Front suspension worn out or just need alignment?...

[UH60L]

One area I'm not too knowledgeable on my car is the front suspension.  Last couple times I had my '68 out of the garage, I noticed looking from the front of the car, it appears that one or both of the front wheels are tilted in at the top and out at the bottom.

What I mean is, not just a little bit, but like 10 - 15 degrees.  I noticed it seems to pull slightly to the right as well, which is also a recent development.

I bought 4 new shocks and new leaf springs, but have only installed the front shocks so far.  (That was last year, haven't had the "get up and go" to do the springs yet)

Do I just need an alignment or is something wearing out / coming apart? 

[John_Kunkel]

Only a visual inspection will tell if it's worn parts or an alignment problem. Usually, if the rubber bushings are worn enough to cause a camber problem, it will show up on a visual inspection; especially if it's a "recent development".

[UH60L]

It's definitely a recent thing.  I don't get to drive the car nearly as much as I'd like, but the last few times I drove it was when I noticed it looked funny.  (a couple car shows last summer and a few times just going for a neighborhood cruise the last couple months)


My car is a mutt.  It was originally a 318 car, but sometime back the '80s someone dropped a 440/727b into it.  From what I can tell it's still got mostly the original suspension and steering components (manual steering and brakes too).  Would not upgrading the torsion bars cause issues?  I was told by an older/experienced MOPAR guy to "drive it and see how it handles, and if it doesn't try to pull 180 every time you stop, your probably ok".  It always seems to handle and drive ok to me...  as much so as a big old car with no power steering or power brakes could, I figured...

[birdsandbees]

Possibly a lower control arm bushing that the rubber bit the dust, moving your pivot shaft off center by up to 1/2".

[Kern Dog]

"What I mean is, not just a little bit, but like 10 - 15 degrees." 

Are you sure of that number? What you are talking about is negative camber. Some is good.
This car has 15 degrees of negative camber:

[Kern Dog]

This car has .75, not even a full degree of Negative camber:

[HPP]

Do I just need an alignment or is something wearing out / coming apart? 

Yes. Probably on both accounts. For something to truly go 15* out (see Kerndog's post), something broke. For a 2-3* movement (which can be visibly seen as a tilt), something wore out or loosened up.

You can always take it in for alignment and if something is wrong, they will refuse to do it and tell you it needs a rebuild, then can you decide how to proceed on the rebuild effort.

[c00nhunterjoe]

Negative 1.2 camber static, 0 unloaded

[Mike DC]

          
Severe camber change during (front end) suspension travel:

[Kern Dog]

That sure looks like a LOT of fun!

[Mike DC]

 
Yeah it does. 

I didn't realize that GIF animation was gonna take so long to load the first time.  Shoulda looked for something more compact.   

[darbgnik]

I have the suspension on my Viper set up exclusively for the road course. -1.6 degrees of camber in the rear, and -2.6 degrees of camber in the front, zero toe. Anything less on the front and I get severely uneven wear.

-2.6 degrees of camber is very easy to see with the naked eye....