How to decrease camber? Hotchkis Arms

[badazz81z28]

I have Hotchkis lower and upper control arms along with their springs on a 1978 Camaro. Without any shims at all, I'm already at -2* camber. What can I do to get back within specs of -1 to -1.5*?

[Henesian]

Ah, I see old boy. The problem here is that the upper control arm is too short, or the lower control arm is too long, tipping the spindle back. This happened on my PTFB upper arms, can't get more positive than -0.5. HOWEVER, look at your upper control arm shaft, and see if one side of the shaft is thinner than the other, and if it is, take the upper arm bolts off and flip the shaft so the thin side is up against the subframe mount. This will get your arms more forward a bit, making the arms effectively longer, giving you less camber. Good luck, old boy.

OH, also, do us a favor please and measure the UCA arms. The stock arms are 9" long. The relation of the UCA to LCA arm length determines how tipped back or forward the spindle is.

[badazz81z28]

I just took a quick look, the cross shafts look symetrical to me. The lower control arm does look noticably long...Anyone else here run the same set-up?

[clancj]

May sound crazy, but the arms may have too much static positive caster (as they sit on your frame rails). the High positive caster may be pulling the uca ball joint BACK and IN just a little too far. Try shimming the front part of the shaft and see if negative camber starts approaching zero. By moving the uca ball joint forward, it may also move it outward.

joe c

[badazz81z28]

Great tip! I will check!

[badazz81z28]

Looks like the ball joint does angle inward some, I understand! Good thinking ;)

[jknight16]

Have you contacted Hotchkis' tech support? Given that you're using their upper and lowers, I would think they would be happy to help you out.

[badazz81z28]

Have you contacted Hotchkis' tech support? Given that you're using their upper and lowers, I would think they would be happy to help you out.

I have, I talked to Mark a few months ago and he pretty much told me the text below. There is just something that I'm not seeing as I have read the E-Rod 79 Camaro is set to stock specs.

"Robby,



The A-Arm configuration for that car is very aggressive as they are designed for the maximum amount of performance on those cars.

http://www.hotchkis.net/7081_camarofirebird_tubular_upper_aarms.html



We recommend the alignment settings in the instructions

http://www.hotchkis.net/_uploaded_files/1106instructions171file.pdf









Thanks,

Mark Rossetti

Brand Manager