Both my Chassis Service Manual and Chilton say my 68 Cutlass with power steering needs 1/2 to 2°- caster, WTH? This can't be right, can it? Somebody out there have some specs for caster, camber and toe? Thanks guys.

 

I try and get as much caster as I can and use stock camber and toe specs

 

Thanks Oldcutlass, I was able to get 2 1/4 °+ caster.

 

That's about the limit with stock parts.

 

From a road feel and stability standpoint, more caster is better. You can buy aftermarket upper control arms with the ball joint offset to the rear to allow more caster to be dialed in. I remember reading an article back in 1977 about the 1977 H/O prototype and they dialed in about 4 degrees of caster, well over the stock specs.

Keep in mind that as caster increases, steering force goes up. The lower numbers are intended to keep steering forces manageable for manual steering cars. With power steering, this isn't necessary.

 

I hope so, steering was to light anyway. Hopefully the caster helped.

 

You don't see the increased (+) factory caster settings much until mid-70s, after radial tires became common. They were part of Buick's Accu-Drive and Pontiac's Radial Tuned Suspension settings.

Look at specs for a garden-variety 73-77 Olds A-body and you'll see very similar to 64-72. Then look at the specs for Salon and Hurst/Olds and you'll see a substantial difference, mainly in more (+) caster settings. You need to be sure the alignment shop is aware of that too.

 

Sadly, in today's litigious society, many shops will be reluctant to deviate from factory numbers.

 

That's why I take a copy of the alignment spec sheet from the CSM! I learned several years back that their computer databases usually won't have older specs.

 

Looking @ some old sheets from previous alignments on 70-72 cars we usually set caster @ +3 to +3 1/4 on left and +3 1/2 to +3 3/34 on the right w/ stock components. We max out the caster as each car will allow.


IIRC my blue car is +5 to +5 1/2 w/ aftermarket control arms.


Camber looks to run -1/4 to -1/2 on most of the cars w/ stock parts, no recollection on aftermarket set up.


Toe looks generally consistent @ + .07" (total) amongst the sheets.

 

I will not take my car to a franchised alignment place like a Pepboys, Sears, Firestone, Goodyear, etc... I usually try and find a place that specializes in heavy trucks. I have a local independent tire company that I take all my alignments to and he lets me watch as he works on the car. He will set it to anything I tell him.