Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

Anyone have a good DIY or do I need to take it to "a guy" to do it?

Not too many shops want to dealwith shims and they charge extra also.
Here is a thread with alot of good info
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20875#p182116
A good shop is Marlo’s Frame and Alignment, Chatsworth.

Linda

I did it myself since the local wheel aligner couldn't be bothered stuffing around with the previously mentioned shims.
I have a Longacre camber caster gauge and just kept adding shims until I achieved what I thought was a reasonable setting.





It is very time consuming for the DIYer hence the reason modern shops won't do it.
Which is annoying because I was prepared to pay for it
Curiously, the LHS didn't require any shims but the RHS needed a heap to do the job

Alex Tan at Indotech Motorsports in Arcadia. He has done mine a couple times. Plan on paying for a complete alignment, but he not only knows what he is doing, but he is also a real car guy who will spend the time to get it right. Call him and set up an appointment, and make sure you have shims.. I used body shims to make it easier, but you need to pay attention to it to make sure it does not ever come loose..

Wonder if some other shims would work....

From reading the other thread, and being that I dont own any shims, it seems that Harbor Freight sells the shim kit.

@RCMike any ballpark figure of what the alignment will cost?

Some racers will figure out the shim size they like and then replace it with a corresponding washer so it can’t fall out. More work, but can save you some money in the long run.

theunz wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 11:34 pm Some racers will figure out the shim size they like and then replace it with a corresponding washer so it can’t fall out. More work, but can save you some money in the long run.

Thats a great idea. I read in the other thread about longer bolts being needed, is this a universal situation or does it depend on the amount of shims/ washers used?

edit:

Are these considered the "go-to" numbers? (also from the other thread)

Stock Toe-in: 2~3 mm or 1/16~1/8 of an inch
Stock Camber: 1 degree
Stock Caster: 1 degree

Sprited Road Toe-in: 2~3 mm or 1/16~1/8 of an inch
Sprited Road Camber: 1 degree of negative camber
Sprited Road Caster: 2~3 degrees of positive caster

Racing Toe-in: 2~3 mm or 1/16~1/8 of an inch
Racing Camber: 2~2/12 degrees of negative camber
Racing Caster: 1~2 degrees of positive caster

Washers are a great idea, once it is perfect. But you need to dissemble and reassemble the upper arm shaft from the chassis every time you adjust to use washers. U shaped shims you can loosen and slip it in and tighten and see if it is better.

I would not even consider doing any real negative camber without using a longer bolt, specifically one WITH a lock nut inside the arm. If you do not, and things become loose and you lose a shim, things get really crazy quickly when the front wheel is not properly located.

Honestly no idea what Alex charges, but it's competitive, and he will be the one who goes under the car and adjusts, and he will give you the alignment you are looking for, and it's done on turning plates with a computer, so you are getting what you are actually asking for..

I also got the Longacre tool and bought some toe plates.

I found it best to record the shim size and caster/camber reading each time to keep me less confused. The HF shims work fine, wiring them together helps when you have several.

The original settings worked, but the car was twitchy. A caster setting of 3.00 degrees made the car very stable. Lots of good info in the Wiki.

and exactly where does/can one adjust caster?? I know camber and toe-in

How about this tool? Less than the Longacre 199 tool
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Adjustable ... SwHZdbNDn7

Linda

mraitch, from what I have read, camber is adjusted with shims on both upper points whereas caster is adjusted with shims on the rear upper point only.

tried to post an image, but no luck. Google "caster camber adjustment chart" or go here:

https://www.google.com/search?q=aster+c ... rt&ie=&oe=

Linda wrote: ↑Sat Jan 04, 2020 1:31 pm How about this tool? Less than the Longacre 199 tool
https://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Adjustable ... SwHZdbNDn7

Linda

You need a turntable under the tires to simulate dynamic road movement. + then a way to get under or such to afjust with keeping it free like running on road
Check the ride height 1st ..bet it has sagged
And on 311s you take out shims to get more camber as the A arm link is on the back side of the mount ...most American cars are reversed. I would stick to the factory shims setting. Which was a 16th in. In front and 3/32 nds rear or 8th