Ball joint adjustment - positive camber issue

[Critter1]

Building up my notch pan and have a ball joint/camber issue I can't figure out. I feel like iv'e built everything up correctly. I have german ball joints and Bert3 spindles. However, after adjusting the passenger side bj's to the fullest (upper & lower) I still have positive camber. I was able to get the drivers side pretty much straight, visually. Also I have the upper control arms bolted into the sway bar just enough to push on the seals, and the control arms slowly fall on their own when free.

Here's a pic, you can see the positive camber. I was able to adjust it in some more after this pic was taken, but still not enough.

Don't think this pic will help much.

Drivers side

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Justin

[Erik G]

Bent arm?

Are these like buses where you stack washers between the arms and the spindle to ensure front camber is correct? If so, you need Less on the top, more on the more on the bottom, or both
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[Erik G]

Nevermind, it's just the ball joints - been messing with too many early cars lately
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Stop dead photo links! Post your photos to The Samba Gallery!

[KTPhil]

Now you know why VW made all those special tools for measuring front end hardware. Hitting curbs will bend some components. You may have a bent torsion arm. I have a similar problem... I can get one side in spec, but getting the other within 0.2(?) of the other like the book says is impossible. To complicate it, my ball joints lack the marks on the ends of the pins, so it took a while to figure out which way to adjust.

The effect is slight and unnoticeable around town. But out on the freeway, it pulls slightly to one side, and that gets fatiguing. My cheap solution until I fit another beam is to put 2 psi more in the dragging side, and presto, it tracks straight!

[Critter1]

These are the same arms and beam that were in my fastback and were all true at that time. The difference now would be new BJs and Berts spindles. I also added the larger diameter sway bar. Hmmm...
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Justin

[Dlglobal1]

Where did you get those tie rods from?
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Cheers, David
1969 Bug
1972 Bug
1968 Mercedes 230 "Heckflosse"
1970 Type 3 Fastback 1600 TA L60D

[Critter1]

Tie rods.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=939591
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Justin

[Brent]

If you read through Bert's drop spindle thread there are posts that say the style of ball joint you are using (Meyle) are not compatible. You need the style without the shoulder.
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69 Fastback Build
Berg5 Build

[Tram]

I wouldn't even attempt to correct anything here until you have the suspension fully loaded with the body assembled and on and do a full front end alignment starting with centering the wheel and adjusting toe.

Every angle affects every other angle and if you get the suspension "looking" perfect when it's not loaded, it won't look perfect when you add all the weight.

That said, if the BerT3 spindles don't work with the Meyle ball joints- of course change them now while it's easy, but do not drive yourself bonkers with any alignment settings just yet. You're just chasing your tail.
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Немає виправдання для війни! Я з Україною.

[Critter1]

[BerT3]

Indeed - those balljoints are no good - use the ones without a shoulder

BerT3

[Critter1]

Copy that. I just ordered the NOS set that I linked above.

Can someone post pics showing the difference between ball joints with the "shoulder" and without?
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Justin

[Critter1]

[Brent]

I hope they send the Teen Love book with the ball joints. Because how far should making out really go?
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69 Fastback Build
Berg5 Build

[Critter1]

[raygreenwood]

[Critter1]

Yes they are staggered 4.5/5.5 ... 911/912 steel rims.

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Justin

[Bobnotch]

[Critter1]

I got the correct ball joints installed. Thanks for the advise on this topic, much appreciated. Now, I wont stress over alignment until the full weight of the car is on the ground.

Here's the build thread if anyone here is interested:

http://www.kustomcoachwerks.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=8366
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Justin

[raygreenwood]