Optimum Alignment??

[Aggressor]

Question: Does an ultimate target alignment exist for for the Unique chassis? It seems a bunch of us are out here setting ride height with rear shims and/or coilovers and and front coilover adjustments. After height considerations we shoot for setting wheel alignment as close as we can get to basic specs. I noticed the front control arm angle changes after my recent attempt to lower my car. The the angle of both arms naturally changes with height adjustment. The top suspension arm was at a steeper angle and would probably camber-up(negative) in a turn quicker than at the lower setting. I have experience in "Shelby-izing" the inward location of top front control arms of my 68 Mustang. Due to the new steeper inward angle the camber change is quicker and the tire tips more negative on the outside front when cornering. While providing much better handling, in this case the tire wear is greatly increased on the front inside edges. This is after aligning to the specs of a 68 Shelby.

I guess my main point is: Are we adjusting our cars into odd suspension geometry situations that may not necessarily enhance our overall handling/performance?

-Geary

[eliminator]

If you adjust the ride height on a previously alligned car the allignemnt just changed too.

Camber and toe-in/toe out change quickly when you raise or lower the car.

Raise the car and camber goes toward positive, lower the car and camber goes toward negative.

Steering is effected more by caster than camber, caster changes that make the steering lighter also make the car more unstable at high speeds. The heavier the steering the more stable at high speeds.

If the toe in/out is off on these cars, especially the rear they are a bear to handle during positive and negative acceleration.

So you get the ride heigh where you want it then do some measuring from the ground to the fender wells or however you want to do it to establish a baseline the get you allignment done. So the baseline alignment never changes. At a high ride height the baseline alignement is exactly the same as a low ride height alignment. But when you set these cars up low you better have a shock with the right compression and extension or your going to lower the car down on a compressed shock. When that happens you will know it, any bump will be felt through your teeth.

[Jerry Cowing]

Agree with eliminator. One other critical thing to remember during the alignment process -- pull down on the bumper after every adjustment.

When you measure the ride height as eliminator suggested, do it after you've driven the car a few miles to make sure the car has settled. These cars are sprung so stiff they don't settle wne the jack is let down. You have to pull down on the bumper very hard several times to get it to settle or drive it.

Once you have measured the ride height, re-measure the fender heights many times during the alignment process to make sure the car is at the correct ride height after they jack it up many times during the alignment process. If you don't pull down on the car very hard during the alignment, the alignment will never be correct.

[Naumoff]

What kind of alignment machines are you guys using?

The machine I used at my brothers shop lifted the car off of the pads by the suspension not the frame. So the springs were never unsprung during the alignment. Ride height was set before I left home.

[Jerry Cowing]

Tony,

I'm assuming you are using the standard Unique Jag rearend with inboard brakes, so I don't know of any way to adjust your rear alignment without taking the weight off the rear suspension. One of the rear alignment adjustments is made by adding or subtracting shims attached to your rear brake disks. The axle must be disconnected, leaning the top of the tire out, to change the shims, so I don't know how you would do that without taking the weight off the rear suspension.