Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2008 1:02 pm
Update.philip wrote: Suspension info
Be sure to review the "Suspension Tale" link.
The guys on the MSN forum experiment mostly on the 4x4, 2nd Generation suspension (1983-1/2 and later). You will find many references to upper ball joint spacers (I've tried these), .... -snip-
I can tell you how MUCH camber will be affected by installing these 1" thick spacers. There were no washers under the two A-arm bolts on the left. There were one washer each under both A-arm bolts on the right. This made Rt camber about 0.03°- . So 'we' removed those two washers to equalized left and right cambers:
With no thick spacer:
Camber was: Lt 0.03°+ Rt 0.03°+
Caster was : Lt 0.02°- Rt - 0.02°-
Now with the thick spacers
Camber was Lt 2.6°+ Rt 2.75°+
Caster. No change.
To reset the camber again but move the caster to 1.5°+ required about 3/8" washer on the rear bolt and about 1/4" washers on the forward bolt (these securing the upper arm to the frame).
AND ... replacing those A-arm bolts with longer bolts.
The upper joint spacers require longer bolts too. (8 total, 45mm long, 8x1.25 thread) are required.
I'm a little vague on these because my "suspension friend" did it all at his suspension shop (Hunter alignment) while I watched.
All said, it wasn't worth it because I was keeping the suspension height OEM. The truck drove a wee bit more stable at higher speeds due to the now positive caster. Keep in mind that the truck had no bed weight. Adding a heavy load would move caster towards positive anyway.
Usually, these thick spacers are used only for raised trucks.