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Subject:Re: Adjusting Rear Camber
From:Roger VanTill
Date:Sun, 3 Jan 2010 07:32:30 -0500

Here's a nice DIY tutorial from the Samba.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=375963&highlight=alignment

On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 9:15 PM, Don Hanson <dhanson928@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 5:16 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
> > it's easy.
> > see my post just posted.
> >
> > you can check camber, toe, and get a good idea if front castor is
> correct,
> > with a flat level floor, and simple measuring tools and a level.
> > Been doin' it for 30 years at least.  And I get 'em to track true, and
> run
> > with nice even tire wear, believe it or not.
> >
> > scott
> >
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Dave Mcneely" <mcneely4@COX.NET>
> > To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> >  Sent: Saturday, January 02, 2010 3:42 PM
> > Subject: Re: Adjusting Rear Camber
> >
> >
> > Well, without alignment equipment, I wouldn't attempt it.  How would you
> >> measure the angle?  David Mc
> >>
> >>
> >>
>
>
>
>   You can use what is called a "Smart Level"  that may be a brand name for
> a
> digital level that are available online or at Home Despot or Lowes... I
> like
> to put a couple of spacer blocks onto one to measure the angle of the wheel
> rim.rather than trying to use the tire's sidewall..
>
>  Excellent accruacy to the tenth of a degree.  With a little thought, you
> can do a good job with your suspension alignments.  I did all my own
> alignments on my P-car racer and won races and set lap records..it is not
> rocket science..Regular tools(strings, levels, tape measures, etc) can do
> the job at least as well as a 'normal' alignment shop and all their fancy
> lazers and computers run by an ..."uninspired?" wage worker.
>
>  That being said, your best indicator of how your alignment really IS is
> your tire wear.  If they are wearing evenly without any 'weirdness' in the
> wear pattern your alignment is pretty close to right..
>
>  not sure about the Vanagon, but many vehicles need to be 'settled' between
> changes to the alignment settings.  If you jack the thing up and change
> something, you should drive it around a little to get the suspension back
> to
> 'relaxed' before you re-measure your alignment..
>
>  Don Hanson
>
>
>
>
> >  On Sat, Jan 2, 2010 at 5:31 PM, Geo & Kathleen Hahn wrote:
> >>
> >> It appears to my eye that the rear camber on my '84 Westy needs
> >>> adjustment.
> >>>
> >>> The Bentley procedure seems simple, perhaps too simple?  Just pull off
> >>> that plastic cap from the big nut, loosen the nut, pry the trailing
> >>> arm by inserting a big screwdriver in the slot, tighten the nut and
> >>> go.
> >>>
> >>> Assume here that I am crafty enough to measure camber both before and
> >>> after.
> >>>
> >>> I couldn't find any reference to this in the archives... suggesting
> >>> that it is either very easy or seldom done.  Any gotchas I should know
> >>> about?  Thanks for any help.
> >>>
> >>> Geo
> >>>
> >>
>