How to add camber adjustment to IRS models that don't have it.

NZ · 01-05-2007, 05:32 PM

I recently installed IRS suspension from a Fairmont Ghia into an EF sedan. I had ultra low springs in the back and although it looked nice the handling wasn't too good. My shocks were stuffed when i installed them so I chucked some new ones in. I had a problem where on rough roads the back would get jittery and crabwalk slightly. With the ultra low's The camber was a long way out which was causing the inside edge of the tires to take most of the weight of the car.

In my efforts to fix this (and to get rid of the VT commodore suspension look) I came across a few problems. One ford dealer refused to tell me if ford did a camber kit, another told me there wasn't anything avalible. No aftermarket companies like nolathane or K Mac do anything, so following some advice from this forum I went to Pedders. The looked it up and they don't do a part either but on their system it had a note with the actual ford part number saying some dealers have trouble finding it as it's in a tickford catalouge and not listed in the normal parts section. So armed with this info I went back to ford and we were in business. The part number is ER 5K500 AKT. This is an actual kit which consists of a bolt with a washer welded off centre to the underside of the head, another loose washer and the bolt. The end of the bolt thread is shaved so that when the washer is slid on it does not turn on its own. This kit cost me $25.10 each, so $50.20 in total to do both sides.

Fitting is really easy. First of all jack the rear end up using appropriate safety measures. At the top of the hub assembly where it bolts to the upper conrol arm you will see the standard bolt with the central washer.

The nut and bolt are both 18mm so remove these.

You will see the elongated whole which allows for the camber adjustment. Fit the new bolt setup. The arm will have probably popped up so a few taps with a hammer will line it up. Once the bolt is through tighten up the nut making sure both washers are sitting in the slot properly. Note, the loose washer only has a mark on one side so make sure you install it the correct way. When the nut is done up but not fully tight, rotate the bolt head to adjust the camber. The notch on the washer facing straight down will put the camber roughly where it was before with the standard setup. Turning the bolt so the notch faces outward gives more negative camber, facing inward will add positive camber.

Set the camber roughly and tighten the bolt fully. Refit your wheels and head down to get your wheels aligned!

buickman · 01-05-2007, 06:02 PM

I had that problem with a Ford parts division at the local Ford dealer getting the camber kit the the XR's use for my old AU Ghia after fitting King S/L's. Three order takers from that dealership had no idea what they were looking for even trying to sell me the same bolt & nut that was already fitted. The local Pedders place gave me the Kits part number so I could go back & order the kit from Ford.

ronwest · 01-05-2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZ

Set the camber roughly and tighten the bolt fully. Refit your wheels and head down to get your wheels aligned!

Nice work. That would have been handy when I was trying to figure out what mine needed.

Is the last pic before or after the wheel alignment.

Thats the position I installed mine (which I think is a "neutral" postion) but after the wheel alignment it appeared that the cam-washer had not been moved.

Seems to be wearing evenly but I'm wondering how much out they are without the camber adjuster?

ronwest · 01-05-2007, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buickman

I had that problem with a Ford parts division at the local Ford dealer getting the camber kit the the XR's use for my old AU Ghia after fitting King S/L's. Three order takers from that dealership had no idea what they were looking for even trying to sell me the same bolt & nut that was already fitted. The local Pedders place gave me the Kits part number so I could go back & order the kit from Ford.

yeah, and it was only because you gave me the part # that my local Ford had a clue.

LUXO_8 · 01-05-2007, 06:08 PM

good stuff karl.... i know you had a fair bit of trouble locating that kit....

NZ · 01-05-2007, 06:31 PM

The last pic is just to show how the washer would be to set the camber as it was untill a wheel alignment was done. I rotated mine so they were approx 45 degree's and on Lows it has a slight positive camber. I haven't got a wheel alignment done yet, I am waiting till I swap the super low's in the front of my car for low's. Road's here are really quite bad. random slumps of 3 inches for a couple of metres aren't good for the diff housing and exhaust when the smash into the road!!

ronwest · 01-05-2007, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NZ

The last pic is just to show how the washer would be to set the camber as it was untill a wheel alignment was done.

Yes I placed mine in the same position and that's the position it came in after the wheel alignment.

Would you be kind enough to update this thread after your wheel alignment?

I'm interested in how much the washer is rotated.