Camber Compensator Installation Issue

Lane,

10-4, very crusty. All of my street rod buddies take their cars to Charlie.

Rich

I check my caster with an inexpensive angle finder that measures the angle at the two beams of the front axle assy. It takes about 2 minutes and ya dont have to take it to a shop or make guesses about adding or subtracting shims empirically.

Scobie, Binghamton, ny

Stan,

Is the device you use to measure the angle of the tube assy. similar to what a carpenter might use to determine the angle of a miter? Could you explain how this is done?

Thanks, Rich

You can use a swing angle indicator, available at Home Depot. Make sure the car is level, lay a straight edge vertical over the 2 front horizontal axle tubes, lay the dial indicator on the straight edge and take a measurement. It's not accurate as the relationship of the caster is measured from the center line of the ball joint or king pin and the center of the spindle.. The more the ball joint is tipped back, the more caster

the angle finder has a level of some sort, a straight edge, and a moveable scale. Ya put the straight edge across the tubes, rotate the scale until it matches the "level" and then read off the angle ya got. They call them "angle finders" I think I got mine at "Harbor Freight' maybe $5.00. I see them at the cheapo tool sales at flea markets and car shows also.

gordon is it to radical to put three caster shims on one side only and only one on the other side. my caster is tthree degree off, side to side and i have a good align shop that lets me work with them, thanks bill

In addition to William's question, is there a maximum number of shims that should be installed? I just installed a second set last night. It did help and I haven't driven the car very far but I was just wondering if the only limiting factor to how much caster you could have is your tolerance for hard steering while moving slowly?

A side note for anyone installing caster shims for the first time! Make sure you retighten the bolts after the car is on the ground. I torqued mine to the recommended 36 ft.lbs. on the lift and when I set the car down the suspension shifted and bolts were then very loose.

This is the best forum I have ever seen due to the wealth of information being shared by its' members. You guys are the greatest!
Thanks for all the help.

Rich

Guys, usually when adding shims you need to use longer bolts, make sure the threads are all the way through, especially with multiple shims.

I put in a second set of shims and used the long bolts and they felt like they were bottomed out before I got them tight. Do the threads go all the way through the beam? If so, maybe mine are dirty and need to be chased with a tap be fore installing the longer bolts.

Yup...thye go all the way through. Probably crud.

I went through the EXACT same thing with my lowered super beetle. It would hop all over the road-SCARY!! I got a new damper and replaced a joint or two, no dice , raised it a bit, a bit better, THEN I got a bump steer kit which will level out your tie rods BINGO worked like a charm!!
I also had a similar feeling prob with my pathfinder and after much work on front end it turned out be trailing arm bushings (rear end-check it)
I have taken out the trailing arms on my speedy(IRS) and swapped and flipped them to get camber in the rear, worked GREAT!