NEGATIVE CAMBER

[hanajack]

    Back in Oct. Carguy87 said:  If your camber is off negatively it will tend to try and force the car in the opposite direction, i.e. if right wheel tilted in too much at top, it will push the car left and vice versa.  If your at full adjustment and still not within specifications, then you might want to check and verify that your ball joints both upper and lower are good, and after that, those 30+ year old rubber bushings in your upper control arms.  Nobody ever changes these, and they are a good way to gain back a smooth ride and good alignment ability.
     
     I put in new bushings [and have a how-to write-up with photos to do it without special tools I mean to post sometime]

     I still have negative camber on the left with all the problems carguy87 pointed out.  I don't mind doing the unorthodox since I've wrecked the front end 4 times including a 360 rollover.  It's worth the trouble to me since the car has under 82K miles on it - and I like it a lot.

[AMC of Houston]

Have you looked at the lower control arm bushing on that side??  Lots of folks never look at that one since its kinda hidden (out of sight, out of mind!!).  If that one is worn out, it'll make a huge difference in camber.   Is your camber adjustment on that side pulled all the way in already??

[hanajack]

     I'll check the lower again.  Yes, it's at the max adjustment.

[carnuck]

Are there any shims on the upper arm?

[AMC of Houston]

AMC passenger cars don't use shims; only use eccentrics for adjustment.

[carnuck]

I re-looked at the suspension on the parts rig. Either the upper arm is bent or the frame is pushed in. Max98056 and I were discussing a brace that could be put over the top of the motor for offroad racing. My '77 AMX have been jumped at 75 mph, which bent the frame inwards and I couldn't afford several thou$and to get it straightened so I used the 304 in my '73 J4000.

[captspillane]

How did it bend? I'd love to see pictures. I wonder if a brace spanning the shock towers is actually where the brace is needed to stiffen the side walls from torsion. I plan on jumping mine on a regular basis.....

[hanajack]

Not sure what "jumped" is but interesting.

Meanwhile, my negative camber is 50% better after spending 2 days with a sledge and pry bars working on the frame and front cross member [damage from a "popped" parking brake runaway and other front end damage].  It's difficult to see the inner lower control arm bushing without taking it out [lots of special tools specified] but nothing obvious. 

 The camber adjustment is at max, helped by hammering the slightly bent "guides/stops" on the cross member back into position.  The outer guides, front and back, seem to be the most critical.

I've given thought to welding extra steel onto the high point of the adjustment cam, but then it wouldn't fit between the guides; and, there is the limit to the elongation of the cam bolt hole???   

[captspillane]

To jump the car is to go so fast over a hump that all four wheels leave the ground.

[hanajack]

 The camber adjustment is at max, helped by hammering the slightly bent "guides/stops" on the cross member back into position.  The outer guides, front and back, seem to be the most critical.

I've given thought to welding extra steel onto the high point of the adjustment cam, but then it wouldn't fit between the guides; and, there is the limit to the elongation of the cam bolt hole on the cross member?  I guess the hole could be expanded inward, for a more positive camber adj.,  but then there are the guides/stops and the cam itself.  

Any Comments?  Tips?  Regrets?

[AMC of Houston]

Just to try to get as much positive camber as you can, jack up that side of the car by the subframe somewhere, but put a piece of 2x4 between the bottom of the upper control arm and the top of the subframe.  This will of course unload the weight off the front suspension without letting the suspension drop too far.  Loosen the eccentric adjustment nut quite a bit, then crank in the adjustment as far as you can; then manually push in the control arm as far as you can before you tighten up the nut.  Usually this will give you a little more camber, because you're pushing in the control arm farther than you could pull it in with the eccentric (there is more "slot" there than the eccentric will move it).  Hope I'm being somewhat clear in my description.

[hanajack]

     Thanks for that Houston and eggs to you!!  Still have a bit of negative and pull to the right, yet, sometimes none.  I'll give it another shot.

     Meanwhile, is there a QD {quick and dirty} means of centering the steering wheel?  I once tried to do it by removing the s. wheel - no luck, too many factors, turn signals, etc.

[AMC of Houston]

Nope; no quick and dirty, altho you can remove the steering wheel and possible get a little adjustment as far as the horn contact slot will allow.   Best way is to just adjust via the tie rod sleeves.   You can get the toe pretty close by scribing a line on the tires and using a tape measure.

You can also try cranking up the caster on the right side more positive to try and offset your pull.