camber correction on 79 CJ?

[jeepboy45]

Q: my tires have leaned out (positive camber) well, forever. I have been told there is no adjustment for camber. But I have heard talk of camber correcting balljoints or adjustable offset balljoints. Any truth to this?

My caster is definitely out of whack. By reading the excellent article Troubleshooting & Correcting your Steering it is obvious I need to get small wedges.

Will that affect my camber as well?

Should I correct my caster issue before I turn my attention to camber.

Viewing from the front, it just looks "wrong"

brian

 

[jeepboy45]

AARG!!!
I just found a thread called "camber ?"

It might have just answered my Q..

Sorry about redundant questions.

Has anyone used the knuckle shim or the offset bushing to correct this?

Preferences?

thanks again
brian

 

[Sasquach]

This has to be the most out of whack thing about CJ's in general, Steering.
What should be fixed first? I can't say but You know your problems and tackle them as you can would be my priority. Caster is probably more an issue but it all needs to be right in the end.

 

[jeepboy45]

thanks sasquach

I think I'll attack the caster issue first. It is the simplest problem to see with a level on the axle joke and easiest to fix with shims at the spring to axle mount.

Then, I'll look into camber, and finally toe (another relatively easy one to measure and fix.

But somewhere in the middle I'd really like to resolve some PS gearbox issues I have.

thanks

 

[Purple77CJ7]

I have used both the wedges and the adjustable ball joints. It depends on how much adjustment you need. The wedges are pretty much camber adjustment were ball joint ones you can do both to some degree ( camber and caster). I'm currently using the ball joints on my Jeep.

 

[CJ]

I have used the wedges. I always make sure caster is correct then camber.

 

[jeepboy45]

thanks guys.
I just put 6 degree wedges in for caster adjustment. Its very close, not perfect--but very close.
Looked at toe in/out before I called it a night. I guess 3/4" of toe OUT isnt good, huh ..LOL!!!! I fooled with it for a couple minutes and figured that midnight was enough for today.

I cant wait to try the tie rod flip project...Kits are on order.
One question if anyone is still left here and not bored to death: I have a drop pitman that puts the drag link nearly horizontal. By reading the tech info here, the general thought is to get rid of the drop arm and go back to the stock pitaman. If I do that, will the tie rod flip be enough to get me back to nearly horizontal? Is the drop arm really that bad of a thing to use?

 

[jeepboy45]

I have used the wedges. I always make sure caster is correct then camber.

Are you referring to the wedges (tapered shim) where the knuckle bolts to the axle?

I was at 4wheel parts hardware in orlando, and they looked at me funny when I asked them if they carried that product.

 

[CJ]

Are you referring to the wedges (tapered shim) where the knuckle bolts to the axle?

I was at 4wheel parts hardware in orlando, and they looked at me funny when I asked them if they carried that product.

The wedges / shims shown in post #2 of this thread. -->> http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f19/camber-1588/

Don't forget to view the video in post #6.

 

[Purple77CJ7]

Jeepboy45, I picked up the shims and the ball joints at Napa. Of course they didn't have them in stock, but got them overnight.

 

[jeepboy45]

Jeepboy45, I picked up the shims and the ball joints at Napa. Of course they didn't have them in stock, but got them overnight.

so you decided to use standard ball joints with NO offset sleeves?
You are doing correction with the shim behind the knuckle?

How much correction are you doing? and did you order the shim behind the knuckle according to how much you need, or is it adjustable? I guess what I mean to say is: do they give you the shims you need, or many shims that are stacked to add correction?

 

[Purple77CJ7]

I did buy adjustable ball joints. I used a level and an angle finder on the side of the tire to get a rough guess. I tried several different degree ball joints and degree shims, they come individual. With out the laser equipment of an alignment shop it is pretty much trial and error. After install rechecked with level and angle finder until I was close. Chalk your tire and drive a little ways and see wear pattern. I think I ended up with 3/4 degree on the driver side and a 1 degree on the passenger side, for camber, using adjustable ball joints. With these you can also adjust a bit of caster angle, the wedge shims only camber. And yes the shims fit behind the spindle and they are not adjustable like the ball joints. Either way you go you order the degree joint or shim that you need.

 

[Purple77CJ7]

Just thought of something else. The reason I went with adjustable ball joints over wedges, was that I started with the wedges and it moves the axle shaft out just a little bit, I started getting an oil leak from inner axle seal. Thought it was from the wedges. So I switched to the adjustable ball joints. Ended up replacing inner axle seals, not the fault of the wedges.

 

[jeepboy45]

The wedges / shims shown in post #2 of this thread. -->> http://www.jeep-cj.com/forums/f19/camber-1588/

Don't forget to view the video in post #6.

thanks CJ..
but do you have a source for the wedges?
I've done google searches but have basically struck out.
Ready to tackle this issue now.

 

[jeepboy45]

thanks CJ..
but do you have a source for the wedges?
I've done google searches but have basically struck out.
Ready to tackle this issue now.

I have all but given up on the 4x4 parts houses for anything "out of the ordinary"... The local ones are just like the parts jockeys reading computer screens with VERY little or no tech knowledge


However, I just re-discovered J C Whitney... Its been years since I saw one of their catalogs, but I just found tons of these online... I'll have to remember them as a valuable resource in the future.

www.jcwhitney.com

 

[CJ]

thanks CJ..
but do you have a source for the wedges?
I've done google searches but have basically struck out.
Ready to tackle this issue now.

They also sell them here -->> Ingalls Engineering Co., Inc.

I just got mine from a shop that specializes in 4WD's.

 

[jeepboy45]

Jeepboy45, I picked up the shims and the ball joints at Napa. Of course they didn't have them in stock, but got them overnight.

thanks purple....I didnt notice this till this morning...

Going to hit "jeeptoberfest" in Ocala this weekend... hoping someone has them there, but if not at least I know where to get them.

Did you try to get 0 degrees vertical ? or is a degree or two leaning in or out optimal?