2001 Tracker ZR2 2-inch Lift Kit Has Too Much Camber Angle

[u9678]

I just installed 2" lift kit ( put the 1-1/2 spring and strut lift on front) and my positive camber is approx 2" with camber bolts!  The round rubber gasket between spring and body I put between spring and 1-1/2 spacer.   The 1-1/2 lift on the front raised the body approx. 4".  I thought well maybe I can slot the top hole on the strut and correct it.  I took the top camber bolt out, push it all the way in till it hit the strut, tightened the bottom camber bolt, put tire back on and I still have almost an 1" positive camber!   Any ideas!  Thanks Steve

[Moses Ludel]

Hi, Steve...The body lift is separate and unrelated to the chassis lift of 2".  When you install longer springs and struts to raise the vehicle, the kit usually comes with a set of control arms as well.  Redesigned control arms compensate for the camber change by repositioning the steering knuckle to allow for wheel alignment to factory specifications.

Did the longer spring-and-strut lift kit not come with new control arms?  Please share more details on the kit.  I understand the issue.  Let's walk through this.

Moses

[u9678]

Moses

Thanks for replying.  Attached is what I purchased, there is no spring or control arm.  What I saw on youtube I thought the camber bolts would do the job.  

thanks for your help. Steve

[Moses Ludel]

Hi, Steve...Did the kit come with illustrated instructions?  On more costly lift kits, the usual approach for restoring camber and caster would be longer lower control arms.  Price competition encourages simpler kits that often present issues like you are experiencing.

Is there mention of adjustments or modifications where the two bolts attach the strut to the steering knuckle?  There are eccentric alignment bolts for the strut-to-knuckle attachment that are available for a Tracker like yours.  This is an example from MOOG available at Amazon.  A "kit" services one side, you need two of these kits for adjusting both front struts/knuckles:

https://www.amazon.com/Moog-K90473-Cam-Bolt-Kit/dp/B000HPNWAI/ref=asc_df_B000HPNWAI/

These eccentric bolts replace the upper OEM bolts on a stock strut and steering knuckle.  Each eccentric bolt will adjust in the range of +/-1.75 to +/- 2.5 degrees.  The kit includes instructions for the installation, which does require some drilling.

SPC also makes a kit with a pair of eccentric adjusters rated for +/-1.75 degrees camber change.  This is a good value at Summit Racing:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sps-81250/make/chevrolet/model/tracker/year/2001

 

Note:  This is the placement of the MOOG eccentric bolt at the upper strut bolt hole.  (One strut hole and the upper knuckle bolt bore are resized as described in the MOOG instructions.)  The lower OEM bolt is left in place.  This allows pivoting the knuckle on the stock lower bolt.  The upper eccentric bolt can be rotated to attain the right camber degrees.  Then the stock and eccentric bolts and nuts are secured to proper torque specification at this position.

In searching online on your behalf, I found that some DIY installers elongate the strut bolt holes to allow tilting the knuckle and getting the correct camber angle.  Some use a combination of the eccentric bolts and also reshaping the strut bolt holes into slots.  They elongate the upper strut bolt hole and pivot the knuckle on the lower bolt.  (If considering this approach, do not weaken the strut attachment points.)  There may be enough adjustment with eccentric bolts for precise alignment without modifying the strut bolt holes.  Try the eccentric adjustment bolts first.

There are also offset ball-joints available for many vehicle applications to correct caster and camber error.  This could work in combination with eccentric bolts.  Some installers avoid all of this by buying a kit with longer control arms.  Some buy a kit like yours then retrofit longer aftermarket control arms, but you need to know how much extra length is required for your lift. 

If I were attempting this alignment on my own vehicle and did not want to install longer control arms, I would first use gauges to get a precise camber and caster measurement.  The suspension must be weighted to place the chassis at curb height for these measurements—preferably on front wheel turn plates.  If the eccentric bolts alone will get the job done, simple enough.

Otherwise, I would elongate the upper strut bolt holes and set camber precisely on the factory mark.  After making sure the caster and camber were correct, I would weld heavy (thick and high grade) flat washers to the struts at the elongated holes/slots.  (I.D. of these washers would be the diameter of the original bolt holes.)  This would prevent the knuckle bolts from shifting in the elongated slots. 

I would then use MOOG or similar eccentric bolts in place of the upper strut bolts for making fine adjustments of camber.  Camber, caster and toe-in must be set when we install a lift kit.

Make sense?...If you have a beam level (bubble type with degrees), take an approximate measurement of the camber degrees at the face of the wheels/tires.  Let's see how much correction you need.

Moses

[u9678]

Moses thanks 

I have the 2 camber bolts and still way off. May look at control arms that are longer.

[Moses Ludel]

Steve...Before changing the control arms, measure the front spacer thicknesses at each corner of the triangle.  Is the spacer tapered and able to correct camber if installed in a different orientation?  Or is the spacer a uniform thickness?

The camber bolts are typically for fine tuning adjustment when the error is minor.  Likewise, offset ball-joints are usually 1.75 to 2-degrees maximum camber change.  

If control arms are the only solution, CalMini Products and others have lift kits that include control arms.  They likely have the experience to know which arms will work best with your 2-inch suspension lift kit.  Also, StreetRays has dealt with this issue.  There may be arms they can recommend for the 2-inch lift kit.

Let us know how you resolve this...

Moses