TheSamba.com :: View topic - Basic Camber Adjuster / Ball Joint Question

Mon Dec 22, 2025 3:08 am

Hi. Looking for some confirmation here please!

I’m in the process of fitting dropped spindles to a 70 bug. The old spindles are now off the car. The ball joints are in good shape but the eccentric Camber Adjusters are tight solid to the ball joints. They rotate as one.

Is that OK or should I separate them and lightly grease before going ahead with installing the new spindles?

In short, should the adjusters turn independently of the ball joint shafts or should both turn together?

Feels basic I know! So thank you.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 4:41 am

My understanding is that they should turn independent of the ball joint to get an adjustment angle. Get penetrating oil in there like pb blaster for a couple of days and see if it loosens the bond to the joint.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 5:18 am

The camber adjuster is moving the relative position between the ball joint and the spindle, basically pushing the spindle in/out at the top.

The camber adjuster has a tapered bore that the ball joint is drawn into clamping all together. If you break this joint they move freely, but under tension the ball will follow the camber adjuster. While a ball joint is just that - it can roate inside it`s cup. See example below.

While the body has a installation orientation, the ball itself is symmetric to my memory at least.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 7:58 am

I say it's OK. That's what they do.
You still have to hold the eccentric ,while tightening the nut.
Notch goes forward.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 8:57 am

Willin if you leave it as is,you are only capable of setting the camber as it was originally when it froze in place. The OP is putting lowered spindles on, so new camber setting will probably need to be set by adjusting the eccentric to the ball joint.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 9:20 am

It's also not unusual due to wear for the camber to be off side to side, you want it the same.

Bobs67vwagen wrote: Willin if you leave it as is,you are only capable of setting the camber as it was originally when it froze in place. The OP is putting lowered spindles on, so new camber setting will probably need to be set by adjusting the eccentric to the ball joint.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 10:34 am

Thanks all for your replies.

To be clear: I can easily rotate the eccentrics with a wrench but when I do the shafts of the ball joints rotate too. Both move as one.

I wondered if the ball joints should remain stationary and the eccentric should move freely around it

Mon Dec 22, 2025 11:30 am

ghiachimp wrote: Thanks all for your replies.

To be clear: I can easily rotate the eccentrics with a wrench but when I do the shafts of the ball joints rotate too. Both move as one.

I wondered if the ball joints should remain stationary and the eccentric should move freely around it

Think of what happens when you steer - something has to rotate... I vote on the ball joint in its ball socket.

That said - should be possible to separate them without damaging the boot, a 2 leg puller. Very light grease between the spindle and camber nut, no grease on the ball joint spindle to the camber nut bore.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 12:10 pm

redhot wrote: ghiachimp wrote: Thanks all for your replies.

To be clear: I can easily rotate the eccentrics with a wrench but when I do the shafts of the ball joints rotate too. Both move as one.

I wondered if the ball joints should remain stationary and the eccentric should move freely around it

Think of what happens when you steer - something has to rotate... I vote on the ball joint in its ball socket.

That said - should be possible to separate them without damaging the boot, a 2 leg puller. Very light grease between the spindle and camber nut, no grease on the ball joint spindle to the camber nut bore.

I don’t think you’ve got anything to worry about.

Just a minor bit of corrosion between the ball joint shank and the camber adjuster could create enough resistance to independent movement that the friction between the ball and socket actually provides less resistance to movement.

You’d get exactly what you’re seeing in that case.

If your ball joint isn’t worn out and you can turn the adjusters you’re in an ideal situation.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 2:59 pm

Yes, you need to press the eccentric adjusters off the ball joint when you try to remove them so a spinning ball joint shaft when you turn the eccentric adjuster is normal.

Mon Dec 22, 2025 3:16 pm

From my experience with ball joints, if I had the front end apart I would not think twice about replacing the ball joints. Doesn't cost much to get a shop to press out the old and press in the new. Ball joints can fall apart (ask me how I know)

Mon Dec 22, 2025 4:48 pm

Thanks everyone! Consensus seems to be everything is as it should be.

I’ll crack on with fitting the new spindles and then take it for an alignment.