88 Camry Suspension and Steering

[CollinFix]

Just rebuilt the front of my daily driver. Struts, control arms, ball joints the works. Then smacked a curb. The impact pulled the ball joint threads so I replaced the knuckle. Can't get the alignment back. Also noticed the new control arms have quite a bit of movement.

So here are some of the things I would like to discuss. I can replace the arms as they have a warrantee but how much movement is exceptable? Also some talk about the camber adjuster and how I see some with just a conical bushing (no eccentric). My car has the factory camber adjuster on one side (R) and just a conical shim (L) on the other. so I end up with 0.0 left and-0.2 right. The after market camber kits don't seem to be what I need. I feel I must find and install the factory adjuster. Caster I know can be adjusted at the control arm to sway bar but I don't find anything on it. I have 2.4 degrees caster on the left and .6 on the right. Car feels squirly. Toe is right where it is suppose to be. .05 both sides but the tires are going away on the inside like the camer is way off or it's toed out too much. Last thing, and this makes me wonder, the steering does not seem to return well out of a turn.

If you really know somethig about this I will be grateful for the discussion. Not interested in tons of aftermarket stuff, just a stock daily driver.

[white90dx]

You should not be able to move the control arms by hand once they are bolted on to the car. I would start there. Loose/worn bushings on the control-arm to swaybar connection is the normal place for problems similar to what you are describing to come from...

-Charlie

[CollinFix]

Thanks Charlie! I will replace the control arms and ball joints. They come together from my local parts house and are still in warrantee. I also have an 87 Camry, my best friend has an 88 and my Brother has a 90 so there is no lack of reference. I still want to talk to someone about the camber and caster on these cars.

[atobe]

there isn't anything you can do about caster/cambers really for OEM they're pretty much non-adjustable

[CollinFix]

Atobe, I dissagree. Even my cheap Hayes book from the parts store states that the caster is adjustable by selective washers at the swaybar control arm connection. And, the camber is adjustable by means of the "camber adjuster" , eccentric washer at the upper strut mount bolt. I know these facts. I am looking to talk with someone who has worked with this suspension in these areas.

[fredk]

If your car has adjustable camber it was put on after the car left the factory, I worked at Toyota in 89 and 90 and no Camry could be adjusted, I have seen the top bolt hole egged out to move it or a frame jig pulling on the top strut mount and have seen eccentrics on junk yard cars. The caster can be moved a little with washers on the swaybar ends, look at junkyard cars and get a collection of washers, most caster problems are from the car hitting something and bending the box frame up front or the u shaped bracket on the front corners that hold the swaybar being bent up