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82WestyMan
Samba Member
Joined: December 28, 2006
Posts: 1098
Location: Western OR
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 Posted: Sun Apr 06, 2008 3:18 pm Post subject: Help! w/ rear camber on lowered Vanagon |
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I just had a question for members in the forum who've lowered their Vanagons
I have a 82 Westy with H&R lowering springs (w/ Bilstein HDs) that took the ride height down about 1 1/4" or so
I've had a full 4-wheel alignment and rear camber is a bit more than I would like and the spec's call for.
The rear camber adjustment is maxed out (the outer trailing bolt)
I was wondering who else has had this problem and if anyone has come up with a fix that allows more adjustment to bring the rear camber closer to the optimum setting.
I've been thinking of increasing the size of the oval adjustment hole for the outer bolt adjustment but thought I'd see if anyone has solved this problem before me
It didn't seem like too much of a problem when I was running 205/50HR14s on the factory allow wheels but now that I've stepped up to 225/55HR16 on 16x7.5 aftermarket rims, the excessive camber seems more pronounced and I'd really like to get the camber back closer to 0
Thanx
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"The floggings will continue until morale improves"
"I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell" - Harry S. Truman
82 Westfalia - w/ a Raby 'Camper Special' engine |
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pgurnee
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Joined: November 05, 2007
Posts: 197
Location: Ferndale, CA
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 12:19 am Post subject: |
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When I got my 88 wolfsburg it had both the h*r lowered springs and too much camber. The alignment shop told me to remove the outer trailing arm bolt and make the hole in the bracket larger with a dremel. The larger hole will allow more adjustment of the camber.
I have not done this job yet but will very soon. I have to pull the trans and will do both jobs at the same time.
Good Luck
Paul
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1988, In previous life a Wolfsburg Weekender in present life an excellent work truck. |
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Christopher Schimke
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Joined: August 03, 2005
Posts: 5541
Location: PNW
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| Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 7:58 am Post subject: |
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Yep, enlarging that hole is the only fix I know of.
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"Sometimes you have to build a box to think outside of." - Bruce (not Springsteen)
*Custom wheel hardware for Audi/VW, Porsche and Mercedes wheels - Urethane Suspension Bushings*
T3Technique.com or contact me at [email protected] |
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reluctantartist
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Joined: August 13, 2006
Posts: 1929
Location: Bloomington, IN
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| Posted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:02 am Post subject: |
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I have the same problem. I was told by the people over in the westfalia.org forum to go to a good alignment shop and have them enlarge the adjustment hole. That way when it is on the lift they can check out the bushing as well to make sure it hasn't gone bad and is actually the problem. That is one of the things on my list to do before using my van alot this summer.
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1982 Westy, 1974 412 Variant... Yes, Aircooled's are great! Oh and I do have modern computer controlled vehicles too, but I just don't care about them. |
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K58
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Joined: July 01, 2006
Posts: 1173
Location: Santa Barbara
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Thread resurrection!
I want to add neg camber but I can't seem to loosen the bolt for the outer trailing arm. Suggestions?
The Bentley say's up or down but doesn't state which way for more negative camber. |
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insyncro
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Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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Zeitgeist 13
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Joined: March 05, 2009
Posts: 12175
Location: Port Manteau
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:55 am Post subject: |
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Man, I feel about ten feet tall right now. As I was reading this thread, I was imagining that same solution--damn! Sometimes a mental midget like me can actually cobble together cognitively functional ideas.
I'm going to log out now before I get smacked back down to earth
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Casey--
'89 Bluestar ALH
'01 Weekender --> full camper
NEAT, no ICE. |
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presslab
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Joined: September 29, 2008
Posts: 1730
Location: Sonoma County
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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| K58 wrote: |
Thread resurrection!
I want to add neg camber but I can't seem to loosen the bolt for the outer trailing arm. Suggestions?
The Bentley say's up or down but doesn't state which way for more negative camber. |
Usually it's the trailing arm bushings that sag, and you get too much negative camber; in this case you want less negative camber. Anyway, to get more negative camber, the bolt would move up. Your bolt is likely rusted to the bushing. Maybe you can get it out with penetrating oil and an impact wrench. You can sawzall the bolt and bushing as a last resort, but you'll need to replace the bolt and bushing in that case.
