Uneven camber per side
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Race Director
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From: WI
Uneven camber per side
When doing an alignment I found I could only get 1.2° negative camber on the passenger side but 1.8° on the drivers side. I wondered why and found a shim between the frame ear that holds the upper control arm. It is an 1/8" steel shim and it's only on the drivers side. I took the passenger side apart and found a 1/16" shim will fit in there, to get more and even max camber. I cut out a new shim and made it with bolt holes instead of slots.
I also took material off the conical spacers for more camber. Local machine shops wants $35. I turned my drill press sideways, bolted the part in, and used a hacksaw. It worked out really well!
I also took material off the conical spacers for more camber. Local machine shops wants $35. I turned my drill press sideways, bolted the part in, and used a hacksaw. It worked out really well!
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: WI
For the rear? This is for the front. I was happy to find why the camber was uneven. To bad the factory didn't put in the same shim per side.
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From: WI
Just in case anyone does this, pic:
It actually cut very well. They turned out within .05" of each other! Around 1/8" was removed. The rear spacer is extremely close to the frame ear now. I will update the thread with how much camber change this achieved. Heading for an alignment this week. Just by looking at the wheels, there is more camber!
It actually cut very well. They turned out within .05" of each other! Around 1/8" was removed. The rear spacer is extremely close to the frame ear now. I will update the thread with how much camber change this achieved. Heading for an alignment this week. Just by looking at the wheels, there is more camber!
Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: WI
I cut off almost all of the straight part on the rear spacers, not the coned side. I took an equal amount off the front spacers. The bolt tool I made shows both rear spacers in the pic, one on each side to make them fit well. It was a good idea that cost nothing and I can clearly see more camber in the wheels now.
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Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: WI
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
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From: Cherokee National Forest TN
A car will pull to the side that has the most positive camber.
The opposite is true for caster. A car will pull to the side that has the lesser ammount of caster.
1/2 degree combined pull to the left works well on the '90. IE: left front camber 1/4 degree more positive than right front. left front caster 1/4 degree less than right front.
The size of the shim stack is irrevelent within reason as long as the alignment is correct.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: San Marcos CA
I sometimes wonder how square some of these C4 frames are...like a heavy model with high spring rates that got driven with the targa removed frequently.
I recently saw a 91 where the clamshell hood was just touching the door, but the nose alignment was spot on with the body gap.
I recently saw a 91 where the clamshell hood was just touching the door, but the nose alignment was spot on with the body gap.
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Have you consider off-set LCA bushings?
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Thread Starter
Race Director
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From: WI
I did but they are $110 plus shipping compared to $0. I should get enough camber with just the spacers cut. I'll find out this week.
Edit, wasn't able to get the car aligned. The shop found the wheel bearings to worn. I brought it home and put spares on and checked the alignment myself since that was Friday and I had to run it on Monday. Looked like 2.5° camber from this mod. The car handled SO much better!!! Pretty new to DIY alignment so I'll have a shop check it at some point.
Edit, wasn't able to get the car aligned. The shop found the wheel bearings to worn. I brought it home and put spares on and checked the alignment myself since that was Friday and I had to run it on Monday. Looked like 2.5° camber from this mod. The car handled SO much better!!! Pretty new to DIY alignment so I'll have a shop check it at some point.
Last edited by Aardwolf; Jun 19, 2011 at 12:07 PM.
