I'm looking for the alignment specs for my 57 Ford Custom.  I don't have the books to look it up.  Thanks for any and all help.

Do you want to keep it stock or something with newer tyres and more handling? 0 to 1/2 degree negative camber and and as much positive caster as possible works fine with radials and with total of 10 minutes toe in. 5 minutes on each front wheel.

Our Hunter machine says this.

Camber 1.00 degrees +/- 30 minutes

Caster 1.00 degrees +/- 30 minutes

SAI 7 degrees an 6 minutes

Toe In 11 minutes +/- 4 minutes

Hope this helps

 Seppo from Järvenpää, Finland
www.hollowheads.net (just click the hole in the head to proceed)

Yes, a little bit negative camber and more positive caster is good with radials. Car was '59 not '57, but almost same.


Hyvinkää, FI

Since this topic is up,and I'm due for an alignment, how much camber and caster is typically available in a 55? And how much caster is too much, aside from steering effort?

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Mike Richards - Specs for '56 and '55 are the same I think: this is book data...

Caster: +1/2° to +1-1/2° - preferred +1°

Camber: +1/4° to +1-1/4° - preferred +3/4°

Toe In: 1/16" to 1/8"

Kingpin Axis: 7°-7'

I think the early Mustang spec's would be a better arrangement (for a start anyway)...

Caster: +2° to +2-3/4°

Camber: 0° to -1/2°

Toe In: 1/8" 

pre-dates common use of radial tires

The lower control arms on our cars (birds 55-56-57) can - and have - been shifted ahead to gain Caster without excessive shimming.  

 
 Steve Metzger       Tucson, Arizona

HollowHead and LordMrFord.  Thanks for your response to my question on the 57 alignment specs.  My car is the very  cheap model custom 2dr. 57 with no extras and the one SS strip on each quarter panel.  I have changed the tires to radials so I will be giving it a little more caster to keep it going straight.  I have completed  all of the mechanics and the interior except the front end alignment.  Right now I am in the process of block sanding it out so I can paint it some time this summer.  It seems like block sanding is never done.  Thanks again and have a good day. Jay       

I think we're gonna need to see some pics of that one.How bout it?

       A  L  A  N   F  R  A  K  E  S   ~  Tulsa, OK    

Thanks, Steve

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

I got the 'bird into a well recommended front end shop. The car had a tendency to hunt over about 65 mph, and worse if there were grooves in the road. And it got worse with wider tires.



We got the caster from (L to R) from 1/2 * 1* to 1 3/4 and 2 3/16.



Camber ended up at-11/16 and -3/4. This was as much as the tech wanted to go, and was the limiting factor on caster, as increasing that increased Camber.



I don't understand enough about cross camber/caster to judge his opinions, so I trusted him.



Toe is 1/16"



225/60 15 T/A, on 7" wheels with 3.5 backspace.



Just that small change made a big differece in how the car drives. Much less fussy at speed on our typical worn freeways. Much more stable settled in high speed "sweepers" also.



Thanks to all above.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