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Is there an easy way to get the camber at least close enough to drive?

Started by WH23G3G, October 25, 2011, 07:41:43 PM

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WH23G3G

We got all my required pictures for my insurance approval done today and my 73 Charger although not perfectly tuned its better than a few months ago. It idles a little too low when in drive but when you punch it sure does get up and go. Not smoking nearly at all under the hood and nothing leaking anymore other than 1 penny sized drop a few hours after from the trans pan again. But I noticed when we were driving around my driveway that the camber is out. When I was doing everything to the car I changed all the bushings to urethane and put new ball joints in. So I knew all this would be off. We tried to get it where we thought it was close but I guess it's not good enough. It would eat up the new tires on the way to the shop. The ride height is fine. Someone told me an easy way to get the adjustment good enough to get to the alignment shop is to loosen the pivot bar bolts and lower the car. Is that a good way? Would that break anything if I do that? Of course I know I won't get it on the mark but I'm trying to get it enough where I can drive it to a shop a few miles away. 

A383Wing

a few miles ain't gonna destroy the tires....you could always us a level with a bubble on it, lay it up against the wheel and set the camber so the bubble is center on the level

WH23G3G

That's what I was going to try. Do I just loosen the two center bolts on the top strut arm or the outside nuts on the ends too where the bushings are?

Domino

This trick is related to your question, not sure it has been posted before....
If you find your toe in/out is off, say after replacing tie rod ends and you want to get it close before heading to the alignment shop
You can use two large pieces of sheet metal and some granular sand on a level floor.
With the sand spread out in a thin even layer, the 2 pieces of sheet metal go down, each lined up with either front tire.
As the car drives over, the sheet metal pieces will twist showing you if there is toe in/out.
Then make adjustments to the alignment and repeat the test until the sheet metal does not twist as the tires roll over.



maxwellwedge

The camber is adjusted using the 2 bolts/cams (front and rear) on the upper control arms.

Why not just throw it on an open trailer or order a roll-back to take it for an alignment?

Chryco Psycho

I always max the caster ,so turn the front adjuster all the way out & the rear all the way inward then measure the camber with a level across the wheel , adjust the rear bolt outward until the wheel is almost level , then set up the toe in , who needs a wheel alignment , they will just screw it back up

WH23G3G

This year 73 doesn't use the camber bolts like 72. It's setup like a GM with the strut bar and the adjusting bolts in the middle of strut bar and you have to push in/out on the control arm. The tie rods I was able to readjust with my original set because I had another set already off of another 73 so I matched up the lengths with the old ones. I think throwing a level up each tire getting it close will do what I need where I can drive it somewhere. I know it would be easy to tow it to a shop but I'm trying to avoid that, I want to drive it to a shop but to get everything checked not to get more repairs done. 

A383Wing

even if the alignment shop is 5-10 miles away...it really ain't gonna hurt anything is camber is out that much....toe in or out by any significant amount would cause more wear to tires than camber