46 replies to this topic

[Toranamat69]

If I wanted to run extra positive castor in an LC or LJ, I would be fitting UC upper control arms, not messing with the adjustment of the LCA control rod.

I have measured them up and they look like they will fit to me. I will do it one day to verify they fit when I finish on my LX and back onto my LC.

Thinking about it, I actually have an LC front end here that I could try them on very easily as I have it half pulled apart and a set of UC arms sitting there.

[liswar2]

Whats the diameter of the control rod / and or radius arm please , ?
Thx wazza

[RallyRed]

I undsrstand the UC UCAs on later LC and LJ is a common mod in track cars, for the reason you say.
Saves cranking that rod up.

[73SUNBURSTEXYOUWON]

This is an old thread i know, but posting my recent alignment experience. 8am Booking Saturday morning.

I took my LJ to my local Bobjane T, who supplied and fitted my recently bought tyres.
The alignment report they presented was referencing 1976-77 LX torana.

When i questioned that, i was told their alignment machine only had that spec, but would be the same for LJ.
I beg to differ here.

Further into conversation, i asked how the alignment came up? I was told it was toeing out, which it was, due to me having the tierod ends off,
So they adjusted that..

Then I asked about how the camber/ castor was? I was told ** that isnt adjustable on these cars**.
(Wot alot of PISS).

So in driving my car along the motorway, it pulled a little to the left, and had a steering wheel shimmy that came in at about 85Klm, worse at 95klm and fades out at up to 115klm.

SO Further more i call up BJT, explain the above, that i want them to have another look at my car alignment again and maybe recheck the wheel balance. ALSO,i may have to take it to a specialist alignment place?? WTF!!

So we arranged me to go back at 1pm that day, anyway i get there, get told that they cant do it then, to arrange another day, it will take time to align, like 1 hr to 1.5 hrs.
That Saturday is our busiest day, we do 40 cars, 15mins per car, BLA.BLA.BLA.

So they dont want to do a Saturday at all, its rebooked this morning at 8am.
So I am copying all my LJ workshop manual Alignment Specs. Handing that to them, asking if they can align to LJ spec, IF NOT, refund my $70 alignment cost from Saturday, Dont waste my time and I'll never return.

I get the impression all they wanna do is Toe adjusts on modern cars with preset Camber Castors.
(As i have read somewhere on the forum, Toe n Go)

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[S pack]

No camber and castor adjustments on an LJ, they must be fcuking kidding, the lazy pricks.

Only once have I ever bought tyres from a Bob Jane T-mart, back in the 80's, and I never went back again.

[76lxhatch]

Places around here stopped wanting to do anything with shims many years ago now. I do my own, saves getting too close to hot exhaust and time isn't such a factor.

 

Always a good idea to provide your own specs whether factory or otherwise.

 

Having said that if their numbers are correct it doesn't look too bad. Could do with a touch of negative camber, how much depends on the tyre profile height.

[claysummers]

Not much help but there is a good chassis shop near me at Seaford SA. Few and far between though jaso.

Sent from my SM-G781B using Tapatalk

[73SUNBURSTEXYOUWON]

Yeah Dave, no joke above.

Anyway, BJT redid the alignment (note the report header), drives heeps betta no distinct left pull/drift, and the VIBE was also due to one of the front wheels, the left i think they said, needed an extra 45grams of balance weight to it.

I have previously, many years back used BJT and have had no issue with them really, maybe it was just for my modern dailys.

TBH, i used an oldschool guy at the Gold Coast to align my EH. But can only get that done on a week day, havin to take a day off work. This time round on the LJ just wasn't fitting into my shedule.

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[RallyRed]

They have done some good work...the camber and caster on the rear are hard to adjust in a few hours. ...maybe some measurement/ repeatability issues there?

[73SUNBURSTEXYOUWON]

They have done some good work...the camber and caster on the rear are hard to adjust in a few hours. ...maybe some measurement/ repeatability issues there?

How is the rear camber castor adjusted on an LJ?

[gad05]

Hi Jaso,

Not sure what side of the river you live mate, if you live anywhere north talk to Brian @ Pedders Geebung.
Great bloke to deal with, works on lots of classic cars.
Great service has always looked after me.
Cheers Graham.

[RallyRed]

How is the rear camber castor adjusted on an LJ?

It's not. Short of removing the whole arse end and pressing/ bending it. Then only about 0.5 degrees possible anyway.
I was having a shot at the numbers those fancy machines " generate" to make a report look detailled, when really a lot of it is irrelevant.

[gtrboyy]

When I did v8 conversion no wheel alignment shops wanted to touch it...did get handfull of shims for free by old school bloke who told me to do it myself & he'll check it on his machine.

