Coupe alignment

[Monkeymagic]

I took my 91 S2 coupe to have it aligned after having both subframe off.
The garage were having a game getting the rear camber right. It currently looks aggressive great for hard cornering not so good for the inside edge of my tyres.
However after much messing around the garage gave up. They seem to think I've fitted the wrong lower arm ball joints or the track control arms. I know I haven't as they are new but identical to those taken off.
I suggested that the strut to hub bolts may need tweaking. I fitted these years ago when I fitted my KW shocks.
Is there adjustment at the strut to hub?
Or is camber solely adjusted via bottom ball joint as garage claims. Both are set fully in but still the camber is out.
I also need to free up the front track adjust knuckle. But that's simple enough.
I personally don't think the garage could be arsed.

[Monkeymagic]

They also claimed it could be my subframe bushes. They are all brand new lowerflex black series and I used the 10mm as mine Is 3b so don't buy into that either.

[LHD_Kid]

On my KW V3, there is camber adjustment on the strut to hub. The top fixing is through a round hole, the bottom bolt through a slight slot. You can see easily enough by removing one lower bolt and looking.
There isn't massive adjustment, but it is significant.

[Monkeymagic]

Brilliant so the bottom hole on the KW strut is slotted.?
If I'm Honest I fitted them years ago and when I went to have the adjustments done the rear tie arms were seized. I bought the rear tie arms and they lived in the boot for years.. Until I'm finally refreshed underneath.

[LHD_Kid]

Just looked at some pics... Its the other way round... Top hole...

This is the front strut, my rears were the same.

As you can see, not HUGE adjustment, but a little at the strut is more at the wheel....

[Monkeymagic]

This is the rear though. Although top bolt being adjustable makes more sense.

[LHD_Kid]

Just edited my post.... Fronts and rears adjust the same way

[LHD_Kid]

Not very clear, but oval holes in rears too...

[Monkeymagic]

Brilliant. It's as I thought and garage don't really understand these cars and were telling me I'd fitted wrong parts when I knew I hadn't. I'd only replaced like woth like when fitted new bits.
Ill give the strut bolts a tweak.
I think it's time for new front track control knuckles. I'm sure someone on here was making stainless ones..

[Error404]

Yeah you’ve got about 2deg of camber adjustment on the strut to hub interface

[Monkeymagic]

Tbh I was a bit Peevd off with garage. They had me do some vcds work for them they were struggling with and offered to do my alignment for a trade. Shouldn't have done their job until my alignment was done... Oh well I'll make some adjustments and take it back. Cheers chaps.

[Bowie69]

Even the stock struts have some wriggle room there, and if pushed the wrong way can mean you'll never get it within spec.

[Rusty]

If you've lowered it quite a bit on the coilovers then your camber will increase as well.

[Monkeymagic]

Cheers chaps I'm certain this is where the issue lies. Rusty my car isn't much lower than standard ride height. For three reasons lowering them too far throws out the geometry. I live in the middle of nowhere and need to negotiate country lanes and not least I'm 40 and am like it to be practical...

[Monkeymagic]

Well i moved the strut to hub bolts and brought the camber all the way positive.
I took it for alignment and between me and the mech we got the front camber spot on. The front and rear toe spot on and the thrust angle spot on. We still couldn't get the rear camber spot on as it's at the end of the adjustment. It's pretty damn close.
I do wonder if the lowered suspension combined with the wider rear 17 inch wheels could affect the adjustments..
Either way I drove it and it felt great. I may just move the steering wheel a couple of splines.
The poly bushes throughout and whiteline rear anti roll bar have tightened things up.
Looks like the paint is on hold so may as well just use it..