Camber adjuster eccentrics vs ball joint preload

[gnpenning]

I had a friend who was going to 3D print them a few years back and he couldn't get it. I didn't pursue it any farther because I found the degree shim I needed but why couldn't someone with the correct "Digitizer" type program be able to just pop these out??

I'm with you. I've never ran a 3D printer the closest I've come to running one is I have a cousin that has one and makes cool things. It seems their is a wide range of materials for the printers that is getting larger every year and sites with free downloads or using a CAD type software or Digitizer to design them. I believe once the initial program is done it would be a simple process to change degrees ? Did I mention I've never ran one.....

Reamer's looks nice but somewhat labor intense. Maybe he will have a good price point if he decides to market them. We know there is some interest.

 

[BanditBronco]

I just went through this on a ball joint replacement last week. I ended up trying some mevotech HD joints that seemed like they were pretty high quality out of the box. Before I went through the preload process with the camber sleeves, I tried setting it up with the provided non-adjustable sleeves to see how it would go. No matter where in the upper knuckle I put the sleeve I ended up with a very tight preload, 60lbs turning force or so. I went ahead and put the camber bushings in and same story. After a few hours of some back and forth, I ended up adjusting the preload process and got everything to torque for the most part and receive a decent turning force reading of around 30lbs. Basically, what I did was torque the lower to 40lbs, then the upper to match. I went back and forth with the upper and lower until the lower was torqued. I ended up having to over torque the lower to about 120lbs. and let the upper ride about 90lbs to get within range of the turning force. Time will tell whether they hold up or not.

 

[DirtDonk]

A lot of trouble for these dumb things! Glad you had the patience to get through it.
Have you greased them yet, or are they non-greasable types?
Generally, Mevotech is a builder of decent products, but everybody seems to be out of whack on ball-joints these days.
That 30 pounds is still above spec, but it’s a lot better than 60!

 

[blubuckaroo]

Back when our '77 was fairly new, I had a camber issue fixed by a chassis and alignment shop. They chained the the axle down to the alignment rack and bent the tube with a hydraulic jack.

 

[DirtDonk]

Friend bought a new Stroppe in '74 or '75 I think it was, and finally turned it back in before it'd gone 10k miles due to excessive front tire wear that they could not figure out.
Traded it in for something lame if I remember. I believe it was also a camber issue, but unfortunately nobody is left around that might remember the details.

Paul

 

[BanditBronco]

A lot of trouble for these dumb things! Glad you had the patience to get through it.
Have you greased them yet, or are they non-greasable types?
Generally, Mevotech is a builder of decent products, but everybody seems to be out of whack on ball-joints these days.
That 30 pounds is still above spec, but it’s a lot better than 60!

They are greaseable, that was one of the things I did that I shouldn't of. I pumped a little grease in them before I installed the knuckle, because of the super tight clearance between the knuckle and the inner C, they were bulging pretty good. I ended up pulling the zerk fittings so they could let grease out while I did the torque sequence 18 times. I did like the boot design on these joints, I expect them to last without tearing better than the spicer design.

 

[DirtDonk]

Good to know on the boots.
Thanks

Paul

 

[Yeller]

I've always had good luck heating he top of the tube and letting it cool.... as it cools steel will always move toward the heat. Lots of ways to fix camber issues. I've done the method Paul described successfully as well.

 

[ksagis]

Does anybody have dimensional information or CAD? These things aren’t too complicated to manufacture.