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Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

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Old 10-25-2014, 12:34 AM
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Default Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Alright so we put the car on the alignment rack and it is showing the following:

Left front: -3.0 camber

Right front: -2.0 camber

toe zero'd out.

The camber kits are all the way pushed out, so there is no possible way to adjust for less camber.... Why are they not equal? Blown strut? What else could it be? Also, I'd like the car to have less camber....is this just purely a ride height adjustment I need to make ie. raise the front up more/equal it out.

The alignment tech told me nothing could be done but I feel like that was misinformed.

Thanks in advance.
Old 10-25-2014, 04:00 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Ride height defenftly has a impact on camber specs, if one side is lower than another Id suspect that but u can also loosen the k-member bolts holding it to the shell and slide the k-member slightly in either direction adjusting the camber to be more equal side to side..
Old 10-25-2014, 06:07 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

What camber kit are you using?

I highly doubt a blown strut is the cause...
Old 10-25-2014, 07:06 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

What kind of car?
Old 10-25-2014, 03:47 PM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

It's an ek hatch, Skunk2 camber kit
Old 10-25-2014, 07:00 PM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

How low is the car? if u raise the car a bit, u should be able to have adjustment for less camber.
Old 10-25-2014, 11:59 PM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Originally Posted by V-SPEC 1
How low is the car? if u raise the car a bit, u should be able to have adjustment for less camber.
It's not super low... Ive never had any issues of tire rub....about 2" of clearance from tire to fender...
Old 10-26-2014, 08:29 PM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Shift the subframe to even out the camber side to side. Then if you want to go more positive camber, different camber kit with more adjustment, modify your current camber kit/control arms, or raise it up a little bit.

If this is a drag only car, keep in mind how much the front will lift when launching and the resulting "dynamic camber" vs. what it sits at on the alignment rack.
Old 10-26-2014, 11:04 PM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Originally Posted by PyroProblem
Shift the subframe to even out the camber side to side. Then if you want to go more positive camber, different camber kit with more adjustment, modify your current camber kit/control arms, or raise it up a little bit.

If this is a drag only car, keep in mind how much the front will lift when launching and the resulting "dynamic camber" vs. what it sits at on the alignment rack.
Good stuff. I've never shifted a subframe before....replaced em but never "adjusted or shifted". Can you give me a couple specifics?

Cheers.
Old 10-27-2014, 05:16 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Something is wrong... On my EK hatch I have the stock control arms, tires are basically even with the fender wheels on 205/50-15 and my camber is at -2.5 on both sides. No way you should have 2 or 3 degrees of neg camber with those control arms maxed out.

I would say you either have bent parts, like the front knuckles or front subframe. Or the alignment guy or alignment rack was bad.
Old 10-27-2014, 07:27 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Originally Posted by Ron Burgandy
Good stuff. I've never shifted a subframe before....replaced em but never "adjusted or shifted". Can you give me a couple specifics?

Cheers.
There's usually a little" slop" in the holes of the subframe where the bolts go through into the body.
With the car up on a lift and a couple pole jacks, loosen the sub frame bolts. If you remove a bolt, you'll see about how much room you have to move/ shift the subframe. In your case with your specs, you'll want to move it towards the passenger side (take some neg camber from the drivers side and give it to the passenger side)
Use a large pry bar to move the subframe. It's also a good idea to mark the bolt heads before any adjusting so you have a reference point in case you have to adjust it again.
I've done this on several cars when I cant get the cross measurements (camber/ caster) to even out. Many of them body shop cars.
If nothing's bent or damaged, this might be the answer. Of course it will need to be realigned afterwards.
Good luck.
Old 10-30-2014, 01:55 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Originally Posted by PyroProblem
There's usually a little" slop" in the holes of the subframe where the bolts go through into the body.
With the car up on a lift and a couple pole jacks, loosen the sub frame bolts. If you remove a bolt, you'll see about how much room you have to move/ shift the subframe. In your case with your specs, you'll want to move it towards the passenger side (take some neg camber from the drivers side and give it to the passenger side)
Use a large pry bar to move the subframe. It's also a good idea to mark the bolt heads before any adjusting so you have a reference point in case you have to adjust it again.
I've done this on several cars when I cant get the cross measurements (camber/ caster) to even out. Many of them body shop cars.
If nothing's bent or damaged, this might be the answer. Of course it will need to be realigned afterwards.
Good luck.
Thanks for the details. Makes perfect sense.
Old 10-30-2014, 04:31 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Wonder if you could buy more adjustment with an old school "ingalls style" camber kit. They use the UCA bushing location for adjustment. Then you would have two points for adjustment and possibly allow you to get it closer to your desired setting. It would be a band aid but might solve your issue for now.
Old 10-30-2014, 02:18 PM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Originally Posted by luck4rmkc
Wonder if you could buy more adjustment with an old school "ingalls style" camber kit. They use the UCA bushing location for adjustment. Then you would have two points for adjustment and possibly allow you to get it closer to your desired setting. It would be a band aid but might solve your issue for now.
That would work on an EG but not EK, the mounting points are different.
Old 10-31-2014, 12:13 AM
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Default Re: Alignment Puzzle- struts blown?

Originally Posted by luck4rmkc
Wonder if you could buy more adjustment with an old school "ingalls style" camber kit. They use the UCA bushing location for adjustment. Then you would have two points for adjustment and possibly allow you to get it closer to your desired setting. It would be a band aid but might solve your issue for now.
I had thought about this..... Even thought about swapping subframe etc for an eg.....

Last resort I think
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