Oldblue

I cheat and just pull 90 degrees, twice! It's to awkward to pull then push a full 180 degrees with the jack stand so close.

donbrew

Me too.

I think he was referring to my inference of loose bolts. I didn't actually say it.

And don't forget that ball joint pinch bolt.

Oldblue

You know me Don, heck I check these bolts twice a year, I just loosen and retorque 'em.
Anything feels funny I order up new bolts from my GM dealership.
Now before the firestorm starts about stealership, I've worked for and with these guys since 1968. So, I prefer the OEM bolt over the grade 8 or 9 bolt from Fastenal or ARP.
But I do use ARP bolts and fasteners in and on the engine!
The timing chain guide bolt kit came with ARP fasteners.

JazzDad

Ah, one of the 'benefits' of age. Sorry.

JazzDad

So, the problem returned the next day.

I went to double check the torque on all the bolts. I found the right front tire to be delaminating and the inside edge worn away. The left front wheel has about 1° of camber on it. The right has about 5°! Well, that explains the tire wear. And the tire delamination explains the steering wheel shake.

I began to think about what component could cause the camber problem. It seems to me it would have to be the frame bushings on the LCA or the ball joint, allowing the bottom of the tire to kick out away from the vehicle. But everything is tight. When I grab the tire, there's no slop in it. A mechanic friend said if it was the ball joint or bushings, that i would feel play in it when I try to shake the tire around.

Any thoughts? Bend hub or steering knuckle? I don't recall hitting anything that hard.

donbrew

LCA rear bushings. I guess that's what you are calling "frame bushings". There is no camber adjustment, unless somebody installed a camber kit.

If the toe was off both sides would be evenly worn.

Mine did that. While I was rotating the tires I walked around the front of the car and could actually see the camber on the right side. Only 20,000 miles. Then the new balljoints went out in about 15,000.

Oldblue

The camber actually can be adjusted, the factory struts had elongated holes to allow for the adjustment, KYB's , Monroe's don't have that feature, my front alignment guy showed me that last alignment.

J W Davis

I had to have the holes elongated on my new Monroe struts a few months ago, I was told up front and what the charge (extra $$) would be. When I went to pick up the car the guy said "don,t worry about it" because I have been using him for about 40 years I guess.

donbrew

That's odd oldblue; the shop manual goes into great detail into how to drill the strut.
The camber kit is an offset bolt.

Oldblue

The shop manual mentioned to elongate the bottom holes, I don't recall the holes in my OEM struts