Alignment Problem with Rear Struts

I am trying to get my alignment done. The front is perfect, however I can not get the bottom of my rear wheels to come in. The camber is way off. I have retracted it as far as possible and it still is over a 1/4" off with a level. I have driven the car after every adjustment.

Is it possible I was sent the wrong struts, or is there another problem causing this?

Help

I just started looking at the strut rods on line. The 78-79 & the 80-82 have different part numbers.

Does anyone know if this length related. If the 77-79 are longer, that could be my problem. Does anyone have the specs?

How are your u-joints and differential

Does the half shaft have excessive play?

Are you using adjustable struts?

Everything is new, and feels tight.

I wish I had adjustable struts now. Then I would just shorten them up.

Thanks

After checking everything close and comparing with all books I can find, I might have stumbled across the problem. Are the factory spring bolts 7" or 8".
I tightened up the spring bolts all of the way, and the camber started coming in. I remember counting 7 threads on the factory bolts, but if they were 7" verses 8" that would be an inch off. With the driveshafts at parallel, the strut rods fit fine. Before adjusting the spring height, the struts were in a bind
( cocked ).

Any thoughts?

Dirtbuster1 said:

After checking everything close and comparing with all books I can find, I might have stumbled across the problem. Are the factory spring bolts 7" or 8".
I tightened up the spring bolts all of the way, and the camber started coming in. I remember counting 7 threads on the factory bolts, but if they were 7" verses 8" that would be an inch off. With the driveshafts at parallel, the strut rods fit fine. Before adjusting the spring height, the struts were in a bind
( cocked ).

Any thoughts?

Click to expand...

with FACTORY struts, yes the ride height will affect the adjustments, as with adjustable length rods, even with POLY ends in the eyelets, the center can be adjusted out to neutral for YOUR ride height....BUT if factory rods, the only adjustment is to move the inner mount out or in to change the camber....

:nuts:

mrvette said:

with FACTORY struts, yes the ride height will affect the adjustments, as with adjustable length rods, even with POLY ends in the eyelets, the center can be adjusted out to neutral for YOUR ride height....BUT if factory rods, the only adjustment is to move the inner mount out or in to change the camber....

:nuts:

Click to expand...

I'm confused?:bonkers:

Will the spring bolts affect camber or not? I'm confused! Screwing them all the way up is the only way I could bring the bottom of the wheels in. Currently I have 1.5 degrees of negative camber. I think that that is in spec, but I don't have any adjustment left.

Dirtbuster1 said:

I'm confused?:bonkers:

Will the spring bolts affect camber or not? I'm confused! Screwing them all the way up is the only way I could bring the bottom of the wheels in. Currently I have 1.5 degrees of negative camber. I think that that is in spec, but I don't have any adjustment left.

Click to expand...

Yes, you have camber gain/loss as the ride height changes....so depending on your height, you have to then adjust the strut rod for camber....

with a stock strut you have only about 1/2 inch or so for end play on that mount attached to the diffy, with that etcentric bolt on the end....that's your only adjustment.....NOW if you have a VBP/similar rod with joints on it that adjust similar to a tie rod end, you can typically adjust hell outta that thing to compensate for any ride height or most all installations....

Looks like I need to look at some adjustable struts. I don't know what other option I have. I wish I new the exact distance on the strut rod to make sure that I don't have a pair defective struts. It just does not make since that I can't adjust it properly.

I hate making one problem go away by creating another.

Thanks for the help!

Factory bolts are 6", the ones that come in the kits with the spring are usually 8".

If 6" is correct, that would most likely fix my problem. Found my old ones, and they also were 8".

Thanks for the help