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Replacing UCA Eccentric Bolt - HELP

66 Sat

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Hi,
After a recent debacle where I had a lowrider thing going on after forgetting to tension the torsion bars, I managed to strip one of the new UCA eccentric bolts when adjusting the camber after setting the ride height correctly (the new bolt was "modern Chinese" quality).
PST are sending me a new bolt free of charge (which was good of them), but in the meantime I cleaned up one of the old bolts and am trying to install it. It's the front passenger side bolt. I can get the bolt in easy enough, but when I try to adjust the camber the welded eccentric washer (in the wheelwell) tries to ride out of the "ears". The outside washer (in the engine bay) sits correctly in the ears, but not the other one. The tension is off the torsion bar that side, the other UCA bolt is backed right off, car jacked up, both front wheels off the ground. I've tried jacking the lower control arm up slightly but that didn't help. The washer needs to come in a bit toward the engine to sit properly, instead of sitting on the lip of the ear. I've tried gently tightening the nut to see if it would slip in, but no joy, and I don't want to flatten the ear at all. I've also tried wacking it in with a bit of timber but no joy. I've also tried tightening it a fair bit in the position I don't want it in (camber wise) where it sits quite flat, then backing off the nut slightly, and then re-positioning it to the correct camber position, but it still wants to ride out.
20180805_095730.jpg
I'm trying not to scratch and wreck all my newly restored suspension too. Photo attached of offending area.
Any ideas on what's going on?
 
You have the thread side cam in same relation is the other end? Try flopping the outside cam and see if it makes a difference.
Just for reference the nuts go in the engine bay.
 
The nuts are in the engine bay. The thread side cam can only go the same way as the bolt side because of the flat on the bolt that matches the flat on the cam. When I started re-assembling the front end it was easy, the UCA's went in and were connected to nothing else so everything could seat properly. Now there's forces pulling this way and that from everything that's connected to them. It's only fractions of an inch - I just need to pry the uca inwards slightly - I just can't get good leverage off anything. Maybe I need to slacken everything off, the LCA, strut rod, disconnect the tie rod end to get everything really loose? Actually I might try altering the cam on the other side of the uca (the one nearer the firewall, and then adjusting it back later.
 
Tough one. The uca should be free in its movement for caster and camber. I know I had to use a long wrench behind the uca against the inner fender to move it without the cam walking out.

On another note, I also stripped out an adjustment cam nut. I replaced all the nuts with nuts used on the leaf spring u bolt which are taller = more thread. I was able to get them tight without them stripping out.
 
The nuts are in the engine bay. The thread side cam can only go the same way as the bolt side because of the flat on the bolt that matches the flat on the cam. When I started re-assembling the front end it was easy, the UCA's went in and were connected to nothing else so everything could seat properly. Now there's forces pulling this way and that from everything that's connected to them. It's only fractions of an inch - I just need to pry the uca inwards slightly - I just can't get good leverage off anything. Maybe I need to slacken everything off, the LCA, strut rod, disconnect the tie rod end to get everything really loose? Actually I might try altering the cam on the other side of the uca (the one nearer the firewall, and then adjusting it back later.
Mark it first so there isnt a problem putting it back in position. If its not support the LCA and take the pressure off the upper arm. Floor jack would work fine if you have one.
 
I've measured the old cam bolt and it's actually 3/64" diameter bigger than the one that had the stripped thread. I'm tempted to grind it down slightly in the area where it's fouling. It should be ok, it's not exactly precision engineering.
 
You have the front end off the ground. Just thinking...might consider loosening the torsion bar adjuster, to relieve the bind that side is in. Those bolts are usually installed with no load on the UCA.
 
You have the front end off the ground. Just thinking...might consider loosening the torsion bar adjuster, to relieve the bind that side is in. Those bolts are usually installed with no load on the UCA.
Thats why I suggested jacking the LCA to relieve that pressure and remove pull from the UCA. No reason to mess with torsion bar adjustment.
 
Well after much screwing around I gave up and took it to a local suspension shop. Basically the problem is on both sides of the car (I hadn't noticed as only one camber bolt stripped). It seems that the Goodmark replacement shock towers that I had welded in about 3 years ago are really well made, except the bolt holes on the front are out by about 1/2". Therefore, when the camber bolt is located correctly in the middle on the inside, the bolt is at one side of the slot on the other side, instead of in the middle. As you try to turn the cam it forces its way out of the ears. The rear holes line up, only the fronts are affected. As you can imagine this is a major screw up at this stage of proceedings (everything painted, engine back in etc). He didn't know how to fix it, so he's putting it back together and will try to align everything as best as he can. I think my only option is some SPC fully adjustable uca's, where the adjustments are made at the other end of the uca, not where it meets the frame. Just need to empty my wallet a bit more and waste some more time, so business as usual...
20151217_131038.jpg
20151217_131051.jpg
 
Hold on, you do not need to support the lca at all. Get the car on jack stands, take the wheel off do not mess with anything else. Loosen the the cam bolt and replace it. I’ve done this several times, it’s no biggie.
 
Hold on, you do not need to support the lca at all. Get the car on jack stands, take the wheel off do not mess with anything else. Loosen the the cam bolt and replace it. I’ve done this several times, it’s no biggie.

Hmmm I think I'm past that stage - the camber bolt will never sit properly due to the misaligned holes. It probably contributed to the bolt stripping in the first place, because of the torsional pressure it was under. It should have been "no biggie", instead because of poor quality control it's bigger than Ben Hur.
 
Guess it pays to fit before you weld. Yes I understand stuff happens. At least you now no why its not working.
 
Guess it pays to fit before you weld. Yes I understand stuff happens. At least you now no why its not working.

Is there one person on this site that actually would have thought to check the location of the shock tower slots before welding them in? Besides the fib tellers, of course...
 
I would, but I am ****, a cynic and don't trust any aftermarket parts anymore. I have had to rework most of the parts I have installed on my car so if there is a problem I have to blame myself for the results. Goodmark is my last resort for parts, but I have had to get desperate. A possible fix for you would be to knock the bolt in from the inside and modify the ecentric washer on the engine side by "repositioning the hole". Cutoff one side of the washer and weld onto the other side. You are moving the hole over a bit and I believe the bolt will still move correctly during alignment.
 
A possible fix for you would be to knock the bolt in from the inside and modify the ecentric washer on the engine side by "repositioning the hole". Cutoff one side of the washer and weld onto the other side. You are moving the hole over a bit and I believe the bolt will still move correctly during alignment.
yeah that's what the suspension guy suggested yesterday. It's ok for now and I drove it home yesterday but it is a little wayward at higher speeds (70 mph) and I don't like the look of positive camber.
 
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