ball joint cams 01 MGM
Radical Ed
08-14-2007, 04:06 PM
I replaced the ball joints on my '01 Grand Marquis but I wasn't aware of the importance of the placement of the off-center bolt cams until the drive to get the front-end alignment. After TWO alignments and a tire rotation, the car still pulls to the right and I'm convinced the ball joints are misaligned. The front end is more solid with the new ball joints, but it still pulls. My directions on the replacement didn't tell me I should've outlined the old joints with a Sharpie so I could line the new ones up to the previous placement. By the time I found that out, it was too late.
Is there a specific method or tool I can use to line up the proper cam placement for my ball joints? I don't want to pay a mechanic big bucks for ten minutes with a 22mm socket if I can help it. It's bad enough that when I finally do it properly, I have to pay for a third alignment.
Any help would be fantastic because if I can't do it myself, I'll have to spend my vacation savings to get it done by a pro. I do most of my own work so I'm really hoping for some advice.
Thanks!
Is there a specific method or tool I can use to line up the proper cam placement for my ball joints? I don't want to pay a mechanic big bucks for ten minutes with a 22mm socket if I can help it. It's bad enough that when I finally do it properly, I have to pay for a third alignment.
Any help would be fantastic because if I can't do it myself, I'll have to spend my vacation savings to get it done by a pro. I do most of my own work so I'm really hoping for some advice.
Thanks!
way2old
08-14-2007, 06:45 PM
Some ball joints came with wrong machined cam seats. We have run into a lot that we could not bring into factory specifications and had to fudge some other adjustments to bring it into alignment so there was no pull. We usually use white out and make a line on the cam and one on the upper control arm and line the new one up that way.
Radical Ed
08-15-2007, 05:32 AM
I watched the 19 year old tech-school grad do my alignment and he never took the front tires off or used any tools to adjust anything on the upper control arms, including the upper ball joints. I'm not a pro mechanic but should he have done any adjustments to any of that?
Since I didn't do the "white-out" or marker method, and every pump of the jack under the control arm brings a different cam placement, what can I do to straigthten out the ball joints enough to get it aligned correctly? Do you think I just have to take it to an alignment specialist and have him loosen the ball joints and properly line them up, or is that something I would have to have a mechanic do? I was really hoping to do it myself and just get a standard alignment.
Since I didn't do the "white-out" or marker method, and every pump of the jack under the control arm brings a different cam placement, what can I do to straigthten out the ball joints enough to get it aligned correctly? Do you think I just have to take it to an alignment specialist and have him loosen the ball joints and properly line them up, or is that something I would have to have a mechanic do? I was really hoping to do it myself and just get a standard alignment.
way2old
08-15-2007, 07:11 AM
If you take it to an alignment shop they should not charge any more to bring it into specifications. After all, it is just a matter of adjustment. They will also inform you if there is anything that is out of the ordinary. SInce you already have new parts installed, should be fairly easy for them to do.
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