Re: torsion bar issues? (UPDATED)
[Re: 68HemiB]
#68950
06/13/08 04:48 PM
06/13/08 04:48 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,037 hi
sharpie
OP
Moparts Linguist
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OP
Moparts Linguist
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,037
hi
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Seriously, thank you for the response. The only bushings that were replaced were the upper control arms. I tightened the bolts prior to adjustment, but it seemed like the arms were able to move?
My question is with camber adjustment. I understand there's cams on the bolts, but I don't really understand how they work, can anyone clarify that to me?
I didn't do any work on the lowers, other than jacking them up while under no load to get the upper ball joint stud into the spindle hole, so I don't think anything's been loosened/tightened there.
Finally, I'll take pictures of my shocks tonight. They're definitely old, but don't look bent, and I can't tell whether they're gas charged or not.
Thanks for the help though!
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Re: torsion bar issues? (UPDATED)
[Re: sharpie]
#68951
06/13/08 05:20 PM
06/13/08 05:20 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,312 SoCal
68HemiB
master
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master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 9,312
SoCal
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It wouldn't hurt to loosen the eccentrics a bit and then bounce. It will be necessary to do so if you're going to mess with camber.
There is also some eye-of-the-beholder going on about how easily your car stays at a given height. Bouncing statically is one thing, driving down the road is another (and a much better way to establish where your car "wants" to be). Don't sweat the stays issue - just crank the bars some more.
As for camber...
On a simplistic level, your car steers by pivoting the steering knuckle about an imaginary line that passes through the upper and lower ball joints. The angle that this imaginary line is out [or in] from pure vertical is camber. Out at the top of the wheel is positive camber; in is negative. If you are going for the home-alignment-before-driving-to-the-shop method, be satisfied with getting it vertical, and don't fret about nuances.
The amount the same imaginary line is back (or forward) from pure vertical is caster. Back at the top is positive; forward is negative. Forget doing this at home. Alignment mechanics "measure" this by inferring the angle from a change in camber as the tire swings through a set number of degrees of turn. Confused? Don't sweat it. Worry about camber and be done.
Both camber and caster get adjusted at the same time by messing with the eccentrics at the UCA bushings. If you adjust only one of them, you will change both caster and camber at the same time (imagine where the upper ball joint is moving in space relative to the lower ball joint). To adjust one angle without significantly changing the other, one must move BOTH eccentrics. Going the same amount in the same direction messes with camber, while leaving caster relatively unchanged. Going the same amount, but in opposite directions adjusts caster while steering clear [again, he goes with the puns] of camber changes.
Down to just a blue car now.
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Re: torsion bar issues? (UPDATED)
[Re: demon440]
#68953
06/15/08 12:25 PM
06/15/08 12:25 PM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,037 hi
sharpie
OP
Moparts Linguist
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OP
Moparts Linguist
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,037
hi
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Re: torsion bar issues? (UPDATED)
[Re: west]
#68955
06/15/08 01:44 PM
06/15/08 01:44 PM
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Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 614 Id
mopeman
mopar
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mopar
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 614
Id
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When I adjusted my bars, the bolt head is inside the lower control arm by a 1 inch or so.
Mopar or no car MoPar=Massivly Over Powered And Respected!
'93 W250 Ram '68 Charger '67 Coronet 500 my steet/strip rod-now a 6BBL!
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Re: torsion bar issues? (UPDATED)
[Re: mopeman]
#68956
06/17/08 01:15 AM
06/17/08 01:15 AM
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Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 5,037 hi
sharpie
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Another update: I corrected the toe-in as best I could (with a measuring tape and a level), and while I was fixing that, I went ahead and loosened the cam bolts on the drivers side upper control arm. Well, low and behold, I brought it down when I was finished and the camber was corrected. I have slight positive camber now, but I drove it around and the tires dont howl. What's more is that I may have fixed my torsion bar issues! When I brought it down, the car was at the upper height again. I thought, okay, now I have to push it down. Well, I couldn't. Not only that, but the suspension was MUCH more rebounding than normal. I took it around the block and when I came back, the suspension hadn't sagged. I drove it again today with the same results. I did, however, notice one problem I think: These are Wilwood front fixed calipers, so there shouldn't be this much drag on the rotor, right? For reference, each of the four piston sticks out about 1/8", and I checked that there was no pressure from the master cylinder. It looks like the cups are stuck in the out position.
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