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Alignment Specs for all ACVWs
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dan macmillan
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PostPosted: Tue Jun 15, 2010 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JasonBaker wrote:
Dan, I was told that I needed a stobe alignment on my 73 super. Is this correct?


Never in my years have I heard of a STOBE alognment. You need a total 4 wheel alignment.
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JasonBaker
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Opps I meant "strobe aligned" Anyway it sounds like someone blew smoke up my butt. That's why I wanted to ask you specifically. A guy @ firestone in chattanooga, tn told me that. I called firestone because I saw where someone used firestone for a lifetime alignment at a set rate. I am in the process of a complete front end rebuild less steering box, but including camber+ kit from topline and maxx strut and will need the alignment afterwards. I think after the springs settle and bushings seat I will need to re-check the alignment.

I can't find anyone locally to align the damn thing. They only want to adjust toe-in.

Thanks for the reply.
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dan macmillan
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 7:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

JasonBaker wrote:
Opps I meant "strobe aligned" Anyway it sounds like someone blew smoke up my butt. That's why I wanted to ask you specifically. A guy @ firestone in chattanooga, tn told me that. I called firestone because I saw where someone used firestone for a lifetime alignment at a set rate. I am in the process of a complete front end rebuild less steering box, but including camber+ kit from topline and maxx strut and will need the alignment afterwards. I think after the springs settle and bushings seat I will need to re-check the alignment.

I can't find anyone locally to align the damn thing. They only want to adjust toe-in.

Thanks for the reply.

Any shop with a modern computerized aligner can do a total 4 wheel alignment. In fact if they are able to set toe without using a measuring tape they can do an alignment. THe fact that you are installing the camber kit will make it even easier for them to do it. I recommend you get the toe close with a measuring tape {1/8 inch closer at the front of the wheels than at the back of the front wheels} and drive it for a few days to help the springs settle. Also make sure you free up and clean the threads on the tie rods to make adjustment easy and save you dollars at the alignment shop.

Most important...GET A BEFORE AND AFTER PRINTOUT OF THE ALIGNMENT SETTINGS.
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JasonBaker
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PostPosted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 11:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I will ask for the "before and after", I have seen you recommend that others.

I completely stripped, primed, painted and used thread cleaning taps on the tie-rod's(everything else too). Control arms looked awful, even painted them(I know that's a waste of time, but I was waiting for parts to come in) New ball joints and tie-rods end all the way around. In fact I need to pick up another center tie-rod from a locall vw shop. The first one just didn't fit in the pitman arm and the idler arm correctly. At first, I thought it was because I changed over to the metal idler arm bushing and used the hack saw and bench vice method for installation and removal. But the old center tie-rod wiggles a little, but fit right in. I would've had to force it in, so I took it back. Angle looked funny.

Anyway
Thanks again
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cookrw
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 07, 2011 6:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, if alignment should not be set (or is useless) if the ride height is not correct, are all of us with sagging rear ends on our Supers out of luck?
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 12:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Does anyone know if the front wheel toe-in specs provided in the Hunter documentation at the beginning of this thread (for the Type 1 1960 thru 1968 cars) are also applicable to a 1957 sedan/Beetle?

I think the toe-in spec for the earlier cars may be a little less, perhaps on the order of 1 to 3 MM, but I am not sure of this.

Thanks,

Bruce
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VOLKSWAGNUT
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 12:57 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bruce Berman wrote:
Does anyone know if the front wheel toe-in specs provided in the Hunter documentation at the beginning of this thread (for the Type 1 1960 thru 1968 cars) are also applicable to a 1957 sedan/Beetle?

I think the toe-in spec for the earlier cars may be a little less, perhaps on the order of 1 to 3 MM, but I am not sure of this.

Thanks,

Bruce


Note increase change of Front Toe spec at chassis 1673351 (Oct 1957)
In reality.. a spec change and difference of 1.2-1.3 mm.... (10' angular minutes) is not going to make any real world of difference on most roads in these ole' tin beaters

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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Bruce Berman
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

VOLKSWAGNUT wrote:
Bruce Berman wrote:
Does anyone know if the front wheel toe-in specs provided in the Hunter documentation at the beginning of this thread (for the Type 1 1960 thru 1968 cars) are also applicable to a 1957 sedan/Beetle?

I think the toe-in spec for the earlier cars may be a little less, perhaps on the order of 1 to 3 MM, but I am not sure of this.

Thanks,

Bruce


Note increase change of Front Toe spec at chassis 1673351 (Oct 1957)
In reality.. a spec change and difference of 1.2-1.3 mm.... (10' angular minutes) is not going to make any real world of difference on most roads in these ole' tin beaters

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Wow, thanks very much for this information! You can't beat the original data from the VW factory for accuracy when it comes to this kind of thing.

