sleeperstyle

as the title states (i tried to edit the spelling but this forum does not allow the title to be edited) , i have exhausted all options in effort to get more negative camber on my drivers side rear.

i have the pfadt camber kit, the shim that pushes the bolt farthest outward is in there now and i have -1.0 on the left side.. the right side still has the concentric bolt in it (for now) and i have a bunch more adjustment, i can probably get -1.5 degrees on that side without adding the pfadt plates.

this c5 was in an accident, i bought it "rebuilt" and have replaced a few suspension components on that side like the upper and lower control arm, and wheel bearing. i believe it slid up a curb pushing that wheel into the car (positive camber).

the thrust angle is perfect, everything else seems fine besides this damn one wheel/corner!

i had the car on a lift, loosened the cradle bolts and attempted to pry it over to the side that i want the camber in. i could not get anything out of it, although i am thinking this is my last and only option to try and get the cradle over a little bit more.... OR does anybody make an offset bushing or has anybody made an offset bushing for the lca?

i am doing full bushings on it next month, installing the entire camber kit and hopefully doing a final alignment... if i can get this issue sorted out


any help is appreciated

Solofast

Ovalize the hole that the cradle pin fits into to move the cradle. Common problem with these cars. Relatively easy fix.

sleeperstyle

would that involve removing/ dropping the cradle? i had started reading about the rear cradle alignment but only read one post about actually elongating the holes, can't seem to find it right now. most can pry it over and it's good.

Solofast

Yup, drop the cradle some, doesn't require a lot, get out Dr. Diegrinder and fix it then get it aligned, done.

taken19

Try again to pry it over. If that doesn't work, you will have to lower the cradle enough to clear the mounting bolt and use a dremmel tool or similar.

I'm surprised its still so biased to one side with the camber kit and a cradle adjustment.

sleeperstyle

thanks! after this weekend i will be dropping the cradle enough to get to the pins and make some metal fly. i read that it is possible without completely removing the cradle but not to drop it too much as the engine will hit the firewall (!).

i will get under there and try and pry it over again like mentioned, but if there is no noticeable movement i am gonna start grinding. i would like to have the option of -2 in the rears maxed out...

i read that knocking the pins out/ grinding them all the way off, getting it aligned, and re-pinning the cradle is another option. my car seems pretty far out, this may be what i end up doing, put equal shims in both sides and take it to the alignment place.. adjust the cradle till i get is somewhat equal side to side.

AU N EGL

is your car lowered?

that could prevent the needed camber too.

Z06trackman

I was not able to pry mine. I had to 1) loosen the spring and 2) beat the crap out of it with a very big sledge on a 2.5' handle (against a 4x4" wood block so I could swing outside of the car. Even then it took a bunch of whacks. Scribe the cradle against the frame so that you can see how much movement you get. I got 1/8" and was very happy.

trackboss

For those of you shifting the cradle, are you supporting the transmission/rearend and removing the mount to allow the cradle more freedom?

sleeperstyle

just on stock bolts, as low as they go front and rear. if it is as easy as RAISING the rear i'll fall over! as i said the other side has more than enough adjustment on the stock concentric bolt so i am thinking it is the cradle alignment.

i will also try loosening the spring bushing mount bolts and beating the cradle, at this point 1/8" might be enough.

good advice here everybody, i appreciate it..

sleeperstyle

Figured I would update, I got under the car yesterday and started trying to move the rear cradle again- I just could not get it over any farther..

With the very limited space for a die grinder or dremel- I decided to knock the dowels out. I used a large punch and a hammer, loosened the cradle bolts all the way, pulled the cradle down and wedged another punch ( sideways) between the cradle and the frame to hold them apart.

Once both dowels were out I got the cradle over about 1/8 to 1/4 inch, going to hopefully get it aligned tomorrow. The dowels are now sitting in the Frame on top of the cradle, thinking I will put some permatex in the hole so they don't rattle around. I hope this will be at least -1.5* but I would rather have the availability for -2.. We will see, thanks again everybody for the help

sleeperstyle

I did not do this, I do not think it will matter if the dowels hit the frame. I loosened the mount bolts on the bottom of the subframe but they didn't seem to be slotted and nothing moved

JDIllon

Have you checked to see if there is any movement left in the slot that lines up with the hole in the lower control arm? If there is, that would allow you to move the lower arm out further with a different shim. Also do you know that Pfadt makes excentric pins in there poly bushing kits that have one side ground to move the upper arms in and out??? JD

sleeperstyle

i am using the smallest/ most negative camber pfadt shim. i guess i could grind the slot and make my own shims, also i would have to machine out the slotted part of the subframe that the shim locks into. seems like a pita compared to moving the subframe over

in the pfadt bushing kit, which i have along with the camber kit ( both sitting in the garage, both not on the car yet ) i believe you are referring to the front upper c a bushings/ pins that can be flipped. the bushing kit does nothing for the rear that i am aware of.

froggy47

I don't know anyone that runs -2.0 neg in the rear, not that you can't if that's what you want. I run -1.6 on mine with the kit. Max I could get is maybe -1.7 without messing with the kit or grinding etc.

sleeperstyle

i just got back from the alignment place, i arrived with -1.7 on the problem side, which is my max adjustment and i am fine with that since i doubt i will need more than that. i switched to a shim one number lower and got -1.3... left it there, re aligned the rest of the car and good to go!

i might drill/tap a hole in the subframe through the frame and thread a bolt through it to help hold the subframe alignment, although i don't think it would ever move besides the case of an accident.

knocking the dowels out= 20 minutes of my time, only because the passenger side was stubborn. i recommend this to anybody having the problem i had, many have luck grinding on them but i found knocking them out of the subframe to be pretty easy.