13 replies to this topic

[Daniel Watkin]

I'm really struggling to find a set of adjustable camber brackets that fit. I started with a cheap mini spares set that were really poor, after research everyone said they're rubbish and aren't safe. Every single comment I read said to get KAD brackets and they'll fit no trouble at all, so I did! The left one went on no problem at all, everything lined up perfectly. But the drivers side bracket simply does not go. The bottom two holes line up OK, but the upright bolt holes behind the radius are are no where near where they need to be. After about 4 hours of fettling this is the absolute closest I could get it. No chance of getting the bolt through there without damaging it. I'm starting to think this may a be a defective one? The stock brackets fit fine. 

 

Anyone had this problem with KAD before?

 

[Spider]

You might want to check the inboard end of the Pin where the Thrust Washer seats against the subframe. Doesn't take much there to upset the apple cart.

[IronmanG]

Took me a while with a file to get mine to fit

[nicklouse]

Top tip. Round holes first slots second. And never tighten till all in place.

[DeadSquare]

I have a special tool for adjusting the rear wheel camber.

 

I have a bush which fits nicely over the stub axle, inside half a length of scaffold pole.

 

I lift the end of the pole to waist height and drop it onto a wooden block.

[coopertaz]

I have a special tool for adjusting the rear wheel camber.

 

I have a bush which fits nicely over the stub axle, inside half a length of scaffold pole.

 

I lift the end of the pole to waist height and drop it onto a wooden block.

[stuart bowes]

imagine if they did that sort of thing at the garage lol

 

your tracking's a bit off, one sec.. *grabs sledge hammer*

[DeadSquare]

My girlfriend at the time, died two years ago, so there is no harm in publishing this now.

 

She went to London for the week-end, and rather than crowd 3 into a Mini Pick-up, I borrowed her car on the Saturday evening.

 

Alas, I 'lost it' on the way home, clobbered a curb and acquired considerable rear nearside positive camber.

 

No chance of buying a radius arm on a Sunday, so I needed a "Farmer's repair".

 

That is when I turned up my "Special Tool".  The positive camber was so severe that I had to lift the rear of the car with a forklift, before I could fit the the scaffold pole, and then, the car wouldn't drop, so I had to chain the subframe to the pallet tine and hydraulically pull the car to the ground.

 

I slightly over did it, but it handled much better with a touch of negative camber.

[68+86auto]

Steering/suspension components used to be bent all the time to correct the alignment. Especially steering arms and solid beam axles, they still do it on trucks. I'm actually looking for the tools to bend axles.

 

Anyone now would think it's crazy and a lawsuit about to happen.

[Daniel Watkin]

Hey everyone, just a little update. I had another look at the weekend and finally managed to get it to fit. First thing was to make sure everything was clean. As suggested above by Spider it really doesn't take much to make things misalign. I checked the thrust washers and there was a bit of a solid buildup on the outer side one. This was removed and reinstalled. I also contacted KAD for some advice and they recommended fully torqueing up the retaining nut on the outside of the radius arm before installing the bolts into the subframe. This squeezed the entire assembly together. The combination of these two things allowed for three of the four mounting holes to finally align. The fourth hole (lower upright) was still not matching no matter what I did. But it was very close. In the end I just opened the hole up to 11mm and that was enough to get it in. 

 

The brackets look fantastic on the car. They really do like a quality part. I kind of wish I just filed the stock bracket and welded a washer in place though. It would have saved a lot of head scratching 

 

Thank you for your help everyone!

[84 City E]

imagine if they did that sort of thing at the garage lol

 

your tracking's a bit off, one sec.. *grabs sledge hammer*

Do you think garages 'dont' do that sort of thing? I've worked in the motor trade and surrounding areas for many years. You'd be amazed what some of them get up to with customers cars

[stuart bowes]

no doubt you're right, I was thinking more along the lines of the man using the alignment machine though really.. I've never seen one of those get the big hammer out lol  maybe it's because I always stay and watch him do it who knows

 

this is why I tend to do the work myself unless I have no choice 

Edited by stuart bowes, 15 October 2024 - 09:57 AM.

[coopertaz]

no doubt you're right, I was thinking more along the lines of the man using the alignment machine though really.. I've never seen one of those get the big hammer out lol  maybe it's because I always stay and watch him do it who knows

 

this is why I tend to do the work myself unless I have no choice 

same here after mot tetster went to jack up car on rear floor to check play in radius arm and suspension bushes, told me it will bend back down! told him to forget it and then went to another garage

[84 City E]

no doubt you're right, I was thinking more along the lines of the man using the alignment machine though really.. I've never seen one of those get the big hammer out lol  maybe it's because I always stay and watch him do it who knows

 

this is why I tend to do the work myself unless I have no choice 

best bet really, if you can do it yourself, at least you know you will be happy with how its done