UCA shims came out while driving

[Bobbystill]

Took a right turn at "fun" speed on my way to work. Heard a clank and a jingling sound. Then a clunk from the passenger side when I stoped. Popped the hood and found alignment shims all over the place. UCAs and alignment done about 18 months ago with a few thousand miles on them. I checked the torque after installing the UCAs, but never checked it again after the alignment. Be careful out there!

 

[Supercharged111]

Ehh, you coulda made it home. Did the car get a little squirrely in the process?

 

[Bobbystill]

Ehh, you coulda made it home. Did the car get a little squirrely in the process?

Home was over 30 miles of mixed in-town and highway driving. Didn't want to take a chance on rounding out holes or breaking stuff.

 

[64nailhead]

It’s an old car - it’s tough.

Looks like it’s time for another alignment.

 

[403Olds]

Glad it wasn't worse. When I put tubulars on mine, I had to use a stack of shims. I ended up making solid spacers, then fine tuning it with shims, I wasn't comfortable with the amount of slotted shims I needed to get my alignment where it needed to be.

 

[69hurstolds]

Good gracious that's a butt load of shims! Is that how they make the tubular arm lengths with so much positive camber like that? Never used the tubulars but that just seems weird to me.

 

[Supercharged111]

Glad it wasn't worse. When I put tubulars on mine, I had to use a stack of shims. I ended up making solid spacers, then fine tuning it with shims, I wasn't comfortable with the amount of slotted shims I needed to get my alignment where it needed to be.

What'd you use? Folks seem proud of their fabricated solutions online.

Good gracious that's a butt load of shims! Is that how they make the tubular arm lengths with so much positive camber like that? Never used the tubulars but that just seems weird to me.

That's what my stack looks like, just to get some semblance of negative camber.

 

[69hurstolds]

Interesting. I understand that sometimes more positive camber is desired, but I guess as long as the proper torque it maintained, it works.

 

[Supercharged111]

Interesting. I understand that sometimes more positive camber is desired

NEVER on a street car should one desire the slightest iota of positive camber. There are far more effective ways to induce understeer that don't destroy tires. I just wonder why they make the arms this way? Unless it's for the roundy round crowd who'd want some on the inner tire?

 

[Bobbystill]

Glad it wasn't worse. When I put tubulars on mine, I had to use a stack of shims. I ended up making solid spacers, then fine tuning it with shims, I wasn't comfortable with the amount of slotted shims I needed to get my alignment where it needed to be.

What did you make your spacers out of? I was thinking about that last night on the way home.