[dataway]

So the GTO is insured, will get registered next week. Soon I will be taking it in for an alignment. I'm wondering what the sequence of events should be before I take it in.

I was thinking...

1. Get it on the lift and count lock to lock.
2. Align steering wheel to match center of lock to lock position
3. Roughly set the toe-in
4. Roughly set the camber.
5. Take it in for alignment
6. Reset the steering wheel if necessary.

I assume if I screwed up the assembly process somewhere they might have to pop a tie rod end off and spin it in the adjuster sleeve to get the center link properly centered?

Thanks.

[JLMounce]

All I would really worry about is trying to get the toe decently straight so you don’t damage the tires on the drive there.

If it’s just in town that’s not an issue. If the drive to the alignment shop is quite a distance, the car should really be towed there. Not withstanding the damage that can quickly occur to tires, it’s simply not safe, especially if a panic situation presents itself.

[RocktimusPryme]

If it isn’t already I would make the steering wheel straight according to the mark that should be on the steering shaft under the horn button. I ussually leave the horn button off and let them make the wheel straight according to that mark.

That’s about it.

[Schurkey]

Center of lock-to-lock means little on a GTO. A-bodies "lock" by having the steering knuckle touch reinforced pads on the lower control arms. It's not a steering-gear centering procedure. The steering gear should be centered independently. If nothing is bent or otherwise screwed-up, the steering wheel will automatically be centered--that's how the parts are made if it's all assembled properly.

Aside from proving that the steering wheel is installed properly, the only thing you really need to do is to assure that every adjustment point is not seized/stuck/frozen/rusted.

Sure, it would be nice if you eyeballed the camber and toe, getting them close enough that the tires aren't screwed-up by the drive to the shop. Some of that depends on how close the shop is.

I don't see a difference between driving the car there, and towing it. There'd be a difference between driving or towing the car, and putting the car on a trailer then towing the trailer.

[dataway]

Basically everything is brand new. Rebuilt OEM steering box, totally restored suspension etc.

Schurkey ... OK, I was hoping the lock was inside the box. I'll have to refresh my memory, I didn't realize (or remember) that the parts from column to steering box were keyed in any way ... except for maybe the rag joint to the box. I didn't realize there was an alignment mark on the column for the wheel.

I've got it toed in about 1/8", camber is sitting at 1 degree out at the top on driver side, probably 2 degree out at the top on passenger side ... basically I just threw in the required one shim at each point when I assembled it. I have the AC compressor removed to facilitate easy access also.

Shop is about 7 miles away down country roads. Tires are new 14" TA radials.

I'm hoping I can make a carved in stone appointment time for the procedure, I don't want to drop the car off and have it sitting outside the shop overnight while it waits.

[73LeMans]

Just a thought...ever think about using a mobile flee/truck alignment guy? All my alignments are now done in MY garage without having to drive anywhere. Its more money yes, but a heck of a lot easier.

[dataway]

That's a thought ... but my shop is a bit cramped.

I'm not really worried about the drive to the shop, as much as I am making the job as quick and easy for the mechanic as possible. Don't want to take it down and have him say .. yeah, it's all messed up you have to do this or that before I can align it.

I'm also pretty far in the boonies, not sure any mobile services would want to come out here for a single job.

[dataway]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

If it isn’t already I would make the steering wheel straight according to the mark that should be on the steering shaft under the horn button. I ussually leave the horn button off and let them make the wheel straight according to that mark.

That’s about it.

Well that bit of info was helpful. Mine was exactly 180 degrees off, which I then discovered was because the rag joint was 180 off the lower steering shaft. I think it maybe be an aftermarket rag joint, or it may not be, or it may be aftermarket that used the original 12 point bolt in ... it's in real nice shape ... but point being it appears to allow either the larger or smaller joint bolts to go through either hole so it can end up 180 out. It's awful flat, thick and nice so it must be new ... the wire connector only has a hole that fits the smaller bolt.


I had the other flex joint (upper universal) apart also ... can that be put together 180 out? I didn't think so ... different size pivot pins or something?

Anyway ... With the steering wheel on the column in the right spot, and toe-in set the wheel turns exact same turns left and right of center, center-link is now properly centered, and tie rod adjusters are showing the same amount of threads on driver and passenger sides. Everything feels nice and precise with zero slop.

[Don 79 TA]

Originally Posted by dataway

That's a thought ... but my shop is a bit cramped.

I'm not really worried about the drive to the shop, as much as I am making the job as quick and easy for the mechanic as possible. Don't want to take it down and have him say .. yeah, it's all messed up you have to do this or that before I can align it.

