Proper Alignment Specifications

[Powerman5K]

I have a friend that is the county's Auto Mechanic teacher for our trade school. He has agreed to align my truck for me and use it as a teaching point for his students. Only problem is, his computer data base for alignment specs don't go that far back.

Does anyone know or can point me to the correct alignment specifications for a 2WD 1980 F100?

I already know I'm screwed and won't be able to adjust my camber. But I'd like to be able to get all the others dialed in as best as I can. Thanks in advance.  

[Powerman5K]

I found it in the Documentation section of the site. Thanks!

[Gary Lewis]

[85lebaront2]

A couple of items, first be sure he checks ride height at both ends as the caster varies with ride height at both front and rear. Second be sure your radius arm bushings are in good shape as they also affect caster.

Camber varies with front ride height, rear doesn't have much effect on it.

[Powerman5K]

Bushings are brand new. I just changed them. Camber is crazy positive but can't be fixed due to me having King Pins. Everyone on here keeps saying the same thing "You have to bend your I beams." I've called every shop and restoration place in the DC area and no one will touch them. I just have to live with the camber and rotate tires like heck!

[AmericanSavage]

Does anyone have thoughts about these at Summit?  

It would save folks a lot of money if they worked well!  And so many line up shops are refusing to touch anything "old" anymore.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/tnh-3300

[85lebaront2]

Toe can be done with a pretty simple rig. First something to scribe a line in the tread while spinning the wheel. Set the truck back on the ground, move it back then forward for the suspension to equalize. Use a couple of cheap squares that will reach halfway or a little more up the tires, a 2X4 and two C-clamps to determine the difference front to back of the tires.

I aligned or BSA camp 1987 F250 with twin traction beams using this for toe-in and two blocks we trued on a shaper + a level for setting camber (LF front was cambered in badly at the top, eccentric bushing was 180° out.

[Rembrant]

Here's an alignment report from my 1984 F150 2wd. Keep in mind it had ball joints and not kingpins, but should be the same overall more or less. At the time of this alignment, the truck had all new ball joints and factory original concentric 0 degree bushings.

[85lebaront2]

The problem with the king pin axles is there is no camber adjustment provision other than bending the beams. If it is way positive, I would check two things, the actual ride height and the inner pivots for the I-beams. Same if it is way negative, except you can add spacers or replace the springs.

[mat in tn]

in looking for new springs for my 81 f250 camper special I was surprised to find the same springs listed for
 f100 through f250 from most available sources.  yet I did find also that there are sources who sell the same spring for 80-96 while a few list the 80-81 as a different spring. I'm wondering now whether you have a spring spec'd for a different model holding it too high either due to coil rate or static height differences. a "one size fits all" mistake. taller /stiffer spring will add camber every time!

[Powerman5K]

I tried changing the springs but as you can see, the new springs listed by Moog were much larger. Making my positive camber worse. I have gone back to the original factory springs and it is not as bad (but still positive). I've replaced the pivot bushings on the i beams and that didn't help. I'm tired of chasing it. I'm just going to have the toe and castor fixed and be done with it!

[mat in tn]

another issue that I discovered when I was checking mine was that the spring seat on the passenger side is only about 1" tall. on later models they had a combo set using a 1-3/8" on the passenger side and a 1-1/8" on the driver side. is there any chance yours got taller ones at some time? it's not real likely but possible. mine was sagging slightly giving neg camber so I went to the parts drawer and got a taller one and it was perfect.

[Rembrant]

mat in tn wrote

another issue that I discovered when I was checking mine was that the spring seat on the passenger side is only about 1" tall.

These ones are from a 1984 2wd. I didn't get them mixed up, but it has happened before when guys rip the whole front end apart and then forget which one goes where lol.



Later in the 80's when they added the integrated swaybar mounts to the spring seats, the spring seats got shorter.

[mat in tn]

those 4x4 sway bar mounts are gold. and yes they are a bit shorter. it has to do with the dimentions of the stamped ttb as opposed to the twin i beams.

[Powerman5K]

I will check mine today when mounting my new wheels. Thanks for the advice!