alignment shims

[teamsideways]

i have a 76...i need to know what size spindle so i can order camber shims,
is it 6 inch or the 4 ? 6 bolt or 5 bolt?

 

[bknbronco]

if its a stock axle with stock knuckle it should be 5 bolt. 76-77 is 5 bolt, before that its 6 bolt. No clue as to the diameter? Might wana pull the hub off and double check everything to make sure before you order. Alot of bronco have gone under the knife so to speek.

 

[shamu]

it should be a 5 bolt. look inside the knuckle or pull it apart. how much are those shims you are going to purchase and where are you getting them.

 

[DirtDonk]

Definitely. Since the 5-bolt shims are sometimes hard to come by, post up the source and part number, if they come through for you.

Paul

 

[taipeichris]

I got my spindle shims for my WH disc conversion kit from Napa. Paul, how many bolts does that spindle have? The ones I got were easy to install. I think they were at Kragen or Napa. Also Summit Racing had them on eBay.
Good luck!
Chris-

 

[DirtDonk]

Yours should have been the 6-bolt spindles Chris. All the pre-disc Ford Dana axles used six, while the disc brake Ford axles got the 5-bolt spindles with the larger flange.

I guess that's why we don't see too many 5-bolt ready spindle shims around. Since Ford was apparently the only game in town for that particular size, the aftermarket didn't just jump all over it.
They're still out there though. Someone was finding them at Napa or somewhere as a special order item.
They can be in plastic or aluminum or steel, with the metal ones being a little more desirable. But there doesn't seem to be any real negatives to the plastic unless you're really hard on your stuff. I would say that if you have larger than 35" tires though, maybe stick with steel or aluminum. If you can find them.

Paul

 

[broncnaz]

Might want to look into upper ball joint adjusters they will allow you to adjust up to 1 1/2 degree of both camber and caster at the same time. Usually easier to find than the shims.

 

[Glass Pony]

Here's a 5 hole http://www.ingallseng.com/26125-dana-44-5-bolt-camber-shim.html
I believe they sell a 6 also.

 

[tatersalad]

It has been a while since I converted to a 76 bronco dana 44 with disc, but i don't recall using camber shims. Were they factory?

 

[broncnaz]

No they are not factory they are used to correct camber when you have to much and the tires are wearing on the edge.

 

[tatersalad]

Okay thanks, I was stumped looking through my 73 shop manuals... I did have to have my radius arms straightened by a shop for camber.. The old guy at the shop told me that in the 60's they had a hydraulic tool that would bend them to change the camber. He said it was a pretty dangerous tool..

 

[DirtDonk]

I bet it was!
That was actually used to correct "caster" though, not camber.
For those that don't know, camber is either the inward (negative) or outward (positive) tilt of the knuckle/wheel from vertical.
Caster is a either a forward (negative) or rearward (positive) tilt of the "steering axis", or where the top knuckle pivot is forward or rearward of the lower pivot. Whether that pivot is a ball joint or a king-pin style, the function and geometry is the same.

Paul

 

[DirtDonk]

Here's a 5 hole http://www.ingallseng.com/26125-dana-44-5-bolt-camber-shim.html
I believe they sell a 6 also.

Hmm, they must've brought one back then, since it wasn't in their listings (even when you called them) just a couple of years ago. Unless this is the one that's the wrong size?
Anyone have a spindle handy to verify that size and pattern?
Not that Dana 44's should have too many 5-bolt options of course, but you never know. Could be for Jeeps or something like that.

Interesting too, that they call it an asymmetrical pattern too. Never knew ours were. Unless here again, they're just covering for variations on different axles and some are that way.
If nobody has a spindle handy to measure, I'll try to check one out at work on Monday.

Paul