[Richard]

Bill,

Based on my extremely poor results with standard truck alignment places, I would agree with the others. Save yourself some time and money, have Newell do it the next time you are there. If your fronts don't show abnormal wear patterns and you can drive it then no need for a special trip.

You do bring up a different topic that Russ White and I have discussed off line. What is good? How does that drive? Many have only driven their coach, and it's hard to compare subtle steering characteristics based on another's description of how it drives.

I would say that I am completely OCD about the steering characteristics of not only the coach but all my cars too. I have somehow finagled drives in 6 Newells and 5 Prevosts over the last five years and although it is difficult to do A to B comparisons with any thing but a back to back drive, I think I have developed a feel for what it should drive like.

Coach 390, that is owned by Airplaneguy now, was in the sweet spot. Our current coach, 512 is now in the sweet spot after replacing drag link ends and tie rod ends. I am not saying this to brag. Please don't take it that way. I am saying that 512 is the best driving coach I have driven. I am not claiming in any way that it's the best driving coach out there. Anytime we are together, any of the Gurus are welcome to drive the coach for comparative purposes. I sincerely make that offer. It is extremely easy to talk yourself into thinking there is problem when there isn't. I am the world champion at that.

While I am on the topic, I have to tell on OCD self about my alignment fetish. I had 390 aligned four times in Fort Worth. I was not happy with any of them. In fact some of the alignment shops turned it into a evil beast. I finally spent a whole day on a flat concrete slab with levels, string, lasers, and my calculator. I was happy when I was finished with the way it drove, but I was not completely confident in my redneck approach. So.............I took it to Newell. 600 dollars and a day on the rack later, and the tech says " I ain't touchin it. It's on the money. The only thing that isn't dead perfect center is you have a 0.06 degree thrust angle on the rear axle to the right" I pulled out my notebook, and showed him my numbers which indicated a 0.06 degree angle to the right. He just stood and stared at me when I told him I did it with a piece of string. Rhonda had big fun at my expense. She asked me if there was a less expensive alternative to having someone follow up behind me.

The point is that alignment is not rocket surgery. However, few truck alignment shops see IFS front ends like Newell uses. Setting the toe is pretty easy, but if the caster or camber needs adjustment, it is not something most will know how to do.

This thread spent some time talking about degrees and inches as measures of toe in. Degrees is a far more accurate way of setting toe. Inches or millimeters is left over from the old days of using a trammel bar to set toe.

Ok, I'll shut up now. Too much coffee on Sunday morning is my excuse for the discourse.