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Date:         Wed, 16 Oct 2013 19:17:57 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Organization: Cosmic Reminders
Subject:      Re: NAPA usually has it...
Comments: To: Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <CAHTkEu+gtyU9+oK694f45YR+JDsPES6A0a0NReZUxYvSOGnMsw@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

safe advice.. I use a carpenter's level and short ruler to get the static camber with wheels straight ahead. I like to roll the van forward to settle the suspension first.. and stop it with the parking brake. Has to be on a very level flat floor.

I have at times simulated the driver's weight with a sack of concrete or whatever in the front seat.. though alignments are never done that way. .. Makes quite a difference actually.

then ..when camber is where I it ....I go for straight up and down or barely tilted out at the top ...like 1/8th inch. then do toe ..as changing camber can affect the toe. I go for 1/16th inch to 1/8 inch toe-in.

if you really want to be cool...check the castor .. or check that it's about equal on both sides. like this .. turn full right, measure left and right cambers. You'll find the inside tire leans Way in ..like a fat two inches at the top. and the outside of the turn tire leans in barely ...like 1/4 to less than 1/2 inch. that would be fairly normal.

then turn full left and repeat. if the measurements are pretty close on both sides, ..your castor is about right.

I change whole front suspensions with this method .. I get 'em darn close ...tires don't wear, van goes straight, etc.

Scott

On 10/16/2013 6:50 PM, Don Hanson wrote: > Even parts for Vanagons. Today I was doing some long-deferred > maintenance, getting a head start on my pre-winter trip chores. My front > alignment has been bad now for a while, probably since I got the van...... > so the RAO 8s are wearing the inside shoulders, more on the left wheel. I > decided to dismount the front tires and swap them around to use up the > remaining tread, and to address the poor alignment while I had the wheels > off.......needs some camber adjustment, at least. > > I've not messed with the vanagon suspension much, so I discovered I > needed a 14mm hex key to move the camber settings...and of course, didn't > have that one. Off to the city.... and I went to 4 likely auto and tool > supply houses....without any luck.. Anyhow I found the tool at NAPA in The > Dalles, Or (pretty small town).... I've seldom been 'skunked' when I go to > any NAPA....though the one in a really tiny town we frequent often has to > order out and get stuff for me sent in the next day...... > > Anybody have any sage advice on reducing the negative camber my front > obviously has? Any gotchas I might encounter or hidden complexities that > won't be readily apparent or outlined in the Bently book? I don't have > an alignment rack or lasers but I can usually do most vehicles acceptably > well without that fancy stuff... >


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