Aligning a solid axle

[ProStreet66]

Does anyone know the easiest way to align a solid axle?

[jamesdfo]

Castor can be changed using shims (wedges), camber requires the beam to be bent using a fixture & a hydraulic jack.
These days, only some really old school shops, or big truck shops will have the gear for this.......

Here are a couple pics pillaged from April's (aka: Shipwrecked ) build thread viewtopic.php?f=32&t=28933&start=40

[shipwrecked]

i read in a shop manual somewhere that the camber should be 1* for 2wd trucks and 1.5* for 4wd.

also, caster degrees for an F100,F250 with front axle capacity is 3 degrees. King pin inclination 4 degrees.

toe in: 1/16th inch.

I don't know much about doing alignments, just what I read in the manual.

In the above picture, one shim is 1*, and the other is 2*. They were stamped right on it.

[Brucekoukalaka]

I've done a couple of these alignments and to say they are not easy is an understatement at times. Luckily I have a John Beam computerized alignment rack so I can look up all the required angles etc. That being said I have also found that the frame must be checked for square as well as making sure the bushings are all in good shape.

[Toyz]

Caster is based on a level frame. Without damaged components, the only cause of uneven caster is sagging springs; not unusual on a 50 + year old truck. Camber is an easy fix on the straight axle trucks given the correct tools. Again, though, these axles are hell-for-stout, excessive negative camber usually is due to worn components. If camber is excessive, and no worn components are identified; a check of KPI is called for. With modern wider radial tires; I would shoot for a quarter degree positive camber, although tire wear is likely to be minimal if the specified one degree is not exceeded. If setting up an axle from scratch; with power steering and today's potential highway speeds, I prefer to bring caster to as much as 5 degrees, although this may require making custom shims. Keep in mind that any rake to the frame is going to affect caster.
Paul

[didgeytrucker]

...Keep in mind that any rake to the frame is going to affect caster.
Paul

It will affect caster NEGATIVELY. It will make the caster go in a negative direction, which is bad.

Tracy

[Toyz]

I purposely avoided that statement since by common usage, "rake" can be either high in the front or high in the rear. In the early sixties, many cars had higher front stance, probably emulating gassers of the day. Today that situation is (often derogatorily) referred to as "Carolina rake", probably because it seems to be a popular mod to high-riding 4x4's in that region. Consequently, rake can affect caster in either manner.
Paul

[shipwrecked]

from the 61-63 shop manual.