 

Had a max ellerys with specs in it so did camber by eye then did toe & castor with tape measure according to specs in book...was close to stock gtr 6cyl specs almost same height.

 

Dude only had to take out 1 shim & charged $20 but took me a weekend on/off stuffing around.

[WhaleOilBeefHooked]

Hi fellow gurus, just about to have my front crossmember rebuilt by a steering / suspension shop, have all new bushes bearings etc. But for the life of me am unable to find the old Alignment Shims that I pulled off years ago. So wondering if by chance somebody would have a complete set removed from 6 cylinder front end that would suffice until the car is able to be presented for a correct wheel alignment.. I can purchase new sets in 1/8” x 3, 1/16” x 5 & 1/32” x 5 via fleaBay at $50 per set but really unsure what thickness is required to get the front k-frame close to being correct & prior to refitting engine, so it can then be aligned correctly..  Any help is greatly appreciated Kind Thanks..

[Rockoz]

Hi fellow gurus, just about to have my front crossmember rebuilt by a steering / suspension shop, have all new bushes bearings etc. But for the life of me am unable to find the old Alignment Shims that I pulled off years ago. So wondering if by chance somebody would have a complete set removed from 6 cylinder front end that would suffice until the car is able to be presented for a correct wheel alignment.. I can purchase new sets in 1/8” x 3, 1/16” x 5 & 1/32” x 5 via fleaBay at $50 per set but really unsure what thickness is required to get the front k-frame close to being correct & prior to refitting engine, so it can then be aligned correctly..  Any help is greatly appreciated Kind Thanks..

 

How long is a piece of string?

Depends on how bent things have become over the years and how straight it was built originally.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[WhaleOilBeefHooked]

Hi Rob, Silly me I always thought “How Long” was the name of a China Man. This torana hasn’t been on road or used since 86, I had a wheel alignment done in 85 when I thought it steered perfectly so I really don’t believe it’s bent at all.. I guess I need to know what setting / how many & what thickness shims were used from factory as a starting point. So I can have it rebuilt to being somewhat straight and then when I install engine etc. can present vehicle for correct wheel alignment, where the shims may need to be removed or added to.. I understand it’s a long shot and hence the reasoning behind me wanting a used set of shims for initial setup.. I don’t really want to buy 3 sets of different thickness shims unless totally necessary…

[WhaleOilBeefHooked]

Just discovered pictures of my front crossmember fitted to car prior to removal & dissembling it has 6 shims on front with 4 on rear, both sides so a rough estimate of required shims is 20 in total, I know it’s a rhetorical question as Rob indicated…

But if by chance somebody has a complete old set this would get me started ? Kind Thanks in advance..

[WhaleOilBeefHooked]

I know it’s a Huge ask but as searching isn’t revealing where they are I’m also needing all bolts, nuts & washers to refit the front crossmember… If by chance somebody has these I’m happy to pay for said items, just unable to make progress until they’re in my hands…

[RallyRed]

Hi,

If you are just looking for an initial static / in the shed type setup, you can use any old thing to set up an intitial "thickness" i.e. bits of metal slotted, or whatever.

Just play around with various thicknesses and double ups etc until you get close. Then measure and order the correct number of real shims.

This doco gives a guide on what does what.  Would be thinking though that a bit of -ve camber to go with modern radial tyres would be a good thing.

Hope that helps mate.

 

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[sibhs]

Be aware that the cheap shims on eBay are different from original. They will work but look wrong.

The original looking ones are about $8 each - 5 for $40.

 

Marty

[Rockoz]

Andrew.

I wasnt trying to be smart.

I used to do weekend work at a garage and also helped around the workshop in my free time.

I often saw untouched Holdens side by side with a difference in the number of shims fitted.

Then there were the older cars. The ones that got cared for and those that had a hard life.

Huge differences in the shims.

We only had very basic wheel alignment equipment in the early days.

Tape measures and magnetic attachments with bubbles.

Didnt get a decent wheel alignment machine until the late 80s early 90s, but the owners couldnt work out how to use it properly anyway.

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[WhaleOilBeefHooked]

Hi Rob, Wasn’t implying you were being smart at all, in fact I’m the dummy as asking a rhetorical question induces a similar response from most that care to reply… And we all know these things were a trail n error setup from factory with very few being identical measurements etc. Marty tells me there’s somebody on Facebook who sells complete front end bolt sets, But with some luck will locate my old items sooner rather than later.. Many kind thanks for taking time to nutshell things for me, Greatly appreciated…

Cheers Good Sir.

Whale  

Edited by WhaleOilBeefHooked, 20 September 2022 - 11:20 AM.