Camber Surprise

[S2central.net]

I changed the right joint - I think it is too far 'in' - by which I mean insufficient negative camber and thats what skews the rack to the right... or is that tother way round ?

[S2central.net]

Dangit - depends on where the strut pivots when camber is adjusted... Pulling joint outwards would push rack inwards if the track rod was above the point where the strut would pivot - as the top mount is fixed. But KOTK suggests that pulling joint outwards pulls the rack outwards - which would put the pivot point above the track rod - right ?

[Keeper of The Kitten]

The only bit that matters IMHO is the steering arm behind the strut centreline - pulling the bottom joint (or the top one) outwards will definitely move the steering arm outwards - but if the track rods are not adjusted then that would theoretically mean that if the opposite side is held aligned to a datum position, the side with the newly positioned ball joint would toe-out. I'm not sure what it would do to the steering wheel in that respect!

[Keeper of The Kitten]

So, if it's too far inboard on the right side, that would surely turn the steering wheel to the right ...but that would also be taking camber off (reduced negative). It's late and I've probably failed to read this thread thoroughly enough....

[Keeper of The Kitten]

Oh and if you pull the bottom joint in or out, the whole strut will rotate about the top joint. Hence the whole strut (with the exception of a tiny bit above the top ball centre) will move in the direction that you move the bottom part.

[Keeper of The Kitten]

I'm going bleedin insane, too long since I looked at my own car ....remind me, is the steering arm in front or behind the strut?!! If it's behind the strut, I think your right side ball joint is inboard, and that would cause toe-in. Otherwise, if the steering arm is in front (and I'm damned if I can remember) the opposite would be true.

I'll get my coat.

[S2central.net]

Cheers Martin - I'll try pulling the new joint more outboard then.

[S2central.net]

Steering arm is behind the strut.

[Keeper of The Kitten]

Phew, I'm not going totally mad then.

[S2central.net]

Oh and if you pull the bottom joint in or out, the whole strut will rotate about the top joint. Hence the whole strut (with the exception of a tiny bit above the top ball centre) will move in the direction that you move the bottom part.

That makes sense now - the top point is fixed so I dunno where I got the notion fro anything else. I need some sleep as my head too fuzzy to visualise this schtuff properly

[mcandmar]

If you pull the drivers side balljoint out, your going to get more toe in. Steering linkage is in FRONT of the strut

IMO dont move the steering wheel, if it isnt centred move the rack by adjusting each side the same amount until you dial it out.

[Keeper of The Kitten]

See I need to stop returning to threads to make my head explode! Thanks for clarifying the steering arm location ....it's the fault of Audi for putting the struts in the bulkhead and mounting the rack in the same place!

And as a result of that I agree, balljoint moved outboard will result in toe in, which would mean the steering wheel needs to be steered slightly to the right (compared to the previous setup) to result in steering a straight course. And I agree, do the adjustments on the track rods and make them equal!

Now I'm getting away from this place for a while....

[S2central.net]

I didnt touch any feckin track rods - but they have been skewed by camber change - so I'll just **** about with bottom joint until its right.

[Error404]

if you pull the front bottom joint and increase camber, becasue the track rod is in front of the strut axis and the track rod is "fixed" to the rack end, so you generate toe in on that corner. When you get back on your wheels and move the car in a straight line the rack self centres equalising the toe change to either wheel so should push the rack to the "new" dead centre and turn the steering wheel slightly toward the side of the bottom joint you increased camber on.

EDIT: should have read the whole thread

As suggested above

[S2central.net]

OK - so I have too much neg camber then ?

My bad for stating the trackrod was rear of strut - you'd think I'd seen enough of them to remember that - dohh.