Control arm camber bolt washer play Help Plz.

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BIG-B-Barracuda

BIG-B-Barracuda

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I have been noticing top of my passenger wheel is positive (top of wheel sticking outward) and it gets worse over time also now recently when driving steering is dangerously shifty... If that makes sense.... Pulls right or left on occasions.

I set the camber bolts this way....
Driver side camber bolt closer to driver towards the inside (engine bay)
Driver side camber bolt away from driver towards the outside (away from engine bay)

Passenger side camber bolt closer to passenger towards the inside (engine bay)
Passenger side camber bolt away from passenger towards the outside (away from engine bay)

So I checked and my camber and the passenger side camber bolt away from passenger has play and it moved pointing up.(I imagine it loosens) Re did it and it happened again.. Does this camber bolt play an indication of bad control arms or bad camber bolts? Or bad bushings? Or bad frame hold downs? I tightened it with breaker bar feels tight and more tight and feels like it will break. ?

Any help? Appreciated! :cheers:
 
Continually coming loose?
I'm thinking new UCA bushings, new bolt/eccentric set, and scrutinize that UCA bracket for excessive wear or rust out. Make sure you torque as required. Get the alignment done.

A good alignment shop should be able to assess the problem if you cannot.
 
You may have to take it apart and clean it real well and dimple the inside of the washers with a hardened steel punch for traction. Make sure your bolts are A body bolts too. You could be running out of threads.
 
Both great suggestions I will check those tonight and keep you guys posted.

Would a new uca bracket be hard to source and install? If bad?

Any one know the torque specs?

I bought tubular Qa1 uca or Q1a I forget the brand they come with bushings and ball joints thought that was my problem plus thought it put value and make things better for my car.

I will also get new bolt set - any one know a good source? I ask because a vaguely remember someone suggesting that I should use original used ones rather then buying new ones because the original ones where made better anyhow.

I have 1968 barracuda with 1973 A-body front disc brakes big bolt patter.
 
There should be lock washers under the nuts that should keep that from happening. I have never had this happen to me.
 
Sedanman said:
There should be lock washers under the nuts that should keep that from happening. I have never had this happen to me.
Click to expand...

This. I even put a dab of grease on the backside of the eccentric washers so that the camber bolts rotate easily when making adjustments to the alignment. I use stock (old) camber bolts too, I've only ever retired one set of camber bolts and that was because of the heim joints on the Hotchkis UCA's on my Challenger going bad and wearing the bolts.

The torque spec on the camber bolts is 70 ft/lbs.

If the UCA's and bushings are new, I would readjust the alignment and make sure to torque the camber bolts to 70 ft/lbs with a good set of lock washers in there. While you're doing that you can check to see if the UCA mounting points look decent. If they're broken or rusted out it should be pretty obvious though.
 
There is no rust, all washer are in place, bracket is in tact and nothing is broken.

On the bracket though I am noticing some significant wear around the border where the washers sit and where the adjustments Occur possibly it widened over time and it's causing to misadjust by movement and weight of car? This is only a theory though not 100% confirmed.. During adjustment and tighting it does lock in place but I'm thinking with heavier weight this could be the issue. Where it's coming undone.
 
If it's not the bolt, lock washer, eccentric, or the bracket, what's left? I can only believe the bushing is collapsing on you or just too short, possibly causing the eccentric to bottom out on the bolt round before locking it to the bracket adequately. Maybe adding .030"-.060" hardened washer between the bushing and bracket or even filing the flats on the bolt can make the difference.
 
The eccentric bracket being worn shouldn't be causing the play, more likely it's the result of it. The slot in the UCA mount for the camber bolt is horizontal and shouldn't be under a tremendous amount of horizontal load, most of the load should be vertical and really the LCA bears the weight of the car, not the UCA.

I'd make sure the bolt isn't bottoming out somehow and retorque it to 70 ft lbs. I've never actually put a torque wrench in any of mine, and they've never moved. If it moves again after being torqued to factory specs I'd pull everything apart and inspect it all after a thorough pressure washing.
 
Good feedback guys, they all definatly do not have the extra washer/spacer lock washer in place but not the others so it might be bottoming out. I will add and keep you guys posted. Thanks
 
This is a common occurrence if you installed new bolts.I ran into this many times during my years in an alignment shop.
The flats on the bolt are not cut up the shank far enough, and when you torque it up,you think it's tight, but it hasn't put enough squeeze on it yet;you just bottomed the special washer on the flats
My solution was to install an extra hardened washer or two.One has to go on the HH side,right under the head; eg, first item on. This pulls the flats further away from the special washer on the other side, usually providing enough squeeze room.Sometimes it took two.
I think I used teener head bolt washers
Problem solved!
 
If I remember the cam bolts are 1/2 " with fine thread nuts. I greased them as well, said in above post, easier to turn them. I have my own turn plates and long acre alignment tool. The cam bolts moved on me too. I thought I had them tight enough. I did not. So I re did my alignment and torqued the cam bolts 85 foot pounds. They haven't moved in six months. I marked them for quick visual inspection.
 
Really great insight guys! I will try that.

In case this does not solve my problem I wanted to report a symptom that also just started that might have something to do with this.... Humming ... Only when throttle is engaged cannot pin point it....
 
Someone may have replaced the camber bolts with the longer aftermarket style. They tighten on the threads or washer slot before they squash the bracket hard enough to hold. Ran into this in the past. The bolts I had this problem with were not factroy bolts. The washer did not have the round hole with the flat side. It had a hex hole in it.
 
I have like new factory essentric sets. many of them. Total price $40 shipped to Ca. from Pa. Thats approximately $25 for the bolts and $15 to ship. All 4 bolts , washers , and nuts included. Pay pal
 
Replacement bushings do not supply the steel washers that go in each side of the new bushings. They must be removed from the old ones. Look to see if these washers were put in the bushings before the a frames were installed in the vehicle. If not the adjusters will rotate somewhat while in use.This is a common mistake made by some while rebuilding the suspension. Also be sure you install all the washers with the sharp edge of them to the side of the body slots so they hold better. NO LUBE is needed. Install part clean and dry.
Jack Arnew Suspension Systems
 
Fixed her up installed new split lock washers.
No longer getting movement on the camber bolts.

But still getting a really strange "jerk" when driving now thinking it's my steering box going bad?

I just did the complete new Moog front suspension build this is strange to me....
Head scratcher
Maybe wheel bearings? Would explain the humming, I jacked her up but wheels are not loose no play.

I am also wondering if it's even worth installing my new Q1a uca 's I could return and get what I actually need....
 
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