Adjusting camber and caster

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We finally had the Volvo aligned yesterday after replacing a lot of front end components. Camber IMO visually looked horrible, but number wise it was the toe that had the poorest numbers.

For the camber, they made a +.2* adjustment on the passenger wheel and that was it. I am just curious how they would have done this? 3 bolts hold the strut to the body and 2 hold the strut to the knuckle. The control arm is bolted to the sub frame with no adjustments possible and the ball joint holds the knuckle to the control arm.

Not sure if caster is adjustable on these, but they made no changes according to the before and after numbers.
 
Do you know if they actually adjusted camber directly? Maybe it just came in with the toe adjustment.
 
There are usually ways to adjust camber on most cars its just a matter of the method used and difficulty, some use cam bolts others use shims, adjustable ball joints or offset top mounts.
The S60 can be done by either using cam bolts or filing the strut to knuckle hole on the strut to obtain the correct measurements.

These are for the S60 one goes on each side.


Caster is a little more difficult, it can be the engine cradle shifted when other work was performed on some cars, others will require an adjustable lower ball joint or offset top strut mount. Some vehicles with upper control arms can use an offset upper control arm like this.

 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Do you know if they actually adjusted camber directly? Maybe it just came in with the toe adjustment.


This would be my guess. Toe can impact camber, and it sounds like toe is the only really adjustable setting on the car, so...
 
I use the bolts for Camber.

And an ISR Performance Front Tension Rod for Caster on my Gen Coupe. Only way to fix a pull to the right. The engine subframe is fixed for the most part.

IMG_7501__22298.1447188877.1280.1280.jpg
 
Originally Posted By: robertcope
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Do you know if they actually adjusted camber directly? Maybe it just came in with the toe adjustment.


This would be my guess. Toe can impact camber, and it sounds like toe is the only really adjustable setting on the car, so...


I didn't realize toe could impact camber, although the bolts Trav posted make me think otherwise on the camber being entirely non adjustable.

I'll just have to take a closer look this weekend.
 
Originally Posted By: robertcope
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Do you know if they actually adjusted camber directly? Maybe it just came in with the toe adjustment.


This would be my guess. Toe can impact camber, and it sounds like toe is the only really adjustable setting on the car, so...


AFAIK changing the camber angle will effect toe but not the other way round.
 
Those Volvo's has a decent bit of play built in to the lower strut to knuckle. You can get +\- .4 degrees usually. They probably just loosened the bolts and tweaked it.
 
Originally Posted By: edwardh1
is this a dealer?
dealers will not modify a car but indies can grind more of a slot in the strut bolt holes


Should have mentioned this.

Volvo dealer. ~$130 after tax.
 
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