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tomasu
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Joined: November 09, 2006
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Location: San Diego, CA
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 Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 10:26 pm Post subject: link pin shims and camber |
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i just read a cool article in the may volks world magazine on beetle front suspension. it talks about adjusting the link pin shims to achieve a negative camber for increased tire grip. forgetting the fact that a more negative camber will ruin your tires at a faster rate, how does one adjust the amount of shims (top and bottom pins) to achieve the right camber for handling in mind. 
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blue77bay
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Joined: February 11, 2006
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Location: Brisvegas Australia
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| Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 11:13 pm Post subject: |
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you cannot adjust camber by altering shims,if you adjust the shims outside of the measurements of the trailing arms then you will bind the link pins and wear them out fast, camber is built into the spindle and trailing arms when you shim the link pins you are just shimming the free space , having said that you can get away with .5-.75 deg but thats about it
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raul arrese
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Joined: July 23, 2006
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Location: miami florida
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 2:55 am Post subject: |
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| blue77bay wrote: |
| you cannot adjust camber by altering shims,if you adjust the shims outside of the measurements of the trailing arms then you will bind the link pins and wear them out fast, camber is built into the spindle and trailing arms when you shim the link pins you are just shimming the free space , having said that you can get away with .5-.75 deg but thats about it |
Exactly !!!!!!! |
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KTPhil
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 9:22 am Post subject: |
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VW intentionally designed in a little positive camber up front (even in the so-called "IRS" cars), in order to lessen front tire grip. This combats the natural tendency of a Bug to oversteer due to its rear engine induced weight bias.
The only time you want more front grip is if you have also made other modifications (including to the rear) and need to rebalance the front/rear grip, or want to run it in an autocross where quick steering at low speed is an advantage. Out on the highway this is not recommended! |
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drscope
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Location: Baltimore, Maryland USA
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| Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 11:58 am Post subject: |
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There is only one way to get negative camber on a link pin beam and that is to install angled link pin bushings.
Re-arrainging shims will not adjust camber.
The purpose of the shims was to keep the trailing arm face square with the link pin bushing. Differences in manufacturing from one part to the next made the shims necessary.
If you put shims in the wrong place in order to try to adjust camber, all you are doing is putting those shims on an angle to the bushing. That will certainly wear things out very quickly.
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tomasu
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| Posted: Wed May 16, 2012 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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thanks for setting that straight everyone! i guess that article is in need of a re-edit.
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drscope
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| Posted: Thu May 17, 2012 8:43 am Post subject: |
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| tomasu wrote: |
| thanks for setting that straight everyone! i guess that article is in need of a re-edit. |
A lot of folks are under the impression that swapping shims around will set the camber.
But if you think about it, the link pin goes straight through the bushing and straight through the trailing arm. So in order to change the camber, you need to basically change the angles of the pins. And moving shims can't change that angle, it just changes the space between the bushing and the trailing arm.
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