94 Camber

[JPVortex]

Hello yall Im doing a quick at home camber adjustment for my 94 K1500. It can be adjusted, no punching out anything needed lol. My camber is way out and Im just going to get it set near 0 for now because of money reasons.

My question is, for adjusting it do I just take the load off the suspension loosen the nuts for the cams on both sides of the UCA and then move the cams whichever way it needs to be moved?

There is 2 adjusting cams with bolts, one on each side of the UCA that mounts to the frame. I just want to be sure that loosening the nut is the way to do it and I cant just do it with the nut still attached.

I have a level to get it roughly at 0 degrees. I know its best to just take it to an alignment shop, but I'm not for now.

Thanks!

 

[Schurkey]

do I just take the load off the suspension loosen the nuts for the cams on both sides of the UCA and then move the cams whichever way it needs to be moved?

Yes, assuming there's enough travel on the forward and rearward cams to get to the appropriate camber. You wouldn't have to loosen those nuts very much--just enough to get the cams to turn fairly freely. "I" would mark the cams where they are now, so you can put them back the same way if things don't work out; and you'd also have a record of how much the cams have turned.

Dick with the camber (or caster) and you'd better also adjust the toe. You WILL change the existing toe by changing camber or caster. If you don't move the front and rear cams exactly the same amount, you will change the caster along with the camber, and the toe.

The usual reasons for camber to be "off" is either something is bent, ball joints or control-arm bushings are worn-out, or the vehicle ride-height is incorrect (or a combination.) Has this truck been deliberately raised or lowered? Hit? Curbed hard? Have you verified the ride-height, (called the "Z height" in the service manual) inspected the ball joints and control arm bushings? I haven't seen a GMT400 with decent upper control arm bushings unless they've been replaced recently.

 

[JPVortex]

Yes, assuming there's enough travel on the forward and rearward cams to get to the appropriate camber. You wouldn't have to loosen those nuts very much--just enough to get the cams to turn fairly freely. "I" would mark the cams where they are now, so you can put them back the same way if things don't work out; and you'd also have a record of how much the cams have turned.

Dick with the camber (or caster) and you'd better also adjust the toe. You WILL change the existing toe by changing camber or caster. If you don't move the front and rear cams exactly the same amount, you will change the caster along with the camber, and the toe.

The usual reasons for camber to be "off" is either something is bent, ball joints or control-arm bushings are worn-out, or the vehicle ride-height is incorrect (or a combination.) Has this truck been deliberately raised or lowered? Hit? Curbed hard? Have you verified the ride-height, (called the "Z height" in the service manual) inspected the ball joints and control arm bushings? I haven't seen a GMT400 with decent upper control arm bushings unless they've been replaced recently.

Ok thank you!

And yeah its lifted 6 inches, Rough Country lift. No curb hits lol.

Control arm bushings definitely look not in great shape... I'm just looking to temporarily get the camber better than it is because right now the tire is screeching when I turn and until I rebuild the whole front end.

 

[Hipster]

As stated camber changes can change everything else so unless planning new tires with suspension components, might want to work in the direction of getting the rest of the work completed sooner rather then later and having a proper alignment done. Tire scrub can destroy a set of tires in very short order.

 

[Schurkey]

"I" would scrap the 6" lift first and foremost. That is likely going to solve a bunch of alignment issues, in combination with replacing worn-out components.
www.gmt400.com/threads/problems-with-rough-country-6%E2%80%9D-lift.55566/

Problems with rough country 6” lift

Wondering if anybody has had fitment and clearance issues with rough country 6 inch lift on 97 Burban k1500.

www.gmt400.com

Keep in mind that the control arm bolts will need to be tightened with the vehicle at normal ride-height, which isn't important now with already-damaged bushings--but it'll be important after the bushings have been replaced (unless you use Polyurethane bushings.)

 

[JPVortex]

Tried adjusting on it a bit, theres 2 cams on each side of the control arm? Its definitely a little better but now as you guys said my tow is very screwed.

When moving the steering wheel wants to move to the right on its own(the side I messed with) and it just doesnt go straight.

 

[JPVortex]

And looking at both control arms on both sides none of the cams are lined up with each other at all.

Definitely going to rebuild this suspension and get it aligned asap.

 

[Schurkey]

There's two "cams" on each thru-bolt on the upper control arm bushings. Four cams per side.

Each pair of cams-- two on the front bushing, and two on the rear bushing on each upper control arm--need to be set the same. It would be almost impossible for them to be misaligned since they ride on the bolt together. But the front pair and the rear pair can and generally are set differently, to achieve caster and camber. And the left side can be different from the right side. So four pair of cams that may all be set differently.

Of course, IF (big IF) nothing is bent, and nothing is worn, then you should have adequate camber and caster with the cams set in the factory position before the "knockouts" were removed--assuming stock ride-height. Once you have wear, or non-stock ride height, all bets are off for alignment angles. Might not even be able to achieve proper angles with the limited adjustment provided.

Glad you're going to do this job properly.