67 Camaro
Fourth Generation Moderator
October 2009 ROTM
October 2009 ROTM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,560
From: Eastern PA,
ROTM Winner's Club
I have seen shops sell a $129 "4 wheel alignment for solid axle car and the standard alignment for $79. Want to see a mechanic turn white? ask him the difference.
Last edited by Gorn; Jul 1, 2019 at 11:15 AM.
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1st Gear Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 118
4 wheel alignment on solid axle car? A standard alignment aligns the front wheels to the back wheels. A 4 wheel alignment includes the alignment of the rear wheels to the front wheels. This is for cars with adjustable rear wheels. On old school FWD with one pcs axles we would just shim hub bearing but on car with independent rear suspension it would be caster,chamber, and toe adjustment of the rear wheels. If your solid rear axle needs adjustment to align with the front wheels that is done on a frame machine.
I have seen shops sell a $129 "4 wheel alignment for solid axle car and the standard alignment for $79. Want to see a mechanic turn white? ask him the difference.
I have seen shops sell a $129 "4 wheel alignment for solid axle car and the standard alignment for $79. Want to see a mechanic turn white? ask him the difference.
Fourth Generation Moderator
October 2009 ROTM
October 2009 ROTM
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 10,560
From: Eastern PA,
ROTM Winner's Club
You want to make sure that the rear axle is square to the frame. That is not part of a normal alignment 2 or 4 wheel. Alignment machines are designed to align axles to rims. A frame machine would have the system built in to check axle to frame alignment. Also since you are no longer stock you will need to find someone that will do a street car setup.
Most alignment machines are dummy proof. on a 4 wheel alignment You set everything up spin the rear tire and it will tell you install a .060 shim facing up on a hub bearing or adjust right side chamber .5 degs positive. Those specs would be worthless with a solid axle.
Since the alignment machine does not know where your links are or the direction the are pointing you would have do the front end alignment look at the tow in numbers and see if you can derive an axle adjustment. Even then I am not sure because you are aligned to the front wheels not to the frame. I am sure there are some race guys out there that can get the car setup using a alignment machine but it was me I would do cross measurements and get the axle as straight as possible then just align the front wheels to the rear wheels.
Most alignment machines are dummy proof. on a 4 wheel alignment You set everything up spin the rear tire and it will tell you install a .060 shim facing up on a hub bearing or adjust right side chamber .5 degs positive. Those specs would be worthless with a solid axle.
Since the alignment machine does not know where your links are or the direction the are pointing you would have do the front end alignment look at the tow in numbers and see if you can derive an axle adjustment. Even then I am not sure because you are aligned to the front wheels not to the frame. I am sure there are some race guys out there that can get the car setup using a alignment machine but it was me I would do cross measurements and get the axle as straight as possible then just align the front wheels to the rear wheels.
