Date: Fri, 5 Nov 2010 16:26:40 -0700
Reply-To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: checking castor (i.e. caster)
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTind7u+5Jg_n8+Y29efd8_7Z7Vak8kRJLNRU3sJo@mail.gmail.com>
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Can't help you with the rears but a couple of things on using the digital
levels on the camber and caster set-up.
A digital readout level, called a "smart level" is pretty handy to use.
It is just like a carpenter's bubble level but it has a digital readout and
they are very accurate...3 different scales of accuracy..down to the 100th
of a degree...way beyond the need of a vanagon alignment.
I taped some blocks onto mine to bridge-out past the tires and hub
centers..using the edges of the rims to take the readings.
Make certain your suspension is 'settled' before you start. You need to
drive onto a level area and do your alignment...if you jack up the vehicle
to make adjustments...you should drive it around again to settle the
suspension before you re-measure....because your suspension, when just let
down from a jack is not fully down to where it will be on the road....so
your alignment measurements will be way off...
What I have done to simplify this...and it seemed to be good enough for a
~200mph racecar...was to take all the measurements with the vehicle all
settled out....write em down and figure out how much you have to change each
setting....then jack it up and re-measure...making the changes from
there..Not perfect...but I have re-checked after driving around with an
alignment done in this way and It's within about .5 degrees... Better
though is to make the changes, drive the vehicle and re-check...
Don Hanson
On Fri, Nov 5, 2010 at 1:11 PM, Larry Alofs <lalofs@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Fri, Nov 5, 2010 at 2:03 PM, Zolly <zolo@foxinternet.net> wrote:
> > Larry,
> > I would like you to let me know, how you would use that digital level.
> > Zoltan
> >
>
> Hi,
> I bought the cheapest ($25) one at a Menards Homecenter since I
> happened to be going there. They also had one for $60 which looked
> identical. The body of the device has a digital readout which reads
> to a tenth of a degree and two bubble vials which let you orient it
> either horizontal or vertical accurately. At one end an arm is
> attached which you open sort of like a jack knife or bevel square so
> that overall it is a vee shape with the display indicating the angle
> between the two legs.
> In principle you just hold the arm against the wheel, touching at
> the top and bottom and then move the body of the instrument outward
> until the bubble shows that it is plumb and then read the angle from
> the digital readout. Which end of the device you put up or down
> depends on whether you think the wheel tilts out or in at the top.
> In practice, the hub of the front wheel sticks out enough to be in
> the way if you want to measure at the center. You can move forward or
> back to miss the hub, but then the length of the level still causes it
> to hit the tire instead of the edges of the rim. If you are willing
> to overlook the irregularities of the tires you can just rest the
> level against the tire and go ahead.
> Since I wanted to work from the edges of the rims, I used spacers
> (two sockets of equal length) between the edges of my allow wheels and
> the arm of the level. It takes three hands and some dexterity to hold
> everything in place, but I am fairly satisfied with the results and
> the eventual adjustments that I made to the caster. I intend to make
> a bracket of some kind with projecting screws to serve as a more
> practical spacer.
>
> Note that these measurements are meaningless unless the van is level
> left to right. I think the best place to put a level to check is in
> the back, just behind the engine compartment lid.
>
> On a related note, after declaring the front alignment finished
> yesterday, I spent the morning today trying to adjust the rear camber.
> The back wheels of this van have always tilted inward at the top
> noticeably. I had tried in the past to make this adjustment as shown
> in the Bentley, without success. Rusted solid.
> This time I soaked things in PB blaster for three days and resolved
> to give it my best shot. Using a 22 mm box wrench and large mallet I
> got the nut loose on the large bolt. As before, it would not
> willingly move up or down. After considerable hammering and prying
> with large bars I finally got the inner end where I had loosened the
> nut to move up and down. The bolt would not turn more than about a
> sixth of a turn back and forth. It seems to be rusted solid to a
> sleeve which is bonded to the inside of the rubber bushing. I believe
> the rotation I can get is from the twisting of the bushing.
> The head of the bolt and its washer would not move downward even
> with vigorous hammering with a large blunt chisel. Finally after
> heating the bolt head and surrounding bracket with a cutting torch
> until the rubber was smoking and starting to melt, I got it to move
> about 3 mm or so. I held the other end as far as it would go with a
> pry bar while I tightened the nut. That wheel still has a little
> tilt, but it's noticeably less than it was.
>
> I am about to go back to the shop to try the other (drivers) side.
> Quite a bit more trouble to get the fiberglas out of the way there.
>
> If anyone has done this battle of adjusting the rear camber and has
> any insights, please feel free to comment!
>
> Larry A.
>
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