camber adjustment??? help

[blulite]

Not sure if this is the right section to post this but hay ho...

so twice now I've taken my 98 to have the wheel alignment and cambre adjusted. Both times I've been told they can't do it.

Firstly I was told I needed new track rod ends.. which I've now done. at the same time they pointed to my bottom arm bolts (stating theyre the cambre bolts) and said they look stuck and would need to be freed before sorting it.

fast forward a couple of weeks and I discover the cambre bolts are on the upper wishbone... not the lower.

so today I take it back and the guys searching for the cambre bolts... so I point to them on the upper wishbone and he comes back to me with "my computer says it needs shims and stuff!)

Anyway, I Google how to adjust and discovered that there's just a couple of adjuster bolts on the upper arm. I showed the guy and he then says he can't do it because he would need the wheel off and his machines laser target thingy won't be able to be mounted with the wheel off...

am I missing something here??? or is this guy a complete and utter retard???

 

[swshawaii]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=201860

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2268137
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=191742

 

[blulite]

Thanks, from what I've seen and if I recall correctly, I have 1 piece upper arms, does this mean they can be adjusted without buying new cambre shim kits?

 

[rb142]

You need the camber bolts if you don't already have them. Then you need an alignment guy that has an idea how to do his job. No shims are needed, and it can be done on the car just fine. He just doesn't know what he is doing.

 

[blulite]

so each time the cambre needs to be adjusted, the bolts have to be replaced?

 

[Ilikemice]

If you put on the circular adjustment "shims" (The proper term fails me), you can have them adjusted and readjusted by a decent shop. I'm sure I pointed them out on the green Explorer when you came over, but they replace the stock unadjustable square shaped parts that go on the upper arms.

I think the two-piece upper arm on one side can be adjusted for camber which might be what they were referring to when they said they couldn't do it with the wheel on. It's likely easier just to buy two sets of bolts/"shims" and do both sides. I think there's a huge thread about them which I posted pics to aid UK drivers in what might get in the way when changing them in a RHD vehicle. I can dig out the pics if necessary.

This might also help explain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsizWChLOQw

 

[Turdle]

so each time the cambre needs to be adjusted, the bolts have to be replaced?

No
The problem is the stock adjusters do not allow for enough adjustment.

 

[blulite]

If you put on the circular adjustment "shims" (The proper term fails me), you can have them adjusted and readjusted by a decent shop. I'm sure I pointed them out on the green Explorer when you came over, but they replace the stock unadjustable square shaped parts that go on the upper arms.

I think the two-piece upper arm on one side can be adjusted for camber which might be what they were referring to when they said they couldn't do it with the wheel on. It's likely easier just to buy two sets of bolts/"shims" and do both sides. I think there's a huge thread about them which I posted pics to aid UK drivers in what might get in the way when changing them in a RHD vehicle. I can dig out the pics if necessary.

This might also help explain: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OsizWChLOQw

thanks rob, I can see on my vehicle that they have round adjusters. The issue I'm having now is that I can only get one nut loose and even if I get them both loose, I can't figure out how I'm going to get my wrenches in to turn the adjusters... there's all.kinds in the way.

 

[Ilikemice]

Strange. I remember being able to move them with the wheel off and get a rough alignment done so I could take it to the garage. They didn't have a problem aligning them when I dropped it off though. I'm not sure what tools they used or if they removed the wheel but I left it with them and it was their problem

Might not be ideal due to the distance involved but I can give you the contact details of the place that did mine if you're struggling to find somewhere that co-operates

 

[swshawaii]

Definitely not easy to access those camber bolts and nuts with the tire on and regular tools. IIRC I used a "combination" of 21mm long and short sockets with extensions. Also despite the 98 ft/lb. torque spec
and the nuts are still known to loosen. Happened to me twice so I used Loctite after they were dialed in.

Here's a couple variations of the special 21mm wrench most shops use.

http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-41600-C...p/B000VHXDKQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8

http://www.amazon.com/OTC-7829-Caster-Camber-Adjusting/dp/B000I1FD6C