Strut Rod bushes query

[--Rebel--]

Got my car booked in for alignment tomorrow and have been reading up on what specs to aim for. I live in the UK so can't use the same specs as you guys due to having to drive on the left side of the road over here. While finding the specs I can use, I read somewhere that the strut rod bushes should be tightened so that the bushes are squashed so that they spread out and are the same diameter as the washers that hold them in place.
Can anyone confirm this please, or if possible can anyone post a picture of what their strut rod bushes and how they look please.
Thanks in advance

[Kern Dog]

The cars here can be aligned to allow for a crown in the road or aligned with the same caster and camber on both sides. In areas with no snow or little rain, there is almost no crown to the road at all. East Coast and snow region cars are often aligned to keep the wheel centered and the car straight while driving on a slanted road surface. Me? I'm in California where we can visit snow if we want but don't have to live in it.
I have my cars aligned with the same caster and camber numbers for both sides. My 70 Charger has 1/2 degree NEG camber, 4.5 degrees POS caster and 1/8" toe IN.
The tires wear evenly and the car seems to track well.
The strut rod bushings...(We call them bushings on this side) If they are rubber, yes, you tighten the nut to get them squashed in just a bit. Reproduction bushings may be a different diameter than the stock ones so it isn't accurate to just say to tighten until they match the diameter of the washer. A fatter bushing may extend past the edge of the washer and a smaller one may split if you tighten it too much in the effort of trying to get it to match the washer.

[--Rebel--]

Thanks Kerndog, when I replaced my strut rod bushings I'm fairly certain that I just tightened them up until I could get the split pin through the strut rod. I'm thinking that I may need to tighten the strut rod nuts a little more in order to pull the LCA's forward enough to give me the caster I need

[Kern Dog]

We are fortunate to have several options today when trying to obtain a better caster number. The adjustable strut rods you may have heard of are one way. Adjustable upper control arms are another. The cheapest method is a popular one too: Offset upper control arm bushings. Plenty has been written about the Moog "Problem Solver" K-7103 bushings so I'll just briefly say that they fit EVERY A and E body and most B body cars. They can sometimes give 2 2.5 degrees MORE caster than you get with standard bushings.

[--Rebel--]

We are indeed fortunate to have such things as the " problem solvers " I have a set fitted ( presumably by a previous owner ), having set them with the rear cam all the way in and the front cam all the way out, it looks like I still have negative or zero caster. Therefore I'm guessing that I just haven't tightened the strut rods correctly. There's no current or previous damage to the structure of the car so I can assume that it's me that's either done something wrong or missed something altogether.

[Kern Dog]

It gets a bit confusing when describing these offset bushings.
In stock form, I set the alignment cams so that the rearmost cam allows the A arm to sit closer to the engine while the front cam allows the A arm to be away from the engine. To gain MORE caster, the bushings need to be installed like so: REAR, install the bushing so that the thinnest part of the rubber faces the fender. FRONT, install the thinnest part of the rubber to face the engine side. This effectively moves the upper ball joint rearward slightly, tilting the spindle rearward to gain caster.
I had a shop try to align my 74 Duster after installing these bushings. They couldn't meet the numbers I had with the Charger, not even close. Neither car had been in any collision, neither were rusty or anything that might skew the integrity of the structure. The Duster was "aligned" at some nationwide chain outlet that probably rarely saw old cars. The shop that aligned the Charger was better equipped to handle a variety of cars.
So many new cars have no caster or camber adjustment so the guys doing alignments are not trained to do anything else.

[--Rebel--]

Ah, I see where the confusion is coming from now, I've had a look at the moog part number and don't think I have those fitted. I must just have the original set up, which looks like a metal washer with the hole off set, I have them set so the rear of the arm sits closer to the engine and the front away from the engine.
I take it from what you're saying that I'd need the off set bushings as well to give more caster

[Kern Dog]

Yes. The bushings just get you into a more favorable position, the cams fine tune the adjustment/settings.
These bushings were originally intended to correct a problem that many high mileage cars had: Sagged/damaged frames that led to excessive negative camber. Installed the way the instructions describe, an undamaged, solid car would have too much positive camber.

[Dino]

Ah, I see where the confusion is coming from now, I've had a look at the moog part number and don't think I have those fitted. I must just have the original set up, which looks like a metal washer with the hole off set, I have them set so the rear of the arm sits closer to the engine and the front away from the engine.
I take it from what you're saying that I'd need the off set bushings as well to give more caster

The way you describe it, it sounds like you have offset bushings installed. Stock bushings were centered.

[Nacho-RT74]

I never have heard about diff alingnmemt values because being driven in left of right side! Curves on road are the same no matter which side of the road you drive. Diff stuff is NASCAR were the circuit is a circle and cars are driven allways turning to the left LOL

You haven posted the car year, however Haynes manual catalog says 52 ft-lbs torque on the STRUT TO FRAME item on most.

Bushing must be tight making a good rubber sandwich on both sides of K frame. If not, the strut rod will be allmost free then the LCA bushing will be damaged earlier.

[--Rebel--]

Ah, I see where the confusion is coming from now, I've had a look at the moog part number and don't think I have those fitted. I must just have the original set up, which looks like a metal washer with the hole off set, I have them set so the rear of the arm sits closer to the engine and the front away from the engine.
I take it from what you're saying that I'd need the off set bushings as well to give more caster

The way you describe it, it sounds like you have offset bushings installed. Stock bushings were centered.

Could well have the offset bushings fitted then, they're in good condition so didn't disturb them. Definitely have the offset washers in there, if they're part of the bushing kit as well, then it sounds like I do have them after all. Thanks

[--Rebel--]

I never have heard about diff alingnmemt values because being driven in left of right side! Curves on road are the same no matter which side of the road you drive. Diff stuff is NASCAR were the circuit is a circle and cars are driven allways turning to the left LOL

You haven posted the car year, however Haynes manual catalog says 52 ft-lbs torque on the STRUT TO FRAME item on most.

Bushing must be tight making a good rubber sandwich on both sides of K frame. If not, the strut rod will be allmost free then the LCA bushing will be damaged earlier.

Was just commenting on the info I'd found on the internet regarding setting alignment. I know virtually nothing about fully aligning a front end, but I'm learning fast, lol.
The car is a '68 Charger