Technical Wheel Alignment

[fuzzyface]

Hello all! Does anyone have the specs I'd need to give a wheel alignment shop? I'm about to put new tires (tyres, for those of you who can't spell ) on and would like to get things set up properly.

-Fuzzyface

 

[the hobbler]

Evening Ben;
Did you receive the e-mail that I sent you regarding the engine queries you had?
With regard to the wheel-alignment angles for your 500:------
Camber:----1 degree +/- 20minutes (POSITIVE--i.e. the wheels lean OUT at the top). If camber has to be adjusted, add or remove (as required) shims EQUALLY from between pivot pin and body (i.e both pivot pin bolts).
Caster:------9 degrees +/- 1 degree. Turn the wheels OUT 20 degrees and set the caster gauge to ZERO--turn the wheel IN 20 degrees and the caster angle should be as specified. Camber and caster angles are adjusted by fitting/removing shims behind the wishbone 'yoke' (or, in Fiat language, swinging arm pin). If caster angle has to be increased, move shims from rear bolt to front bolt. If Caster has to be decreased, move shims from front bolt to rear bolt.
Front wheel toe-in:---0 to 0.0787inch (0 to 2mm)---adjusted by adjusting length of track-rods.
If you have no uneven rear tyre wear, I would leave well alone--adjusting rear-wheel toe-in is a tedious affair!
The workshop manual (a genuine works Fist publication) also states that the car should have the weight of 4 normal adults in it when carrying out the wheel alignment.
Hope this is of help to you.

 

[fuzzyface]

Hi Hobbler,

I've looked in my inbox and through my spam folder and don't see anything. I'll send you a PM with my email, just to confirm....

-Fuzzyface

 

[the hobbler]

Evening Ben;
I have resent the e-mail (with attachments) that I tried to send to you at the end of March. I don't know where it got to--it didn't 'bounce back' due to incorrect e-mail address, so I assumed that you had received it. Please let me know that you have received it this time ( or don't).

 

[Bleeding Knuckles]

Evening Ben;
Did you receive the e-mail that I sent you regarding the engine queries you had?
With regard to the wheel-alignment angles for your 500:------
Camber:----1 degree +/- 20minutes (POSITIVE--i.e. the wheels lean OUT at the top). If camber has to be adjusted, add or remove (as required) shims EQUALLY from between pivot pin and body (i.e both pivot pin bolts).
Caster:------9 degrees +/- 1 degree. Turn the wheels OUT 20 degrees and set the caster gauge to ZERO--turn the wheel IN 20 degrees and the caster angle should be as specified. Camber and caster angles are adjusted by fitting/removing shims behind the wishbone 'yoke' (or, in Fiat language, swinging arm pin). If caster angle has to be increased, move shims from rear bolt to front bolt. If Caster has to be decreased, move shims from front bolt to rear bolt.
Front wheel toe-in:---0 to 0.0787inch (0 to 2mm)---adjusted by adjusting length of track-rods.
If you have no uneven rear tyre wear, I would leave well alone--adjusting rear-wheel toe-in is a tedious affair!
The workshop manual (a genuine works Fist publication) also states that the car should have the weight of 4 normal adults in it when carrying out the wheel alignment.
Hope this is of help to you.

Tom,
your figures above are noted, but what if you have (I have) a differing tyre size fitted

Ian.

 

[the hobbler]

Ian;
To a greater or lesser degree, the size of wheel/tyre makes no difference on the suspension angles. Yes, your car has different size wheels/tyres but not to the extent that you have to worry about. The toe-in and castor angles stay the same as per factory settings. You only start changing angles when the car is lowered---front camber angle is then 0 to 1 degree NEGATIVE (i.e. the wheels lean IN at the top).

 

[fiat500]

This is what I did....six entries down the page.

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/foru...hp?t=13107&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=645