2WD C10 Modern/Performance Alignments

[Mike_82_Shortbox]

Originally Posted by hairlesshobo

Mike, everywhere I have read failed to mention anything about the brakes needing to be locked in order to use a caster camber gauge. Would you be willing to explain why? Iljke to know how/why something affects something else when I do it, and I definitely want to make sure I take my time and do it right.

Also, i have yet to find a shop in town that does even a decent job at an alignment, especially one that you can ask for something other than what their computer says without them arguing with you. Plus, every shop I've been to here wants a minimum of 75 for a real alignment.

Hobo,

Sorry, I am in Oregon, and I know prices vary widely.

I don't really know if you need to lock your wheels or not. I don't know what kind of equipment you are using. But in order to properly measure the caster on an alignment machine, the brakes have to be locked so that the alignment heads will not move off-axis, and allow them to measure the caster angle.

For the left wheel, with positive caster, a line drawn from the center of the spindle will move in an upward arc when the steering wheel is turned right, and downward when it is turned left. That angle from horizontal is the caster angle, and it can only be measured by machine when the brakes are locked.

Your guage may work without having to do this, but I don't see how...

Mike