Is there a "close-enough" method of setting caster without special equipment and/or a computer program?

not really. the thing is when you play with caster it affects camber and vice-versa. a cheap magnetic caster gauge would do the trick though (they are really ideal for our older cars) if you didn't want to pay a shop to do an alignment. you'll need a toe gauge which could be made from some scrap steel or even 2x4s (a carpenter's tape measure worke too, just get one with clear markings.) a good floorjack, a couple of soapy trashbags under your tyres on a level surface and you're set!

-james

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Any other mopar guys in your area? If so, ask them where they take their cars for an alignment. It is something you can do yourself, but I would just save the frustration and find a good, reputable shop that knows how to work on old cars and let them do it. It may cost more than you like (it did me), but at least you'll know its done right.

I have no problem with toe in and camber, and frankly it looks to me as if one could measure caster from a line through the ball joints with an ordinary degree guage. I understand the process. I'm just looking for methods other than those requiring modern equipment..

Of course swinging the wheels left and right is much faster than taking the wheels off - if you have the equipment. But I have a whole lot more time and experience than I have money.

What/where is a "cheap magnetic caster guage." I don't recall ever seeing such a thing in any kind of tool shop or catalog.

Thanks

I'd have no problem rousting up an alignment man as good as there is around. It's just that, given that this is my only transportation, I'm having to go around the barn repeatedly to get everything done and I don't have money to throw away on repeated alignments.

And "as good as there is around" still doesn't mean all that much. The last guy I had knew how to align Mopars, even considering the switch from bias ply to radial, but he was a cheat.

I understand the engineering and I've been knuckle busting for over 50 years, so given the specs and a grease-monkey method I figure I can do at least as well as some guy whipping out invoice fodder for the sales department. Frustration? Breakfast food! And if I don't find a "grease-monkey method" I'll invent one - even if it's slow.

Thanks.

I am an "alignment guy".
The only thing I see wrong with that is you need the weight on the suspension, "like it was on its wheels" even jack stands as far out as you can get them on the LCA's wont set the weight right. I dont see how you could use the gauge with the wheels on.

The very first rule of aligning a car is to have the weight on the wheels, and the car level.

As for the gauge, this looks reasonable. I dont have one, and only know what I have seen at their site. not real expensive, considering where I work an alignment starts at $80.00
http://www.racerpartswholesale.com/align.htm

good luck
tophat

i own a fasttraxx setup that works really well, but you need a helper to do the toe adjustments. it cost a bit more, but at the time i was out of work (moving across the state) and did not have access to an alignment rack. FWIW, our shop charges about 90 bucks for a complete 4 wheel alignment on a modern car. i paid over $100 for my alignment tool (with toe attachment that is not as good as a nice toe bar) and it has worked great everytime i have used it so it was worth the investment to me.


-james

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Hmm, these wheels have a 1 inch offset. That means that a cradle set 1 inch back from the face of the drum should be in the right place. Hmm.
My last was $92.
Thanks. Interesting tool. Interesting price.

A nearby "a" shop uses two guys and a tape measure. Thanks, but I'm having trouble finding fasttraxx. fasttraxx.com gives me this!

http://users.isp.com/lifedata/logogif.gif

I take it fasttraxx is software. Did it come with a tool? A tool recommendation?

Interesting our hunter alignment rack won't do caster with the wheels loaded. You apply the brakes and jack up the front end until the wheels clear the slip plates.

As far as caster is concerned what are the negative effects of inproper caster? Pull in the direction that has more positive? More steering effort turning 1 way then the other? As long as it is close will it cause a problem on a car that is constantly being taken apart. The last time I aligned mine I ended up with +5 on 1 wheel and +4.5 on the other I was tired didn't feel like screwing with it anymore and camber (-1 both sides) and toe (1/8" in total) were perfect so I left it. 10k miles later the tires are wearing even and I barely notice the drift to the right. I drive mostly 2 lane blacktop mixed with interstate so our roads aren't really flat anyways and most cars will drift right around here even with perfect specs.

I never thought of that, gotta try it, it sounds like it would work great.

caster wont cause tire wear. it will cause pulls, drifts, unstability, and any other number of pains in the a$$! camber will wear your tires, but if the toe is good and stable, it will take a while. toe will cause drifts too, but the wheel prolly wont be straight, if the toe is out bad the car will dart either direction, but refuse to go straight.

alignments, can be a pain.........


good luck

tophat

i think i got it from these guys but don't remember it being so expensive.
http://www.eastwoodco.com/jump.jsp?item ... 200&KICKER
probably was though and i just bit the bullet. i don't like farming work out any more than i have to.
funny i don't recall any hunter systems i've used requiring a caster cut with the wheels off the plates. maybe an a-111 i used years ago. had to keep tying knots in the strings to keep them taut on breezy days.

-james

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Our hunter rack was brand new 5-6 years ago. No strings/tape measure all computer controlled with reflectors mounted onto the rim flange. Other than the times I've done it I've only seen one other person adjust caster on anything and he was swearing the whole time. Most alignments are toe and go these days especially since most cars have neither camber or caster adjusters.