problems with neg caster.

[boug58]

Hello gang
I have my 58 impala and I went for a front end alignment. The readings on the front left caster is -3.2 and the front right is -3.6. The man told me that the upper ball joint should be behind the lower ball joint , Mine are both ahead of it that is my problem. When I did my car frame off. I removed the upper control arm shafts and bushings. I sandblasted all of the control arms and shafts and installed new bushings. Could I have put the wrong upper control arm on the wrong side of the car. Can anyone please send me a good picture of the right or left side of the car without the front tire on,and take a good picture of the upper control arm. Thanks alot I,am heading for the garage , so I will check later on tonight. Thanks again.
Boug

 

[walkerheaders]

negative caster is a bad thing...........on the upper shafts, the "long end" does go toward the front of the car.

you cant get them "too wrong" or they wont fit around the steering column.

I only have a 63. i dont know if it;s the same. but i could get a pic for ya.

 

[boug58]

from boug58

My question is can I have the wrong upper a arm on the wrong side. the shafts are on the correct side,because the side for the steering column has the little bend in it . Can any one please help me out . Walkerheader thanks for the reply.

 

[raymar58409]

Also the upper control arm has a short and long side. The long side of the control arm also is towards the front of the car. I am having trouble with posting pics, but went out to the garage and looked at my 58 to be sure. Pretty sure negative caster will make it wander.

Ray

 

[Skip FIx]

Negative caster will make it wander, positive makes it track straighter by itself.

 

[boug58]

Please see if you can get pictures.

thanks for the answer. Raymar58454 if you can get some pictures of the upper control arm if would like that very much. Again I went out today and removed the wheels from my 58 impala. tomorrow I will take another look at them. If I can get the pictures that would help alot. thanks again Boug58

 

[raymar58409]

thanks for the answer. Raymar58454 if you can get some pictures of the upper control arm if would like that very much. Again I went out today and removed the wheels from my 58 impala. tomorrow I will take another look at them. If I can get the pictures that would help alot. thanks again Boug58

I'll get some pics tomorrow for you.

Ray

 

[raymar58409]

I took several pics, however they don't really show what you are looking for. I couldn't get in there. But I did notice mine needs to be aligned as it has neg caster also. Amazingly it doesn't wander. But there is room for adjustment. Did the alignment guy actually measure your caster to see if there is room for adjustment? I would think if you had the upper arms reversed you would have more than -3*.

Ray

 

[jester]

I 'm just asking, but could you have switched the lower control arm?

 

[58impala]

I would think the ball joint would not fit correctly if the upper control arm was swapped. It may be possible to install the lower arm reversed, I'm not sure. I recently replaced the bushings, upper and lower on my '58, but I marked the arms when I took them off so there were no issues to re-install. The pictures posted by Ray should clear up any questions at least with the upper arm. Notice the upper ball joint angle, that should help.

Jim