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Front Alignment Issue: -3.7 Degree of Camber

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I was getting my Vorshlag camber plates dialed in, the driver side performed as expected on maxed out negative at -2.5 degress of camber. The passenger side however was maxed out negative at -3.7 degrees of camber.

I had to max out the passenger side full positive in order to match the driver side at -2.5 degrees.

Off the cuff i assume ive somehow bent the passenger side control arm or some other part? Thoughts? I dont recall any big hits that would make me pause for concern.

Setup is vorshlag camber plates and AST coilovers, no camber bolts.
 
Slop in the strut bracket bolt holes will allow more or less camber side-to side depending on how you tightened the bolts. But 1.2 degrees is a bit much. You could come close by loading the wheel hub with a jack before tightening the strut bracket bolts on one side and letting it hang on the other. But still, if you didn't intentionally do that, hard to see it happening accidentally.

I'd be looking for a bent strut, ovaled-out strut mounting holes, bent knuckle, bent ball joint stud (extended ones??) and bent control arms. Also consider if your lower suspension cradle has been out of the car, ever. If it is shifted to one side, the cambers will be quite different. Post back with what you find.
 
K member has been out, but this is the second alignment after the K member being out, the first time it aligned fine.

If it was indeed the Kmember, i would think both side would be equally out of spec(in opposite directions obviously). Instead the driver side aligned as it should(most vorshlag plates net max of around -2.5 on standard strut opening s197) and only the passenger side is out.

Stock ball joints
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Max camber available depends on ride height. So I wouldn't consider -2.5º/side as 'maximum'.

Not impossible, but I have a hard time seeing a bent control arm getting you more negative camber.
 
Max camber available depends on ride height. So I wouldn't consider -2.5º/side as 'maximum'.

Not impossible, but I have a hard time seeing a bent control arm getting you more negative camber.
Yeah i hear you. Ride height is equal side to side, shot of current ride height.

25A43C15-38DC-45F7-B1DB-ECADFEEB52E4_zpsoz53vmfs.jpg
 
Did you install the plates backwards on one side?
Is that possible? Even if it was, would it net that much negative camber? (Im thinking no otherwise it would be marketed as a capability haha).
Short answer is both camber plates are mounted in the same fashion with the correct markings closest towards the radiator "LF RF"
 
1,246
1,243
In the V6L
Maybe your K member has shifted laterally.
This is likely what's happening. I had two S197's and both of them had a slightly off-center K member so the available camber adjustment range on each side was different. So long as you can get to the settings you want, it doesn't really matter.
 

ArizonaBOSS

Because racecar.
Moderator
8,730
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Arizona, USA
Is that possible? Even if it was, would it net that much negative camber? (Im thinking no otherwise it would be marketed as a capability haha).
Short answer is both camber plates are mounted in the same fashion with the correct markings closest towards the radiator "LF RF"

The plates are a multi-piece assembly. You want the stud plate (lower plate with studs that protrude through the upper plate) to have the "open end" of the "U" shape towards the engine on both sides. If one of the stud plates is backwards (wouldn't show from above where the top plates are marked LF/RF etc), you won't be able to get as much negative camber on that side.

Not saying this is the problem but it's a quick check and an easy fix if so.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Did you install the plates backwards on one side?

Sadly, I did see that on someone's car at cars n coffee once. Always a little uncomfortable when you point stuff like that out...but I don't like to ignore potential safety issues like that.

And that wasn't the worst I've seen at the top mount...one had nuts *under* the shock tower plate. :eek: Wasn't sure how there was enough stud length to put it all together.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
Yeah i hear you. Ride height is equal side to side, shot of current ride height.

25A43C15-38DC-45F7-B1DB-ECADFEEB52E4_zpsoz53vmfs.jpg

That does look a bit lower than stock Boss height/geometry, so I think if ~-2.75º x 2 is available, assuming the K member shift...then I don't think anything needs to be bent (or installed backwards) for those numbers.
 

Grant 302

basic and well known psychic
I wasn't going to mention the turd spin. :D

Marked or not, some people have trouble with 'at home installation'. I hope you're not talking about any shops down there!
 

Mad Hatter

Gotta go Faster
5,237
4,227
Santiago, Chile
Really really sad.... the first time I saw one done backwards was on my car.....it was at the shop that does the maintenance for Aston Martin, Lambo and Ferrari...... I had to fix it at home and never went back... Since then almost every shop I know here in Santiago has put at least one Camber plate backwards on my buddies Mustangs... (at least three) Only exception was my crazy mechanic.....Loco Ramirez and Sons. Who do all of my cars now.
 
So can anyone help me understand how the K member shift only appears to be affecting one side? Why arent both sides affected?

Im still leaning towards a bent part but only because the k member shift doesnt make sense to me with my alignment results.
 

Norm Peterson

Corner Barstool Sitter
939
712
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
a few miles east of Philly
Could be that both sides should be capable of -3.1°, with a shift that resulted in an 0.6° camber change on both sides. Your +direction from there on the driver side and -direction on the passenger side means the K-member would need to move toward the passenger side, guessing by somewhere around 0.2".

Caster could also be affected if the K-member didn't shift in a purely lateral direction.


Norm
 
Could be that both sides should be capable of -3.1°, with a shift that resulted in an 0.6° camber change on both sides. Your +direction from there on the driver side and -direction on the passenger side means the K-member would need to move toward the passenger side, guessing by somewhere around 0.2".

Caster could also be affected if the K-member didn't shift in a purely lateral direction.


Norm
Caster came out great. I guess my assumption of -2.5 degrees being a maximum that i should be attaining is my Achilles heal in my thought process.

So, dare i ask what corrective measures are for the k member alignment? Is it as in depth as i think it is?
 

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