guys, according to the hunter machine, you need a special tool to adjust camber/caster from the strut tower BUT.......one of my co-workers says you don't need the special tool. what do you guys use????

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Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

 

Special tool: Bare hands

Yes, there is a special tool, but you certainly don't need it. Its do you can make adjustments w/o raising the car. There is alot of wieght on those three little bolts at the strut tower, and when you loosen them, they will slide all the way over. The purpose of the tool is to hold the strut in place, and then you turn the adjuster nut to move the strut.

What I do is I note the current measurement, then I figure out how much change is needed. For example, if Camber is -.5 and I want to set it to 0.0, then I need to add .5* positive camber. So then I jack up the axle (to take the weight off) When you do this, the wheel will drop, and the camber will jump to like 2*, then simply make your changes. Since I needed to add .5* I will now adjust that wheel to 2.5*. Then once you let the car back down and re-jounce the suspension, 99% of the time, it will go to what I needed, 0.0* Don't forget to re-jounce the suspension, it needs to be "setteled" just like it was when you compensated the heads.

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If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen


ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
Whatever chip I feel like burning,
JET AFPR, Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass, Custom Cold Air,
SSM SFC, KYB Shocks, Boxed LCAs, Wonder Bar,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
-->14.97 @ 94.9 MPH<--

'97 Bonneville SSE

 

thanks GMtech. very informative.

------------------
Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

 

Your friend is correct. You don’t need the special tool to adjust the strut position.

The above post is also correct, and is what I did before making my own adjustment tool which works the same as the factory tool. I did that because I got tired of having to jack up/down the car every time I wanted to make an adjustment.

Note that if you’re strong enough, you may be able to adjust (move) the strut by hand with the car at its normal resting point (not jacked up). Also, if you cannot move the strut by hand (with the car not jacked up), I have done so (before making my own tool) by simply moving the strut with a piece of wood that I could fit between the sock and inner wheel well. The amount of force needed to move it is so little that damaging the shock or wheel well is of no concern.

EDIT PORTION ADDED: Additionally, I believe that there is more risk that caster can be affected without the use of the tool. The tool (homemade or factory) will not only allow the camber to be adjusted (strut moved inboard/outboard), but also allow camber to remain constant while adjusting caster (strut moved forward/rearward). I’m not saying that it cannot be done without the tool, but only the increased chance for error. Because the tool was inexpensive, easy to make and easy to use, it was a “nobrainer” (at least for me). END EDIT

The tool I made to adjust the strut position (camber) cost me less than $5. The main part needed is a turnbuckle that is available from any hardware store in a variety of sizes. It is simply two long bolts screwed into a long threaded receiver that is turned to adjust the bolts in or out. The bolt ends can be either an “eye” (closed) or hook. One of the bolts is a right hand thread, the other is a left hand thread (so turning the center receiver will either move the bolts together or apart). The size I got was a 5/16” thread, one side was closed (“eye”), the other was a open (hook).

The closed side slips over the protruding bolt from the shock/strut (just like the factory tool). The other side is a hook, which I slip through a piece of 1/8” x 1” x ~4” aluminum strip which is bolted to the fender bolt just ahead of the gas shock (that raises the hood) – again, just like the factory tool. One side of the aluminum strip is drilled to accept the turnbuckle, the other side the fender bolt. I purchased another metric bolt which is longer than the factory bolt to fasten it to the fender. I put several washers under the aluminum strip so it would clear the steel lip on the inboard side of the fender (the bolt screws into a shallow channel).

If you can weld, welding a piece of steel to the end of the turnbuckle bolt and drilling the other end to receive the fender bolt would accomplish the same thing using less parts and make for a "nicer" tool.

If you don’t want to make an extender (from the fender bolt to the turnbuckle), you could just attach a wire or strong string to the turnbuckle bolt.

Being able to make my own camber/caster/toe adjustments myself is better than being at the mercy of alignment shops, where time, cost and workmanship (quality) were always a concern of mine.

[This message has been edited by Stuart Moss (edited March 07, 2001).]

 

Yeah, I know WHY the tool was made, but when I adjust them, I know about how much movement yeilds how much gain, and I can usually get it dialed in on the first try. Not to mention, when you do loosen the bolts, the asjuster plate leave a "dirt imprint" of where it was originally, so if you don't want to adjust caster, just camber, all you have to do move the strut in or out, but leave the for/aft movement right at the "dirt line". I know it sounds "crude" but if you are experienced and really know what you are doing, its easier and faster than having the tool. Like I said, when I last adjusted mine, I had it dialed in the first try (and that was making camber and caster adjustments).

But even if you are new to it, and won't do enough of them to justify the cost of the tool, a little patience and some trial and error, and you will be able to get it just as good as having the tool.

------------------
If you live in Southeastern US, check us out!
South East Thirdgen


ASE Master Tech + L1
Savannah, GA

'87 Trans Am
S/D TPI retrofit including functional PassKey,
22# injectors,
Whatever chip I feel like burning,
JET AFPR, Ported Plenum,
TB Coolant Bypass, Custom Cold Air,
SSM SFC, KYB Shocks, Boxed LCAs, Wonder Bar,
8mm Accel wires,
Flowmaster Exhaust,
16" GTA rims,
Corvette Servo,
-->14.97 @ 94.9 MPH<--

'97 Bonneville SSE

 

cool, thanks guys. i'm gonna take my first stab at aligning my car next week. we have a good alignment guy at work but i wasn't to sure on his experience with chevy's.

------------------
Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

 

thanks again for the help guys. it turned out my camber and caster were both within specs so...no adjustment needed. as the saying goes "set the toe and let it go".

------------------
Dan
1990 3.1L RS
80 Series Flowmaster
It's fast(er than a 3 cyl metro)

 

How about a couple of pictures of the tool?