Alignment question

Eldavo · Jul 4, 2011

Hi guys, I had the car in for a full alignment today after replacing all the suspension, etc.

The guys have done a great job but can't get the front camber anywhere near where it should be. This issue is that the flange on the shock body which presses against the eccentric seems too thick to allow the full rotation of the eccentric.

I did repaint the shocks before fitting them so will get the dremel out and a wire brush first and consider replacing the eccentric bolts if they aren't stupid money.

Has anyone come across anything similar before? Strutss are Koni M030 height adjustable.

Thanks.

diabloam · Jul 5, 2011

yeah i noticed that also as i did mine recently but if you seat it flush so the flange is actually touching it and bolt is also flush against side of shock and move it there it adjust fine, almost like its kinda meant to push against it, I got mine to -0.5 on both size no bother, it does seem wrong when you do it though but seems to work. Hope thats of help to you, cheers

Eldavo · Jul 15, 2011

Right, have taken some pics so this should make more sense as I am completely stumped!!!

This is a picture of the standard strut I removed, the gap where the eccentric bolt fits is 24.30mm from the flange that the bolt pushes against to the one on the opposite side. You can also see that the slot for the bolt is pretty much central between the flanges:

On the Koni adjustable M030 strut, the gap from flange to flange is 28mm and the bolt slot is closer to the shock body side rather than being in the middle:

This means that when you try to turn the eccentric bolt, it bites into the shock body as there isn't enough room on that side. See picture, you can't achieve full rotation:

Conversely, when you rotate the bolt 180 degrees it doesn't make contact with the outer flange in order to push the hub back. The picture is as close as it gets and there is still a slight gap:

HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hilux · Jul 15, 2011

Its the same on a VW Golf Mk 1 (and with KW IIRC)

Aftermarket coilovers dont have a flanged lip so nothing to hit the eccentric washer.

Simply set to the camber with a normal bolt and washer (smaller washer if needed) and tighten to the correct torque.

Alternative is to increase the washer size with weld and grind to a curve or grind off the flange lip.

Eldavo · Jul 15, 2011

I get what you're saying but these are Porsche parts 951.xxx.etc part number!

Might have to give in and buy normal bolts to go with the £20-odd worth of new eccentric bolts and washers.

Northern924 · Jul 15, 2011

That's what confused me when I was around at eldavo's the other day, why would a 951 part not be compatible with its seemingly required Porsche part as those bolts are the only ones they do! Unless even Porsche didn't fit their own part in this case [&:]

blease · Jul 20, 2011

Hey, Eldavo, have you tried fitting the original bolts instead of the new ones? When I set the camber on my car, it worked just fine so I'm not sure why you are having difficulty other than that you have got new eccentric bolts....? the right ones??

Eldavo · Jul 20, 2011

Hi Simon, bolts are the right ones (they only do one type). Spoke to Kev at EMC and he told me that the M030 equipped cars have a different length slot in the hubs to allow for a greater adjustment range. With not having M030 hubs the bolt is not able to move through the whole range hence the issues.

The workaround for this will either involve using the bolt fed in from the back without the eccentric washer on the other end or just to use standard bolts as fitted to the lower of the strut and be torqued up good and proper once the alignment is set.