I'm also pretty far in the boonies, not sure any mobile services would want to come out here for a single job.

there are some alignment kits you can buy, its not that hard to do.
i bought my own used alignment equipment. i love it. you can find them at nice prices too.
longacre has some nice DIY kits, at least get the toe setting kit. camber you can sorta do by eye. this way its safer drive to the shop, and you aren't eating the tires up.
make sure your air pressures are set when you get it done, can't tell you how many times i'd watch people "align" the cars and skip the air pressure checks. that is step #1, or 1a, as you inspect the tires unpon roll up onto the machine.
there's many youtube videos on how to do the alignments too.
i loved doing the alignments at my friends shop. the auto body shop next door would wait till they saw my car in the lot, then bring their cars in to get aligned as they saw the attention to detail i would do. i am beyond anal about having a centered steering wheel. he said i was the first person he saw who checked air pressure first. i was puzzled as to why he said that, it's just common sense to check.

[RocktimusPryme]

Originally Posted by 73LeMans

Just a thought...ever think about using a mobile flee/truck alignment guy? All my alignments are now done in MY garage without having to drive anywhere. Its more money yes, but a heck of a lot easier.

I had no idea that was a thing. Is there a National company that does it? Ie the big auto glass companies.

[HoovDaddy]

I suggest taking it to a shop that has a modern rack that uses cameras for the measurements. When I pull the car on the rack and do the initial caster steer set-up, I center the steering wheel and lock it. Then I adjust the toe, the steering wheel won't move and will stay centered. The centering is done with the tie rods. So if you did a tape measure toe adjustment in your driveway it will be close enough to drive it a few miles. Also, see what kind of alignment heads the shop has. Do they mount to the wheel or the tire? Newer styles mount to the wheel treads and don't scratch the wheels. Another thing a computerized rack can tell you is the thrust angle of the chassis (frame sway and how square the tires are planted on the ground). As well as axle offset and wheelbase difference in hundredths of a degree.

We built the T-bucket frame from scratch in class and the rack shows how square it came out of our home-made jig. We can adjust the axles using the rack. We'll do the caster later on once the drivetrain is in the car and the front axle is permanently welded.

[Schurkey]

How does an "at-home" mobile alignment shop compensate for the unevenness of the floor?

Doesn't make sense to be measuring to a half-degree or less on Camber or Caster, when the floor the car is parked-on probably has more slope (front-rear, side/side) than that.

I know that headlight aimers had fixtures and procedures for measuring floor slope front/rear (on one side of the vehicle) so it could be compensated. Not sure how a mobile alignment shop would do that, though.

"Most" D-I-Y "alignment" tools have zero compensation for wheel runout.

[dataway]

When it comes to tire pressures ... do I use the OEM specs which were intended for bias ply tires ... something like 28 pounds?? That's what I have in them now and they look pretty low with the TA radials. Or should I go with the standard 32 psi?

I set the toe in using the string from the rear tires method, and use a digital level on the sidewalls for camber (avoiding the bulge at the bottom of the tire of course). Again, this is only to get it to the shop.

[73LeMans]

Originally Posted by RocktimusPryme

I had no idea that was a thing. Is there a National company that does it? Ie the big auto glass companies.

I know of no nationwide company that does this sorta thing. I sourced a local guy..he does phone / fire trucks etc in the area.

All four wheels get a hub and the lasers talk to each other. The wheels sit on top of the movable panels he sticks under there and his laptop tells him what to manipulate.

[geeteeohguy]

Originally Posted by JLMounce

All I would really worry about is trying to get the toe decently straight so you don’t damage the tires on the drive there.

If it’s just in town that’s not an issue. If the drive to the alignment shop is quite a distance, the car should really be towed there. Not withstanding the damage that can quickly occur to tires, it’s simply not safe, especially if a panic situation presents itself.

As a guy who's been doing alignments since 1983, THIS^^^.

The tech will know what to do, hopefully. Get a 4 wheel alignment, as it will show the rear thrust angle if there are any bent parts (axle tubes). BTDT more than ounce.

[OG68]

Originally Posted by dataway

When it comes to tire pressures ... do I use the OEM specs which were intended for bias ply tires ... something like 28 pounds?? That's what I have in them now and they look pretty low with the TA radials. Or should I go with the standard 32 psi?.

Modern tires are designed to operate at higher pressures.
Some manufacturers have a chart showing recommended tire pressures for the load they will carry.

If you're really anal about it, start off with 32-35 PSI and measure the tire temperature after a drive. If the center of the tire is hotter then the edges decrease pressure and vice versa if the edges are warmer.
That should put you in the ballpark.