Trailing arm bracket shims

[Sideways Tim]

A bit of re-bushing going on revealed a rusted through trailing arm bracket on the rear offside. Behind it are five shims - I assume these are to do with alignment. How do I go about checking it's correct with the new bracket in place?

Cheers.

[mikeyb]

if all you have replaced is the bracket, then little should have changed.  However it's well worth getting a 4 wheel alignment check done at your local tyre bay.

Suggest check other side to ensure bracket retaining nuts will come undone and go armed with a couple of spare shims.

5 shims on one side does sound to be a lot though   :-/

[RedRooster]

Best if the car is laden as well.
You can do it at home with string, a protractor & a camber gauage.

[Velocita Rosso]

...or read my article on alignment and adjustable radius arms. No need for shimming then

[sparky_spit]

Somewhere on here I've posted by how much each shim changes the toe-in/out figure - ie how much each standard thickness shim is worth in degrees at the wheel.

If you have the determination to search for the thread you may find it useful if you have to re-shim during a 4 wheel alignment session. I posted it around May 2009 I think.

[RedRooster]

Or you can spend endless hours making shims yourself, not sure where my rear shim diagram is.
RR

[Velocita Rosso]

sparky_spit wrote:

Somewhere on here I've posted by how much each shim changes the toe-in/out figure - ie how much each standard thickness shim is worth in degrees at the wheel.

If you have the determination to search for the thread you may find it useful if you have to re-shim during a 4 wheel alignment session. I posted it around May 2009 I think.

....so just like me, getting old and the brains dead! ;D

[TimW]

I have made about 50 rear shims at work.  If anyone wants any for postage let me know.

[sparky_spit]

michael_charlton wrote:

....so just like me, getting old and the brains dead! ;D

Oi! Not so much of the old.

Sorry, who are you?