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Old 10-11-2011, 10:50 PM   #14
BMERDOC
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Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Richmond,Va
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Re: 2WD C10 Modern/Performance Alignments

I finally finished installing all my suspension pieces to tighten up the existing suspension before I move to lowering the entire truck, it does have two inch blocks right now. I installed the trailing arm bushings and adjustable panhard rod thinking that these parts would correct my 34' thrust angle. To my suprise the angle did not change at all!! What happened? I pushed the bed side to side to attempt centering the suspension with no change. I pryed between the frame rail and could only muster 25' which was still no good. I did look for an accepable tolerance and found that GM allows -20' to +20'. I didn't feel good at all about putting the rear suspension in a sideways bind to try to correct this problem. As I was only experimenting tonight I moved onto check adjustments of the front caster/camber (more on that later).

I went home to study my alignment sheet and found my problem. I will now make a correction, something I hadn't thought about before and now makes perfect sense. It washed over me that I was paying too much attention to thrust angle and NONE to rear toe! I previously said that rear toe doesn't matter because its not adjustable. I now know this to be wrong. Look at the picture, the driver's side has positive toe (in towards center) and the passenger side has negative toe (away from the center line). Please pardon my illustration, I'm not a graphics expert! The axle is not straight in the chassis. A double check of the wheelbase would confirm this, the dr's side would be shorter than the passenger side. This would cause the rear to steer right causing me to steer right to counter act the rear steer. When the truck gets back up on the rack I will support the trailing arms, loosen the u-bolts, move the dr's side of the axle towards the rear and the passenger side towards the front. Hopefully the ubolts/axle/trailing arms will have enough play to allow this. If that doesn't correct it that probably means the frame may be tweaked This would not warrant frame straightening but elongating the u-bolt holes in the axle saddles MAY get me to 0 thrust angle. We'll have to see.

Eventually, I will want this truck to handle extemely well. When I installed the adjustable panhard rod I noted that by installing just 2" blocks the rod was almost parallel to the ground. Looks like one of those Super Duper Panhard Rods will be in my future!
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Nick Carter
1967 C10 Short bed Fleetside
Project Cheap Thrills!
2WD C10 Modern/Performance Alignments
Easiest Alignment Ever!

Last edited by BMERDOC; 10-11-2011 at 11:00 PM.
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