Hi
Im sick of the family car chewing out the back tyres, so Id like to put in a camber /toe kit, but Im wondering
How hard is it, why the difference in pricing with some kits and what other tools am I gonna need?
The car is a 2000 model VX commodore with the factory FE2 suspension.
Thanks
VX Comm IRS Camber/Toe kit installation, How hard?
Started by
fuzzypumper
, Feb 13 2012 12:59 PM
13 replies to this topic
#1
fuzzypumper
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Posted 13 February 2012 - 12:59 PM
#2
_Gunmetal LH_
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Posted 13 February 2012 - 01:41 PM
I can't remember exactly but I think the original bushes are 1 piece.
The press at work sucked so I used a few bits so I could replace bushes while bit's were still on the car without having to undo balljoints and brakes etc.
A threaded rod + 3 nuts, a piece of tube the the bush can fit inside of, a washer a bit bigger than the nut but smaller than the bush, and a big-ass washer bigger than the tube.
Bush thingy.jpg 14.21K
3 downloads
You might find it's easier to leave the small washer off and let the nut 'get jambed' in there, keep turning the 2 locked-together nuts until the bush falls out.
Alot of the aftermarket camber bushes are 2 piece with a tube so they're easier to move/twist to where you want them. -Could explain the price difference? Some might be 1 piece?
How hard? I'm pretty sure if you undo the 2 big bolts in the bushes the arm should hang down.
With a spanner and a socket it should be a pain in the ass (like anything you try to do while under a car) but pretty straight foreward.
Do you have the 2 thin links going from the centre of the cradle out to the end of the arms? (Forget what they're called- tie or track rods/links?)
The press at work sucked so I used a few bits so I could replace bushes while bit's were still on the car without having to undo balljoints and brakes etc.
A threaded rod + 3 nuts, a piece of tube the the bush can fit inside of, a washer a bit bigger than the nut but smaller than the bush, and a big-ass washer bigger than the tube.
Bush thingy.jpg 14.21K
3 downloadsYou might find it's easier to leave the small washer off and let the nut 'get jambed' in there, keep turning the 2 locked-together nuts until the bush falls out.
Alot of the aftermarket camber bushes are 2 piece with a tube so they're easier to move/twist to where you want them. -Could explain the price difference? Some might be 1 piece?
How hard? I'm pretty sure if you undo the 2 big bolts in the bushes the arm should hang down.
With a spanner and a socket it should be a pain in the ass (like anything you try to do while under a car) but pretty straight foreward.
Do you have the 2 thin links going from the centre of the cradle out to the end of the arms? (Forget what they're called- tie or track rods/links?)
#3
Mort
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Posted 13 February 2012 - 04:28 PM
Archie, if you are going to do this yourself take some pics and do a little write up of how you went about it.
The boy had his done at a mechanics about18mths ago and when i was following him the other day the R-Send looked worse than before he had it done.I am looking at doing it myself this time, just got to wait till he gets his new car before we can take it off the road to fix it.
The boy had his done at a mechanics about18mths ago and when i was following him the other day the R-Send looked worse than before he had it done.I am looking at doing it myself this time, just got to wait till he gets his new car before we can take it off the road to fix it.
#4
_lxefi304_
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Posted 13 February 2012 - 08:12 PM
i did a set in my sisters vs ss about a month ago.if your going to fit a camber kit make sure you fit two kits otherwise you cant get full adjustment.i used nolathane camber kits and got heaps of adjustment and the car was very low
i did mine in the car and i had to drop the exh cat back, shocks and springs. then i drilled around the metal inner till one of the flared sides came off and knocked it straight out.
also i wouldn't try it on the ground id be trying to get a hoist for 2-4 hours
i did mine in the car and i had to drop the exh cat back, shocks and springs. then i drilled around the metal inner till one of the flared sides came off and knocked it straight out.
also i wouldn't try it on the ground id be trying to get a hoist for 2-4 hours
#5
_robslxhatch_
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Posted 13 February 2012 - 09:11 PM
Ok i have done a bazzillion of these and fixed many failed ones and re-aligned them from other mechanical workshops.
For a start dont touch anything other than a Super pro kit , they are fairly easy to fit straight forward to adjust and the quality of the poly is good also, compared to the Nolathane ones which have had crumbling issues in the past (though i have been assured that this wont happen any more) are a pain in the arse to adjust and not quite as easy to fit.
First drop the exhaust, then simply drop the lower shocky mount,the toe rods should get undone at the inner end and the bolt removed. If the springs arent very low then the 4 bolts holding the rear diff mount to chassis can be loosened to aid in removing the springs (just watch the abs lines), then loosen the 4 bolts holding the lower arms in and remove the 2 inner ones .
The 2 outer ones cannot be remmoved without dropping the rear subframe so I simply push them out as far as i can the cut the bolt with an oxy or air hacksaw to facilitate its removal. (Be careful not to stress the flexable brake lines out too much as you force the front of the arm down ) then using a press like Peter has above , or what i do is heat the inner sleeve red hot with an oxy then push the centre sleeve out with a screwdriver then i stick a big lever into the rubber and jimmy it out (running the hacksaw through the rubber may make it easier). Always as with all poly bushes use HEAPS of grease everywhere .
To obtain the camber you desire you need to put the inner bush as high as it can go and the outer as low as it can go . Also just like Vinny says in the above post , make sure you fit both inner and outers (early model style kit) and not just the late model (camber only) inner bush type ones or you wont get the full adjustment and the skinny little toe rod starts too bend if you try and this ,in turn, places extra strain on the bushes also.