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1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
2010 Titus El Guapo --- 2011 On-One 456 Ti |
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presslab
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Joined: September 29, 2008
Posts: 1730
Location: Sonoma County
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:32 pm Post subject: |
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edit: double post
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1986 Vanagon Westfalia EJ25
1988 Subaru GL-10 EJ20G --- 2000 Honda XR650L
2010 Titus El Guapo --- 2011 On-One 456 Ti
Last edited by presslab on Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:42 am; edited 1 time in total |
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K58
Samba Member
Joined: July 01, 2006
Posts: 1173
Location: Santa Barbara
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| Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 10:08 pm Post subject: |
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| presslab wrote: |
| K58 wrote: |
Thread resurrection!
I want to add neg camber but I can't seem to loosen the bolt for the outer trailing arm. Suggestions?
The Bentley say's up or down but doesn't state which way for more negative camber. |
Usually it's the trailing arm bushings that sag, and you get too much negative camber; in this case you want less negative camber. Anyway, to get more negative camber, the bolt would move up. Your bolt is likely rusted to the bushing. Maybe you can get it out with penetrating oil and an impact wrench. You can sawzall the bolt and bushing as a last resort, but you'll need to replace the bolt and bushing in that case. |
 Awesome, thank you! That's the info I was looking for.
When I had an alignment done recently they told me the left bolt was stuck but didn't offer a fix (said camber was off by a small amount and not to worry about it.) I like everything to work on my vehicles so I'll try your advice. |
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MarkWard
Samba Member
Joined: February 09, 2005
Posts: 19006
Location: Retired South Florida
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:28 am Post subject: |
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| K58 wrote: |
| presslab wrote: |
| K58 wrote: |
Thread resurrection!
I want to add neg camber but I can't seem to loosen the bolt for the outer trailing arm. Suggestions?
The Bentley say's up or down but doesn't state which way for more negative camber. |
Usually it's the trailing arm bushings that sag, and you get too much negative camber; in this case you want less negative camber. Anyway, to get more negative camber, the bolt would move up. Your bolt is likely rusted to the bushing. Maybe you can get it out with penetrating oil and an impact wrench. You can sawzall the bolt and bushing as a last resort, but you'll need to replace the bolt and bushing in that case. |
Awesome, thank you! That's the info I was looking for.
When I had an alignment done recently they told me the left bolt was stuck but didn't offer a fix (said camber was off by a small amount and not to worry about it.) I like everything to work on my vehicles so I'll try your advice. |
Changing your camber changes your toe. So, if your camber was close, and you are concentrating on just freeing up the seized bolt. Mark your bolt position before you start to work. This way you can get it back close. I have one seized as well, but plan to tackle it when I change the rear trailing arm bushings. |
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insyncro
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Joined: March 07, 2002
Posts: 15086
Location: New York
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| Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 12:16 pm Post subject: |
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I cut off all original stock bolts and bushings in the rear if they don't spin freely after hitting them with a 3/4 impact gun.
The replacements I have been using are Burleys black (hard) or Powerflex (softer).
Both install easily.
grease the new hardware well and loosen and spin the bolts once a year to insure they don't seize again. |
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SeattleDownhill
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Joined: July 29, 2009
Posts: 131
Location: Seattle
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| Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 12:34 am Post subject: |
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Yup... I have the same issue. I think I'm at 3.5 or 4 degrees of neg. camber... I'm really low.... I took my van into a local place recommended by multiple people on here and they weren't able to do enough without grinding out the rears. I didn't have the money to pay them to do it at the time, so I will need to go back. I trust myself with a lot more stuff now than in the past, but still not alignment or anything dealing with it. I'll leave that to the pro's.
those camber plates look pretty rad. very common in the golf/jetta scene. |
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SouthOlive
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Joined: October 31, 2009
Posts: 133
Location: The Nexus of Crisis
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| Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2012 8:41 am Post subject: |
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Does anyone know where to buy them in the US? Brickwerks say they won't ship here. 
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1985 Westy
2011 GTI |
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