best way to adjust camber/caster?

[yayoboy]

as title, went and had my tracking done tosay, and found that due to the coilovers, my camber is negative 2 degrees, and also my caster is 1/2" difference either side. everything looks straight ie tie bars, arms etc. whats the best way to resolve this so i can get some adjustment? adjustable top mounts, camber bolts or both? any advice appriciated, thanks, sean

[Nova_Tek]

IIRC for camber you can drill elongated holes on the top mount (front suspension) or you can buy camber adjustment bolts. With the bolts you need to make sure you buy ones that can adjust upto 3 degrees if yours is out by 2. Some only adjust up to 1.75deg IIRC

[mowgli]

if caster is 1/2" or 12.5mm out, then the shell is bent.

i assume the bushes are ok

[Nova_Tek]

Are you sure that your caster is out? Had a garage tell me that my castor was 'way out' after I had my track rod ends changed. Turns out they were totally wrong when I took it to another garage. Castor cannot be adjusted on the Nova.

[mowgli]

those eccentric top mount things will do both castor & camber adjustment

usually, it is the bottom arm being bent that knocks everything out

[yayoboy]

the bushes are brand new, flow flexs, and to be honest, the place where i took it where pretty on the ball with proper up to date equipment, on the pass side, theres roughly 2 inches from the tyre to the wing, if you imagine your going across the horizontal center line of the wheel, on the drivers side theres roughly 2 1/2 inches, as said, the arms didnt look damaged in any way when i took them off to be powder coated/replace the bushes. nor did the tie bars, could it be the hub, or has my car had a ding by a previous owner, cause ive never dinged it in the 11 years ive had it?!?

[Nova_Tek]

The place that told me mine were 'out', were the place I went to for the past 4 years and they too used upto date equipment. They were the ones that fitted my shocks and springs then tracked it and said it was fine. 6 Months down the line with no accidents/bumps they tell me it's out. Took it to another place and there was nothing wrong.

I'd first go take it to another reputable place to get the tracking checked. If it turns out the same then you can think about getting it sorted.

[mowgli]

you need to get it properly checked, ie wheelbase front to rear on both sides, front end measurements, bazil has a drawing with the sizes on, you need to be checking the front tiebar mounting points too

[yayoboy]

point taken, but as said, the measurements taken seem to tie up with what they are saying, i know the wings could be fitted differently either side, but they arent that much out? man, just as everything seems to be going right this happens, it will be my luck something chassis wise is fooked!

[yayoboy]

you need to get it properly checked, ie wheelbase front to rear on both sides, front end measurements, bazil has a drawing with the sizes on, you need to be checking the front tiebar mounting points too

well they did me about five print offs and im sure they said everything was sound with the front to back measurements, ill scan them later and you can have a look

[Southie]

http://i790.photobucket.com/albums/yy181/Bazil_2468/novagsisep2000001.jpg

[yayoboy]

nice one southie, aint looking forward to measuring though, i know what my lucks like....

[Southie]

Does sound an odd one. What make of coilovers have you bought? Do you have any adjustment on them or are they a fixed setup?
How much have you lowered it by?
You can get camber adjustment bolts from LMF as mentioned but it does sound a long way out. Here's the link >>> https://www.lmfvauxhall.co.uk/store/product.php?productid=16680%7D&cat=342&page=

[yayoboy]

thanks southie, i know of the lmf camber bolts. right my coilovers are brand new gaz allround, ive lowered it by approximately 80mm
geometry report:
left right
camber: -1.41 camber: -1.57 (tolerance on report 0.45 to -0.45)
caster: -1.14 caster: 0.11 (tolerance on report 0.45 to 2.45)

toe and all rear geometry is well in spec

the following is also on the report which they said was fine but here it is:

front setback: -0.29
wheelbase difference: 0.14
rear setback: -0.15
lateral offset: -0.19 -0.33
track width difference: -0.52
axle offset: -0.07

[Angus Closier]

Are you using the origional top mounts from the car or new adjustable ones?? somone told me that if you use the origional rubber ones they can pull the camber and castor way out? espesial if they are worn?

[yayoboy]

they are the originals mate, they dont look that worn, but i stated earlier on in the thread about the possibility of going for adjustable top mounts, as i had my coilovers machined to suit them , knowing i would probably have camber issues, but not caster....

[adam c]

Are your rear coilovers level?because if one side is higher than the other at the rear that will give unequal caster.

[novaxe235]

Is it actually causing you a problem ? does the car drive OK ? . Eccentric top mounts could sort your problem.

[Angus Closier]

sounds silly and im sure you have checked but tyre pressures weight is all the same all round? ie no big weights at the back or to one side?

[Southie]

sounds silly and im sure you have checked but tyre pressures weight is all the same all round? ie no big weights at the back or to one side?
Yes that's silly as the car is checked in mid air lol

[yayoboy]

ok, silly suff, dont mention, its all fine. all coilovers are set t same height, did find though that the top nuts on the front struts werent fully tightened, so the metal cup that the nut sits in would turn by hand, dont know if this is relevant but got my impact on them and nipped them up, they are ok now....
also measured a few things, from the step in the sill, where the front wings meet the sill ( used this as reference point as its exactly the same both sides) to the edge of the rim is 11 inches exactly, both sides? also took wheels of and measured from tie bar bracket to bottom arm, again both 21 1/2", exactly the same. car seems to drive ok, does slightly pull to the left but wouldthis be associated with the negative cambers?

[mowgli]

pulling to the left means something is out of alignment.

[yayoboy]

i think im gonna go get a second opinion, i am pretty sure ive disturbed the setup when i nipped up the top mount nut, as its pulling worse since then, not major but you can tell.

[Nova_Tek]

Best thing to do mate. Go somehwere reputable with the same equipment preferably and get them to do it. If the results come back the same then you have problems if not then someone messed something up and you'll proably be somewhat releaved.

Trust me I was pixxed off when I heard the castor was out as I knew they weren't adjustable. But I also knew that it didn't make sense. Glad I got a second opinion.

[yayoboy]

cool, i get it done monday and let you now how i get on fingers crossed

[Nova_Tek]

Good luck

[adam c]

If you measured and the distance from the wheel to the wheel arch was EXACTLY the same your caster should be fine!I would take it somewhere else and get a second opinion.
If your camber is set up equal both sides and caster etc it will always pull to the left due to the camber of the road.

I normally put roughly -0'10 degrees more negative camber on the n/s/f to counter act the camber of the road.

[yayoboy]

ok ordered my adjustable mounts from compbrake today along with some 3mm wheel spacers to give a bit more breathing room from the wheel to coilover. once they arrive hopefilluy in the morning ill fit them and go and have another geometry setup and a different place, just gotta get me balance box working right now, think my rear mc is fooked, just getting air all the time, no fluid, even at the bulkhead fitting whichis about a foot run from the mc! got a spare front and rear coming tomorrow so fingers crosssed