees are measured in minutes and seconds.

[GordonRamsey]

I thought it was minutes and seconds. I still do not know anymore the distance that measures.

forest gump i'll have to think about that one for a while. :P

But with setting the camber, how would just turning the bolt give me more or less camber? And do you have to turn this thing forever? seeing as how 1 graduation is .05 of a freaking mm.

[GordonRamsey]

anyone?

[Chris@Rvengeperformance]

what bolt are you turning? The alignment bolts are eccentric and so move the peice they are attached to in and out.

[KeithMac]

The top bolt on the front strut is eccentric turing it into the car will give you less camber. I set mine at 1 degree negative camber (tops of the wheels pointing in ever so slightly). as for toe in I set mine in a smidge past 0 toe, you need the wheels pointing together ever so slightly on the front side so the wheels don`t try to pull the bearings out of the hubs.

There`s 60 minutes to 1 degree and 60 seconds to one minute, can`t see any home wheel alignment system measuring past minutes to be honest and I`d take +/- 15 minutes to be the acceptible error margin.

[GordonRamsey]

I have toe plates for the toe. Like I said my only problem would be getting them pointing straight with the steering wheel straight. forest gump gave me something to think about.

[KeithMac]

If you set the toe properly and the steering wheel`s not straight after a drive you can back one side out and turn one side in on the tie rods to shift the steering straight as long as you do both sides by the same but opposite amount.

If the steering wheel`s never been removed ffrom the car it`s more than likely dead centre.