Pennock's Fiero Forum
  Technical Discussion & Questions
  1987 Fiero GT Front Camber Adjustment

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Email This Page to Someone! | Printable Version


next newest topic | next oldest topic
1987 Fiero GT Front Camber Adjustment by Rightasrain
Started on: 12-05-2024 06:32 AM
Replies: 3 (139 views)
Last post by: Brian A on 12-06-2024 11:24 AM
Rightasrain
Junior Member
Posts: 8
From: Israel
Registered: Mar 2024


Feedback score: N/A
Leave feedback

Rate this member

Report this Post12-05-2024 06:32 AM Click Here to See the Profile for RightasrainSend a Private Message to RightasrainEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post

Hi All,

I've searched the forum and the web and couldn't find a specific answer so I apologize in advance if this is something already known to all..

I'm trying to get some negative camber (negative 1) in the front of my 87 GT and the best I can do is 0 deg (neutral camber).

I've taken the bolts on the top ball joint out and saw that it has a round hole while the ball joint I have is adjustable. Can I slot the hole a bit with a file/dremmel to allow for some negative camber?

Cheers,
Ronen

[This message has been edited by Rightasrain (edited 12-05-2024).]

IP: Logged
PFF
System Bot
fieroguru
Member
Posts: 12477
From: Champaign, IL
Registered: Aug 2003


Feedback score:    (45)
Leave feedback





Total ratings: 260
Rate this member

Report this Post12-05-2024 06:54 AM Click Here to See the Profile for fieroguruSend a Private Message to fieroguruEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
Yes.
IP: Logged
pmbrunelle
Member
Posts: 4582
From: Grand-Mère, Québec
Registered: Sep 2008


Feedback score: N/A
Leave feedback





Total ratings: 63
Rate this member

Report this Post12-05-2024 08:58 AM Click Here to See the Profile for pmbrunelleSend a Private Message to pmbrunelleEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
On the upper control arm, the flat area where the ball joint installs stops being flat and becomes raised.



The raised area of sheetmetal stops you from shifting the ball joint further towards the middle of the car.

The slots in the Moog joint pretty much allow you to hit that limit, so there is not much point in slotting those holes any further.

There is also the large hole (where the ball and socket goes) in the control arm which can be a limiting factor, so pay attention to that as well.
IP: Logged
Brian A
Member
Posts: 41
From: San Francisco Bay Area
Registered: Sep 2023


Feedback score: N/A
Leave feedback

Rate this member

Report this Post12-06-2024 11:24 AM Click Here to See the Profile for Brian ASend a Private Message to Brian AEdit/Delete MessageReply w/QuoteDirect Link to This Post
I ran into the same problem when I lowered my 1987 GT by about 1 inch. All I could get was -0.7 degrees.

I also have slightly different adjustable (slotted) ball joints that what you have. I believe mine are from Rodney Dickman.

I ground the large round hole for the ball joint on the A-Arm to allow the ball joint to slide inward. As pmbrunelle mentioned, the ball joint also jams against the a-arm where it starts to rise. Tapering the bottom of the ball joint slightly where it interferes with the A-Arm gets you a lot of extra movement since the a-arm only "slowly" curves upward. Tapering the bottom is probably more than you need to do though actually.

After I did all that, I could get -3.5 degrees. I drove the car a bit before taking it in for another alignment. The -3.5 degrees camber had an undesirable impact on ride quality. Particularly, the car seemed to tramline and wander. In my opinion, -3.5 degrees is way too much.

Ultimately, I had the car set to the maximum camber Robert Wagoneer recommends in his book "High Performance Fieros" which is -1.7 degrees. The car handles well with this setting.

I was concerned for the removal of structural metal and the slotting of holes. After studying the configuration, it looks to me like the upper a-arm does not take road-force loads (which is all done by the lower control arm and spring assembly). The upper a-arm only takes tension loads to control wheel alignment. I have since taken my car out for Track Days and Autocross and have driven it extensively at speed and the ball-joint bolts have not slipped. (My shock mounts for a rear wheel HAVE slipped, but that is another story.)

[This message has been edited by Brian A (edited 12-06-2024).]

IP: Logged

next newest topic | next oldest topic

All times are ET (US)

Post New Topic  Post A Reply
Hop to:

Contact Us | Back To Main Page

Advertizing on PFF | Fiero Parts Vendors
PFF Merchandise | Fiero Gallery
Real-Time Chat | Fiero Related Auctions on eBay



Copyright (c) 1999, C. Pennock