Anyone know how a alignment shop goes about installing shims? My upper contoll arm is being pushed towards the shock tower, making it near impossible to get the shims in. Will I have to compress the spring? Thanks
I didn't even have to take the wheel off. I just loosened the bolts, jacked the car up slightly, then reached in there and put them in. Then I set it back down and checked it with my camber gauge. Two or three tries and I had it spot on.
The alignment shop in town kept telling me they couldn't align it because their computer only told them how many times to turn the adjustment bolts on the newer models. They didn't even know where the shims went!
On one side of my car, after I loosened the nuts on the engine side of the shock tower, I had to use a small pry bar between the shock tower and upper control arm to create a little space to slide the shims in. On the other side, I could just pull out on the tire to open up the needed space.
well.....today I took a closer look...and found some trouble. The reason why the upper contol arm wont budge when i pull on the wheel/spidle assembly, is because it has been wedged in the corner of the shock tower....The up and down motion of the control arm has cut a small slit in the shock tower...I am going to remove the spring and and see if that will releive some tension off the contol arm. When you retighten the nut on the engine side, does it need to be snug, extremely tight........??? thanks guys
Can you please post a pic of the damage?
I'm a little concerned about this "small slit". Potential diaster could be waiting if the shock tower isn't sound.
The bushings are fine....The tower has not flexed....I removed the springs reinstalled all the shims....Reinstalled the spring and shock. The control arm is now far away from the shock tower. My wheel is now pointed at a 12 oclock position rather than 1.....I did not drive the car yet, as my water pump is removed. Tommorow i will get a pump in and test drive. Here are the picks of the slit. I do have acess to a welder.....the slit measures about 1/4" wide and 1 1/2" long. thanks
All of the shims?
How many was there?
more than 3 or 4 and the sub frame may not be straight.
And you don't want to leave the bolt short of having enough threads thru the nut.
I reinstalled all of the shims that fell out. There were 2 large about 1/8" and then 3 small about 1/32"............The alignment is perfect now but when braking, it pulls hard to the left. If you have your hand on the wheel, it will barely pull. If you remove your hand and brake, it will pull. Im off to go weld that slit up..