Frontend alinement
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,062
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From: Central Oregon
Frontend alinement
Took out 1990 Aerostar in for an alinement after installing upper "A" frame bushings. Shop could not get the camber set on the right side. After working on it for 2 hours he gave up. The recommended repair was a new set on front of coil springs, thought is that new springs will straighten up the wheels. Any thoughts on this? Van has 400K on it and the springs have not been changed,
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,015
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From: SoCal
I'm guessing you removed the upper A frame brackets when you replaced their bushings. Most manuals tell you to mark where the brackets were before you start taking them apart so you can return them to the same positions when you re-install them. The problem is there is a plate between them and the frame rail, and you need to mark them both, as they both shift around.
If the shop could not set the camber, you need to loosen the 3 giant bolts that old the brackets (and subframe) to the frame rails and shift the brackets. If there is too much positive camber, you need to push them in a little. If it's too much negative, pull them out a little. This time, mark the positions of the brackets and plate before you start so you have reference to check how much you've shifted them.
If the shop could not set the camber, you need to loosen the 3 giant bolts that old the brackets (and subframe) to the frame rails and shift the brackets. If there is too much positive camber, you need to push them in a little. If it's too much negative, pull them out a little. This time, mark the positions of the brackets and plate before you start so you have reference to check how much you've shifted them.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,062
Likes: 35
From: Central Oregon
I did mark the plates and measured with a Didital calipers to reset them. As the right side was done last summer, I did not change anything on that side, only the left. That being said,, the left side was good, it was the right side that they could not get the Caster setting into spec. Thank for the response!
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,062
Likes: 35
From: Central Oregon
I did take the Aerostar back and showed the kid how to move the upper "A" frame, I had assumed he knew that the a arm would move, I was wrong. When I asked him if he had tried to it, he said that the computer did not say it could move, So I showed him where the bolts were and how to move it, Got the alignment down in 40 mins... and then thanked me for the information. To old van is 10 years older than the tech working on it.
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