Bruce
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Bruce Berman
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 1:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

VOLKSWAGNUT wrote:
Bruce Berman wrote:
Does anyone know if the front wheel toe-in specs provided in the Hunter documentation at the beginning of this thread (for the Type 1 1960 thru 1968 cars) are also applicable to a 1957 sedan/Beetle?

I think the toe-in spec for the earlier cars may be a little less, perhaps on the order of 1 to 3 MM, but I am not sure of this.

Thanks,

Bruce


Note increase change of Front Toe spec at chassis 1673351 (Oct 1957)
In reality.. a spec change and difference of 1.2-1.3 mm.... (10' angular minutes) is not going to make any real world of difference on most roads in these ole' tin beaters

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I guess that if I present these toe-in specs for my car to the front-end alignment shop with their computerized wheel alignment equipment, they can align the front end properly?

I ask this as the factory alignment method entails the use of a special measuring bar, for measuring the front of the tire and the rear of the tire distances between the opposing tire, which when set to the spec, corresponds to the correct amount of toe-in. Then again, that was probably the only available procedure for adjusting toe-in, as there was no modern computerized wheel alignment equipment back in the 1950s.

Bruce
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 28, 2015 2:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its a Volkswagen.. Not anything vehicularly exotic.. Laughing

A modern alignment "machine" is more than adequate...

For that matter.. a plumb bob, a level, and a tape measure.. is more than adequate for an air cooled VW..

If an alignment shop cant align a Vw... they have no business in the alignment business... Laughing


.
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Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
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Molly1973
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 29, 2015 7:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is a great resource! Thank you Dan!
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daveark
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 8:22 am    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

This gift keeps on giving. National Tire & Battery specs now stop at 1980. At least they do for my local shop.

My '78 Bus thanks you. I thank you!
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 02, 2016 3:04 pm    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

Its easy to punch any vehicle specs into most modern alignment machines.
I have my own saved resource library I've stored on ours I access. If its not listed... I create my own..

The problem.. most tire shop techs.. only know... on and off.. and in the red or in the green. Laughing

.
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aka Ken {o\!/o}
Its your vehicle- stop askin' for approval-do what YOU like for cryin' out loud
Better to roll em' how you want and wear em' out-than lettin' em' rot out
Its about the going not the showing
Rebuilt to drive not decorate
WANTED: Local Eatin' Joints, Triple D for TheSamba contributions here http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=570510
Search "VOLKSWAGNUT" on YouTube since you cant watch a "certain" BELT change video round here
Usually and often edited
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Gristle808
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 01, 2017 2:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

This thread not only helped me but also teached me somthin... LOL Wink
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 02, 2017 1:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

Thanks, am going through this at the moment, very useful.
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PostPosted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:08 am    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

The last time I took my machine in for a "professional" alignment was back in 1997, right before the first of many cross-country roadtrips. I watched the guy put the car on the rack, hook up the machine, look in vain for the specs in the computer, take the car back off the rack without turning a single nut or bolt, and go for a spin around the block. When he came back he said, "Yep, alignment's good." And then he charged me $25. So now I do my own 4-wheel alignments with a string line, plumb bob, angle gauge and tape measure, and it never ceases to amaze me how simple it is to do.

For what it's worth, if anybody wants to have an idea of what the SAI and scrub radius of a late model, Type 1 standard Beetle is, here is a little illustration of the current specs on my machine:
Note 1: I use the terms "scrub angle" and "scrub area" for Steering Axis Inclination and Scrub Radius, which might not be technically correct, but there you go.
Note 2: I have drop-spindles with a disc brake conversion, which kicks the track width out by about a quarter inch per wheel, the wheels are about one inch smaller in diameter than stock (24" as opposed to 25"), and I also have the front camber adjusted for max negative, all of which will affect SAI and scrub radius accordingly.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Fri Mar 03, 2017 10:35 am    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

Floating VW wrote:
The last time I took my machine in for a "professional" alignment was back in 1997, right before the first of many cross-country roadtrips. I watched the guy put the car on the rack, hook up the machine, look in vain for the specs in the computer, take the car back off the rack without turning a single nut or bolt, and go for a spin around the block. When he came back he said, "Yep, alignment's good." And then he charged me $25. So now I do my own 4-wheel alignments with a string line, plumb bob, angle gauge and tape measure, and it never ceases to amaze me how simple it is to do.



Agree, I just did this as well.
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 07, 2017 8:09 am    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

Thank you for this info
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PostPosted: Tue Jan 22, 2019 12:26 am    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

Cool good info
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PostPosted: Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:38 am    Post subject: Re: Alignment Specs for all ACVWs Reply with quote

Does anybody have the original pics to re-upload them?
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