Axles and Cambers
 

Hello all,

After having my p-car mechanic install a new rear axle and both boots last week, I went to a tire joint today to get some new rubber all around. The "tire people" (aka Sears Roebuck and Company) told me the camber of the right rear tire is beyond what they can align - it's minus 2 degrees. Sears pointed out the if a new axle had been installed, that the p-car people should've performed an alignment before returning the car to me, but the centrics show no sign of having been touched in many moons. I just bought this car from a private seller, who advertised it as "unmolested", but I'm concerned that if an adjustment of the centrics doesn't align the car, it could be a sign of a bend frame or control arm.

Any thoughts?

Many thanks.

The other side was set at minus 1.3.

In the front, the left is minus 1.1 and the right is minus 1.3.

First off, I wouldn't let Sears and Co. anywhere near my car...

You don't have to align to replace the axles/CVs. If your camber is really too far our of adjustment (assumes the guys at Sears have a clue), then probably you just have have worn bushings that are allowing it to sag too far out of whack. That was the case with my old '73 years and years ago...

Now I am curious? Alignment seems to be maxed out for non modified 911s. What did the guy say he used it for? Were the tyres worn badly on the edges?

That sounds pretty close to what I want my alignment to be. See you at Summit Point!

Peter

previous owner owned 13 p-cars. this was #12. he tracked it on occasion. sold the $$$ rubber separately said he was active in PA PCA.

thanks for the tip about axle replacement / alignment.

Does anyone have a link to a schematic about bushings and the rear axle? I've got a steep learning curve to climb.

Thanks.

Ding ding ding - winner! I bet your car just has a track alignment. Like Jeff said, replacing the axle has nothing to do with the alignment (doesn't change it at all) so no mechanic would alter your alignment for an axle replacement unless you asked.

Do a search on "spring plate bushings" and you'll get more than you want to know about rear suspension.

What nobody has said to you yet, but you probably already know since you have 10 posts, is that many of us Dorkis would be happy to help you with this and look at your car. Just ask...

Lowering the car will also increase the negative camber. So if the PO tracked it, chances are it's not 'stock' geight, and that alone increased the camber. And if he ran RA1s, or something even stickier, he probably had that camber dialed in.

Do the guys at Sears even know how to properly align with the spring plates???