...speaking of wheel alignment; anybody use Berg blue book method?

[Jim Ratto]

Anybody have good experience with toe measurements and settings using method outlined in old Berg blue book of instructions? I just set toe settings about a month ago using parallel lines/center-line of chassis method, with calipers. The Berg "way" sounds like pretty much same idea, but I'm curious how the 12' and 7' straightedges are positioned. It's mentioned the 7' is bolted to pan, is that same axis as torsion bars? Setting up parallel lines with c/l of chassis was tedious to say the least, would be ideal to mark my shop floor and be able to get car "in exact position" every time after any ride height adjustments. I'm thinking if the reference marks were "part of car" then it wouldn't matter.
thanks if you know and have any light to shed.

[Jim Ratto]

Danny Gabbard, thought you might have some insight on this sort of thing, or something similar from your days with Weslake-Gurney. 

[Dave Rosique]

Jim,

I have an old spring loaded wheel to wheel toe in gauge if you want to borrow it for a while and expirement.
Simple to use, easy to read & accurate.

~DR.
 

[Jim Ratto]

Thanks Dave! I'm actually very happy with the results of the method I used, it was just tedious as all hell. It's hard to find an alignment shop that will take a VW seriously. Too many times I've taken the car in and was really disappointed with job done. Figured I'd give it a go using the old string lines set up... real pain in the ass to setup and work around, but my car has never driven like it does now. The Berg method sounds real intriguing, just unclear of where the short and long mag plates come into play. Does your tool get the steering centered? I was going to make a trammel bar, but couldn't figure how in the hell to make sure wheels/steering box were all in straight ahead position. Thanks again,
Jim

[Dave Rosique]

Jim,

With my toe-in tool, you're on your own as far as centering the steering box.
The guy I've used for alignments since 1974 has just retired... the nerve!
I'll end up setting my own toe I guess.
Where's a good place to buy caster shims?

 

 

[Jim Ratto]

Jim,

With my toe-in tool, you're on your own as far as centering the steering box.
The guy I've used for alignments since 1974 has just retired... the nerve!
I'll end up setting my own toe I guess.
Where's a good place to buy caster shims?

We used to get them from IAP when I was @ BH. I imagine any of the good mail order guys have them.
It was tedious getting steering centered my way too... the first time I attempted it, I obviously had it wrong... the car was trying to do LH U turns @ 30mph and faster. Brought car home, had my obligatory swear session, shut the garage door and left it alone for a week, then went back at it, set all the lines back up, took measurements from 5 places on beam, rear tubes, trans, engine case... finally got it right. Forgot you need to compensate for rim diameter vs tire diameter the first time around too... ended up using calipers, set it up per Bentley, all is right with the world now.

 

[danny gabbard]

Hey Mr.Lee, I don't know if this the proper way, But I jack the front up and spin the front wheels and with silver pencel I mark a line on front tires and then with a trammel guage measure the front and rear of tire, While setting on the ground and adjust , I try to get it from 1/16 to 1/8 inch. At gurney's they bolted plates to the brake hats and adjusted caster-camber, ran through travel up and down with dial indicators checking bump steer. I only watched , most of the final assembly stuff was done by each crew cheif, There was two plus one test team group of guys. When I was there , There must have been 120 guys working. All had there own jobs. I was just a fab'y