[Attachment(s) from Bogy Wan Kenobi included below]
Mobius:
Thanks too much for your interest and help. I recognize the picture as I have been under my car way too many times. My cams are as far to the inside as they can get - both cams on both sides. They are both is the same position on each side of both bolts. We can't pull the bottom in any further.
BUT
I'm told (by the independent shops) that by replacing the upper bushings I might be able to push the top back out to it's original position thus allowing the bottom to also be pushed out thus putting the camber adjuster back into the adjustment range. I'm hoping that will work.
That said I have learned my lesson about franchise shops - avoid them like the plague. Their guy knew absolutely nothing about the upper end of the suspension. It absolutely boggles my mind to think that someone could see the adjustment limits have been hit and not ask themselves what else could be wrong to cause this. He has obviously never worked on anything but the adjustments or he would at least have a clue.
On another note - it took me some time after owning this car to realize that the arm that holds the upper "ball joint" of each tire is actually also the sway bar and that it travels along the firewall from side to side and is the rod I see behind the engine. I thought it genius that the engineers got double duty out of one part in this fashion. Sadly, that part, what ever it is called, is in better condition on my parts car than the one on my driver. I realize that it will take some work to swap them. But it may be necessary as mine has rusted down to nearly just enough steel to hold the retaining bolt at the top end that holds the upper bushings. Are these parts interchangeable or are they sized for and fit to the car they are installed in?
Thanks for all your advice.
Bogy.
On Friday, June 20, 2014 10:01 PM, "mobius mobius@mainestream.us [diesel_mercedes]" <diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
[Attachment(s) from mobius included below]
Bogy,
Here's a picture of the lower control arm camber adjustment from the manual. The car in the picture is adjusted to maximum negative camber. If you loosen the nut and turn the bolt, the washer, which is keyed to the bolt by a flat spot, will cam around, sliding the bolt toward the center of the car in a slot in the frame. That will make the camber more positive. What happens with this set up, is the flat in the washer hole strips out, especially if a monkey is driving the wrench.
It's easy enough to replace the bolt. You just have to have enough jacking equipment to control the weight so you can align the holes. There isn't much that can be done to give you more in either direction, as it's limited by the slot in the frame.
Take a look at yours. Take a picture if you want, but see where it's set. Also look to see that the washers on both ends of the bolt are in the same orientation (not stripped). I imagine it's stripped which is how they managed to give it more negative camber instead of less. Or they stripped it trying to adjust it with the weight of a tank on it. Don't buy cheap bolts (JCWhitney) or they'll just strip right out.
As far as the pull. They call it that because it pulls the steering wheel in your hand but what actually happens is the side with more positive castor will push the car to the other side. They should be very close but higher on the right side to push you up the crown of the road. If you mostly do highway and the roads are flat, I would set them even for handling.
I haven't looked under my car yet to see what the setup is beyond checking for looseness, but I will when I get a chance
On further study, the rear IS toed in, just not enough. At highway speed it would probably toe out a little. Which is why it's got the red 'out of spec' flag.
I think I got that all straight, but it's been about 15 yrs and I'm a little rusty.
Bogy,
Here's a picture of the lower control arm camber adjustment from the manual. The car in the picture is adjusted to maximum negative camber. If you loosen the nut and turn the bolt, the washer, which is keyed to the bolt by a flat spot, will cam around, sliding the bolt toward the center of the car in a slot in the frame. That will make the camber more positive. What happens with this set up, is the flat in the washer hole strips out, especially if a monkey is driving the wrench.
It's easy enough to replace the bolt. You just have to have enough jacking equipment to control the weight so you can align the holes. There isn't much that can be done to give you more in either direction, as it's limited by the slot in the frame.
Take a look at yours. Take a picture if you want, but see where it's set. Also look to see that the washers on both ends of the bolt are in the same orientation (not stripped). I imagine it's stripped which is how they managed to give it more negative camber instead of less. Or they stripped it trying to adjust it with the weight of a tank on it. Don't buy cheap bolts (JCWhitney) or they'll just strip right out.
As far as the pull. They call it that because it pulls the steering wheel in your hand but what actually happens is the side with more positive castor will push the car to the other side. They should be very close but higher on the right side to push you up the crown of the road. If you mostly do highway and the roads are flat, I would set them even for handling.
I haven't looked under my car yet to see what the setup is beyond checking for looseness, but I will when I get a chance
On further study, the rear IS toed in, just not enough. At highway speed it would probably toe out a little. Which is why it's got the red 'out of spec' flag.
I think I got that all straight, but it's been about 15 yrs and I'm a little rusty.
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