Alignment Woes

jdogg · 03-25-2004, 05:41 AM

Ok, after having my car out of commission since late October, I finally got it all back together and down to the alignment shop. I had just finished completely rebuilding the entire suspension:bushings, koni sports, t-bars, tt rods, Tarett sway, and most importantly Tarett monoball strut mounts.
Anyway, we hook it up on the machine and can only get 3.6 degrees caster and -0.5 degrees camber on the right side maxed out, while the left side is at 6.0 caster and -1.7 camber with a little adjustment left..WTF?????? The alignment guy says to just drive the car for a while and see if it settles out (I had only put about 30 easy miles on it since getting it back together), that may help a little, but those are some big numbers to be made up....What am I missing?

Could the spindle be bent?

Is the tub bent? (The car was wrecked at one point in its life-side hit to passenger door)

Did I put something back together upside down and backwards?

Will it indeed settle out over a little time to achieve the numbers I want?

Is there that much variation in the 914 chassis that this is a normal thing?

I am leaning toward the bent spindle theory, does anyone have some measurement info( I don't feel like disassembling everything to check one against the other)

Sorry for the long post, this was a bit of a downer after a long winter of wrenching, cleaning, painting and reassembling.....Thanks for your help!

philinjax · 03-25-2004, 07:04 AM

I don't think that a bent spindle is in the mix. Bent spindles always force the spindle to bend upwards, thus increasing negative camber on that side. I think your right side 3.6 degrees max caster is the suspect indicator to your problem.

Good luck at it,
Phil

jdogg · 03-25-2004, 07:12 AM

Thanks, Phil. What do you suppose that indicates? The strut tower location is not where it belongs as a result of collision damage?

philinjax · 03-25-2004, 08:24 AM

Chances are you are correct. It it were me, I would carefully inspect the right side front suspension mounting points, comparing them to the left side, including the auxiliary carrier bolts that attach the control arms to the auxiliary support and to the body and the aux support tab bolts that attach to the body via the belly pan. Also, the two control arm bolts on each side that attach the control arms to the body up front. Each of these 8 bolts (4 on each side) have some fore and aft adjustment range. I would loosen all of these bolts and using the proper tools, slam the right side suspension foreward as much as possible then tighten down the 4 bolts on that side. Then slam the left side suspension aft as much as it will go and tighten down the 4 bolts on that side.

Probably also, release the right side strut top and push it down out of the way. Then look at the possibility of grinding the top mount sheet metal a little to allow the top of the struct, when reinstalled, to be mounted further aft somewhat.

Just my thoughts.

Phil

jdogg · 03-25-2004, 01:41 PM

Great suggestions, Phil!!!!!!!!! My mind is so burned from the last 3 week thrash up till midnight every night working on the car, etc., etc. that I never considered that option.....I dont' know if I will make up all the adjustment I need to, but that might help a bit...Keep 'em coming gang!!!