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Thread: Alignment tomorrow

  1. #1
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    Alignment tomorrow

    Now that I've rebuilt my front and rear suspension, I'm getting an alignment tomorrow at a known reputable shop.

    I have the specs from service bulletin ST-34-1/82 printed out and I have extra rear alignment shims. Is these anything else I should have handy? Are the specs in the bulletin still ideal? My car has coilovers so it's lowered but not slammed. See photo below. My rear lower links and tie rod ends are parallel to the ground so I don't anticipate changing ride height again.

    Spare tire, carpet and mat are in the trunk and I have half a tank of gas.

    I have added caster control to the front (DPI) as well as rear camber control arms (upper arm). I really want to get this dialed in as well as possible.

    I'm going to instruct them that while setting front caster, they should loosen the sway bar mount clamps so that the bar can move fore and aft with the caster change, then secure the sway bar again before finalizing the caster. Does that sound right? Makes sense in my head.

    Are there better specs I should shoot for since my car is lowered and I have front caster and rear camber control now? I suppose front camber will be whatever it is since I don't have any adjustment allowed there.

    PXL_20211121_203304425.jpg
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  2. #2
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    Also, if you replace bent TABs, should you get a realignment?

  3. #3
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrChocky View Post
    Also, if you replace bent TABs, should you get a realignment?
    In theory, no, as long as you put it back together exactly the same way you took it apart. There's a few weird size washers in there. My car had been running around these last twenty years with three shims on the driver side and zero on the passenger side. I put it back together just like that after rebuilding everything and putting all new TAB hardware and Toby Tabs in. Will be interesting to see what the new shim count is after tomorrow.
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by 82DMC12 View Post
    In theory, no, as long as you put it back together exactly the same way you took it apart. There's a few weird size washers in there. My car had been running around these last twenty years with three shims on the driver side and zero on the passenger side. I put it back together just like that after rebuilding everything and putting all new TAB hardware and Toby Tabs in. Will be interesting to see what the new shim count is after tomorrow.
    There's 3 regular shims on mine each side, and one larger one with tabs (not TABs) plus the two larger washers on the outside with them and one more on the inside. I also bought some DGo ones which are a bit thinner by design, because the rear right is very slightly out, and when I got the alignment done. I was told it was very slightly out without more shim.

  5. #5
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    Here's what my old hardware looked like. Nasty. Sorry I don't a picture of the new stuff but I installed everything exactly like it shows in 5-3-0 but I have the nut on the outside and the head on the inside of the frame (facing the transmission). Easier to add/subtract shims that way plus it will be possible to torque it correctly.

    PXL_20211005_131726442 (3).jpg
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  6. #6
    Senior Member Rich's Avatar
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    That's a nice stance seen in the photo.

    The plan looks OK. Just a few comments plus extra items to consider if not already in your plans.

    1. The ST alignment specs are current as far as I know. Haven't heard of any better 'tuning' on alignment. Note that the specs are based on the given F/R crossmember heights. Your car is probably close to those now.
    2. Rear TAB safety check (unless you replaced them in the rebuild): You can ask the tech to loosen and spin both of the Trailing Arm Bolts in place and look for any signs of wobble on the slightly loosened TAB nut while spinning. Any wobble means the TAB is bent and should be replaced soon. Better option: pull the TABs at the shop before alignment - inspect for bends/cracks. Best option: Replacement.
    3. Consider having them check other critical suspension bits like the tie rod ends and the ball joints unless they all were renewed in your rebuild. It's at least a second opinion - if any of them are bad now you're looking at another alignment later.

    You probably plan to give them all the susp. torque specs (last pages of Chapters J-K in the Workshop Manual).
    March '81, 5-speed, black interior

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by 82DMC12 View Post
    Here's what my old hardware looked like. Nasty. Sorry I don't a picture of the new stuff but I installed everything exactly like it shows in 5-3-0 but I have the nut on the outside and the head on the inside of the frame (facing the transmission). Easier to add/subtract shims that way plus it will be possible to torque it correctly.
    Hm, on both my cars the head is on the inside as you describe (which is why it's such a PITA on an auto). I thought this was the correct way; I hadn't realized that it's the other way around on the parts diagram. Was there a change at some point?

  8. #8
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MrChocky View Post
    Hm, on both my cars the head is on the inside as you describe (which is why it's such a PITA on an auto). I thought this was the correct way; I hadn't realized that it's the other way around on the parts diagram. Was there a change at some point?
    Parts book is riddled with errors that are still uncorrected.

    The shop manual procedure for changing rear alignment shows the bolt reversed as I described. If you have the nut outside, then all you have to do to add or remove a shim is remove the nut(s), tap the bolt inward, slip the T/A off, change the shims, then tap the bolt back in through the T/A. If the nut is inside, have to take the entire thing apart.

    The instructions for TOBY TABS describes this same situation.
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  9. #9
    Senior Member 82DMC12's Avatar
    Join Date:  May 2011

    Location:  Olathe, KS

    Posts:    1,654

    My VIN:    11596

    Quote Originally Posted by Rich View Post
    That's a nice stance seen in the photo.

    The plan looks OK. Just a few comments plus extra items to consider if not already in your plans.

    1. The ST alignment specs are current as far as I know. Haven't heard of any better 'tuning' on alignment. Note that the specs are based on the given F/R crossmember heights. Your car is probably close to those now.
    2. Rear TAB safety check (unless you replaced them in the rebuild): You can ask the tech to loosen and spin both of the Trailing Arm Bolts in place and look for any signs of wobble on the slightly loosened TAB nut while spinning. Any wobble means the TAB is bent and should be replaced soon. Better option: pull the TABs at the shop before alignment - inspect for bends/cracks. Best option: Replacement.
    3. Consider having them check other critical suspension bits like the tie rod ends and the ball joints unless they all were renewed in your rebuild. It's at least a second opinion - if any of them are bad now you're looking at another alignment later.

    You probably plan to give them all the susp. torque specs (last pages of Chapters J-K in the Workshop Manual).
    All great points, Ron. One step ahead of you otherwise - every single part on the suspension is new or refurbished so I have new Toby TABs, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc. I'll have them grease the fittings to confirm they are packed well. Also yep I have the revised torque settings from the Bulletins book so we can review all the pivot bolts (I think they are all 60 lbs), sway bar attachment points, and axle stub nuts.

    I like the stance quite a bit too! However I do have to drive up onto 2x4's to get my low-profile jack plus a 2x4 under the front frame now. And if I want to jack up the front and rear onto four jack stands, I have to drive the front onto wood, and then jack the rear up a couple pumps, then jack up the front completely, set the front stands, then finish jacking up the rear. A bit of a process but once you figure it out it's not so bad.
    Andy Lien

    VIN 11596 Jan 1982 build - owned since Nov. 2000!
    Total frame-off restoration completed 2021-2023

    Photography and Backpacking is life.

    Was Fargo, ND
    Now Kansas City

  10. #10
    Senior Member
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    Get the tire pressures right also. Make sure nothing is loose/worn in the suspension and the tires have plenty of tread and are less than 7 ears old. Inspect the rubber steering column bushing.
    David Teitelbaum

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