adnoh wrote:
Good morning
scpilot66From the pics yes one can see the difference in the arms. With the car frame setting level using your angle finder and a framing square (if concrete pad is some what level) and a vertical laser level. Move the arms up to a point to where the lower arm is level straight across. Now make sure the hubs are in a straight line (parallel) with the center line of the chassis (zero toe). This would be a starting point to take some numbers to for adjustment before Back Yard Hacking (little humor) at the arms. What were trying to do is get some kind of base line to work with. With the arms, hubs, frame set in place measure the distance from the floor to center of the hub. Then use your angle finer and check the camber on the face of the hub. Now place a rim on the hub and use your framing square to find the distance from top to bottom. If there is a gap at the top this is a negative number. If there is a gap at the bottom this is a positive number. Next place the angle finder on the hubs back side to get some sort of caster number. I use the two points where the arms ball joint attach. Do this on both side and compare.
My reasoning behind this is that if the camber and or caster is different from side to side one arm will bind different from the other. An example your right side need more droop If you camber is different than move the upper arm out a turn or two and this would free up the ball joint at the bottom if that is where it is bound or maxed out. If both side for some reason are the same than you have no recourse other than cut and change the center line angle of the ball joint
Now before you cut anything there is more to do. Again back at the first part with every thing set in place. You need to lock this thing is place and lay it out on the floor. Using your vertical laser spot the frame center line front to back. Now using a chalk line snap a line from those two points extending 1-1/2 and half times the width of the front arms ball joint center line. Now using the laser mark the frames front lower pivot point center on the ground on both the right and left side. Now snap a line across those to points with the line extending at least 1 foot past the hub.
Now you can use the 3,4,5 method to check the square (triangulate)of the frame or be close enough for the rest. Now it get fun. Use the laser to spot the ball joints center and measure at a 90 degree to the line and see where there at. As an option you can do the same for the rear lower pivot point as well if you wish.
Now if for some reason the left side is what you need (more to measure) than adjust the right side so it matches and see if it works or not. Do not touch the left if it is correct. I say more to measure because the shock has not been brought into play. You need the eye to eye of the shock and the shaft length to finish measuring for a base line set up of the arms.
Then you can move forward to fixing or setting it neutral and go from there. If the arms can be set up neutral I would pull it and make a simple jig for a base line set up for the future or fix if need be.
By starting this way it will aid in setting up or fixing you rear as you have a template to work with.
When setting it up neutral you would ant the arms set at the same distance from the lower arm line and set at zero caster and camber Do not do this until you have the numbers to work with. Then you can move forward to make it right. You will need to look at camber and caster change through out it cycle and then get a base line setting from a ride height and chassis angle at ride height. an example would be if you need 3 degrees of camber and 2 degrees of caster will the ball joints bind. If you have negative or positive chassis angle will you need less or more caster to make it turn and adjust your camber back after the caster change, this not even bringing toe into it. I now that the upper and lower arm pivot are on a angle and not a flat plain so this is why I say measure from the front pivot. Will get into the rake later.
So first step is to know what your dealing with. I my self have no professional working knowledge other back yard hacking on mine so I hope this help or we can get those who do it for a living to chime in.
Adnoh
Hello Adnoh, Thank you very much for taking time to help. Very Good of You!!!
consol wrote:
For my purposes...you can just pull the spindle and hopefully fit the angle finder on the ball joint stud and go from max in to max out
Will be easier if you pulled the arms and laid them flat
The numbers don't mean anything to me other than the delta (difference) between min and max...as long as the arm doesn't move
I'm guessing the number will be in the low to mid 50's
The upper joint will need the most angular movement as it is the shorter arm
I'll leave the discussion re: setting the ball joints at upper max, etc. to the smarter ones
Hello Consol, I removed one left upper and lower arm and put them in my vice.
I held the angle finder against the threads of the ball joint, upper ball joint 58*, 29 + 29, lower ball joint 48*, 24 + 24.
bullnerd wrote:
I didn't look real close at the pics, but I do have a couple questions.
Why do anything without the shocks mounted? Wont the shocks limit your travel at full bump and full droop? Who cares what it does without the shocks?
How do you know you want 16" of travel? Is that doable with the stock ball joints?
Hello Bullnerd, I am new to doing this so yes I could very much be going about it wrong but I am wanting to get the suspension to work with as much travel as it will allow before installing the shocks, I do understand that the shocks are going to limit the travel to what they will allow but if I can get the suspension to travel further at the top and bottom of where the shocks will allow then I will at least know that the shocks are the max allowed travel not the suspension. I am going to pull the springs off and install the shocks just to get an idea of where things are now.
I do not know if 16 inches is possible or not, this is what I was told by the builder.