1977 Avanti II

[Gilmorea1]

I am looking for a good resource getting my Avanti II (1977) Aligned. I would like to know specifications. Where is the best place to have it checked out and aligned. I dont know if i trust just anyone with this Avanti, haha! Thank You!

[Gunslinger]

The shop manual states the alignments specs as...

toe-in 3/16" to 1/4"

caster +3/4 degrees to -3/4 degrees (0 degrees preferred)

camber 0 degrees to +1 degree (1/2 degree favored on drivers side)

I'm not sure but I believe most will recommend a slight change with radial tires. You'll have to go with your alignment guy's recommendation for that.

As far as a recommendation as to who can do it...any competent shop can do it...it's a car. If someone says "I don't know..." you don't want them. They do need allen wrenches for it...that might surprise them. If you have a shop manual, take it with you for reference.

[Avanti83]

I am looking for a good resource getting my Avanti II (1977) Aligned. I would like to know specifications. Where is the best place to have it checked out and aligned. I dont know if i trust just anyone with this Avanti, haha! Thank You!

Let me add to what Bruce said by suggesting that by you being in NJ that there should be an active Studebaker Club in your vicinity. Avanti's into the mid-80's are just neat bodies setting on Studebaker frames with SBC engines. Ask a club member whom they have had success and they can do yours also.

In my small part of the world we have an experienced shop that does trucks, cars, solid axles and about any front end variant you can name. Dave didn't even consider my 83 a challenge.

If you decide to find your own shop, find an experienced shop and ask if they have done Studebakers or 40-50's GM cars that also use a variant of the kinggpin setup.

Bruce gave you the best advice when he said to take a manual with you.

PS - If your front suspension has never been rebuilt you may hear that it needs to be done before it can be aligned. I had to rebuild mine before Dave would touch it. Parts are about $800 for a complete rebuild but are readily available. Labor, I have no idea. Hope you don't need it.

Bob

Edited May 14, 2012 by Avanti83

[WayneC]

Obviously your main concern is finding a good alignment shop that is experienced with kingpin suspensions. You might see if you can find a local old car club or a restoration shop and ask where they get old (40's and early 50's) Chevy's aligned.

I'm not certain where I got this specification information, I saved it some years ago; copied here verbatim...

Avanti 1963 - 1985 Wheel Alignment specs

----------------------------------

Adjustment at TieRods-

Toe-in: 3/16 to 1/4 inch. (This spec is for bias ply tires.

If you are using radial ply, then 1/16 to 1/8 inch) I've used almost '0' with radials for a long time, but you have to have very good tie rod ends to accommodate this or else you feel a kind of 'wander'.

Adjustment at Kingpins, upper outer pin-

Caster: (See Note 1) -3/4 degree to +3/4 degree (0' preferred)

(Negative caster will augment the 'shopping cart' wobble possibility

if your tierods are worn). Regardless of the 'Spec", which was really for ease of steering the heavy front end of Studebaker cars, it's worth your effort to get as much positive caster as possible.

Positive caster enhances your car's centering ability when you are recovering from a turn. With positive caster, the front of the car is lifted when you turn the steering wheel. Letting go of the wheel allows the car to settle and will spin the steering wheel in your hands. The more positive caster, the more centering ability… but the car will seem harder to turn.

Adjustment at Kingpins, upper outer pin-

Camber: 0 to 1 degree, with +1/2 degree more on drivers side

(Camber can be a problem on older cars. The upper inner control arm pin has an offset mount. It is usually installed with the offset toward the inside of the car, allowing an extra 2 degrees of camber. Check this if you can't get the camber correct. There is also a possibility that the bolts holding the upper inner pin in place have elongated the holes in the frame from being loose at one time. This will result in the arm being pulled outward, creating a POSITIVE camber (Leaning out at top) situation. You can have large washers welded in place to correct the positioning to get it back in line.

On the opposite side of the problem, if you have too much negative camber, (leaning in at the top) then in addition to the above, consider that the main crossmember is sagging or may be cracked. Look for cracks around the upper cup holding the spring in the frame pocket or along the top around the engine mounts. This is not unheard of, given the weight of the Studebaker engine. If this is the case and repair is undertaken, be sure the mechanic suspends the front of the car by the center of the crossmember before welding. This will spread the crossmember back closer to spec and give the needed position of the control arms.

[Gilmorea1]

Very good! Thank You! I will let you know how it goes. Hope it doesnt need much for front end parts, ive shook it down several times and never seen any big loose items...... Next step is hopefully the turner brake conversion!