If in doubt pop the arms out and take them somewhere to have the bushes removed i am sure it wouldnt cost much .
Hope this helps , Rob.
For a start dont touch anything other than a Super pro kit , they are fairly easy to fit straight forward to adjust and the quality of the poly is good also, compared to the Nolathane ones which have had crumbling issues in the past (though i have been assured that this wont happen any more) are a pain in the arse to adjust and not quite as easy to fit.
First drop the exhaust, then simply drop the lower shocky mount,the toe rods should get undone at the inner end and the bolt removed. If the springs arent very low then the 4 bolts holding the rear diff mount to chassis can be loosened to aid in removing the springs (just watch the abs lines), then loosen the 4 bolts holding the lower arms in and remove the 2 inner ones .
The 2 outer ones cannot be remmoved without dropping the rear subframe so I simply push them out as far as i can the cut the bolt with an oxy or air hacksaw to facilitate its removal. (Be careful not to stress the flexable brake lines out too much as you force the front of the arm down ) then using a press like Peter has above , or what i do is heat the inner sleeve red hot with an oxy then push the centre sleeve out with a screwdriver then i stick a big lever into the rubber and jimmy it out (running the hacksaw through the rubber may make it easier). Always as with all poly bushes use HEAPS of grease everywhere .
To obtain the camber you desire you need to put the inner bush as high as it can go and the outer as low as it can go . Also just like Vinny says in the above post , make sure you fit both inner and outers (early model style kit) and not just the late model (camber only) inner bush type ones or you wont get the full adjustment and the skinny little toe rod starts too bend if you try and this ,in turn, places extra strain on the bushes also.
If in doubt pop the arms out and take them somewhere to have the bushes removed i am sure it wouldnt cost much .
Hope this helps , Rob.
Edited by enderwigginau, 16 February 2012 - 08:34 PM.
#6
fuzzypumper
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Posted 13 February 2012 - 10:10 PM
Thanks All for you suggestions.
ROB, If I remove the shock at the lower point and eventually remove the pivot bolts , the arm will be left hanging with all the weight been taken by
the driveshafts. Wont this pinch the CV boots
Im quite confident in removing the bushes but in the case I cant do it while on the vehicle and have to remove arm, will I have to disconnect the brake lines
or can it be unclipped and I can hang the caliper up?
I really dont wanna have to bleed brakes in this excercise as well.
Whats can I expect to pay for the superpro kit ?
ROB, If I remove the shock at the lower point and eventually remove the pivot bolts , the arm will be left hanging with all the weight been taken by
the driveshafts. Wont this pinch the CV boots
Im quite confident in removing the bushes but in the case I cant do it while on the vehicle and have to remove arm, will I have to disconnect the brake lines
or can it be unclipped and I can hang the caliper up?
I really dont wanna have to bleed brakes in this excercise as well.
Whats can I expect to pay for the superpro kit ?
#7
_Gunmetal LH_
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Posted 14 February 2012 - 12:10 AM
Disconnect the shocker, remove the spring, reconnect shocker and it should hang off that. Maybe some bits of wire so the arm doesn't hang down too far?
As mentioned by robslxhatch, 2 of the arm bolts won't come right out. You'll have to loosen the cradle to get enough room to slide it out properly.
As mentioned by robslxhatch, 2 of the arm bolts won't come right out. You'll have to loosen the cradle to get enough room to slide it out properly.
#8
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Posted 14 February 2012 - 08:56 PM
When i do it i do reconnect the shock as a precaution but you will most likely find you will have to raise that area of the arm to alow the front to hang down enough to get the bushes in/out especially if you are not removing the brake line as it runs through a bracket which is part of the lower arms, therefore if the arms are to be removed you will have to undo the brake line. I have never encounted a problem in regards to the boots . I can get an idea on price for you tommorow if you like.
Edited by robslxhatch, 14 February 2012 - 08:59 PM.
#9
TerrA LX
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Posted 16 February 2012 - 08:08 AM
Hey Rob, is it just the bottom arm that needs the 2x bush kit?
Can you give us a rough idea on what the job is worth?
Can you give us a rough idea on what the job is worth?
#10
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Posted 16 February 2012 - 12:44 PM
Yes , just the 2 lower mounting bushes on both lower arms.I am pretty sure we charge around $500 including a 4 wheel alignment . The Superpro bush kit I can get for around $130 for forum members.
#11
Neils LX
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Posted 17 February 2012 - 12:16 PM
Having owned both VT and VY sedans the extra control link in the VX series 2 makes a big difference in fixing the chewed out tyres. If you could get your hands on a cheap VX2-VZ k frame just swap them over.
#12
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Posted 17 February 2012 - 02:33 PM
Do you need just the frame or the arms too?
#13
Neils LX
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Posted 17 February 2012 - 04:23 PM
Grab the whole lot like this one http://www.ebay.com....=item27c38c7c9b
Then just use your existing diff.
Then just use your existing diff.
#14
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Posted 17 February 2012 - 08:43 PM
no offence but the extra arm is primarily a toe adjusting arm (while it helps) it does bugger all for the camber which is what chops tyres (however i do prefer these to the earlier rear ends as the extra arm provides more rigidity). The later models still need the kits just the same, and at the end of the day a early model with the kit can be aligned exactly the same as the later ones with a kit so I dont see the point of spending extra money . The extra arm in question mounts at the inner end to the rear cradle so it would have to be changed along with the lower arms.
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