2003 Mini Cooper S with stock suspension.

I am having a problem with my right front wheel having too much camber.
RF Camber: -1.93
LF Camber: -.034

My car was in accident a year ago, so I took it to the frame shop and they said the frame was straight. I replaced the right control arm bushing and the right top strut mount, due to them both being ripped.
I still have a lot of negative camber on the right front wheel. The wheel bearing seems to be tight and the ball joints are tight also.
I have also adjusted the sub frame as much I it will go.

So it appears to me that there are only 2 factors left: the strut or the actual control arm. it does not seem to me like the control arm is bent though.
So I am kind of thinking that it is the strut, but it does not appear to be damaged.

Dp you guys have any ideas as to what the problem could be?

 

Did you get any read out from the bodyshop for the frame pulling or measurement? Assuming they are using laser frame measurement, there should be print out. I would start from there before spending more money on other suspension parts. I had similar situation long time ago with my previous car.

 

No I don't have a print out, because they were doing it for me as a favor... so I didn't ask for a print out...

 

could it be the strut tower?
can the mushrooming affect the camber?

 

Did you have an alignment at some point in the past? I assume the camber difference was not this bad before that accident. If your control arm and strut are the original ones, and "survived" the accident, they might be all bent.

 

I'll also add the knuckle assembly to the list.

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

I'd bet that the sheet metal above the strut is domed up. When the upper strut mount gets damaged, the sheet metal will sometimes also dome up and cause the camber to be off. I had -1.0 camber in front after replacing the upper strut mount, noticed the damaged sheet metal, hammered it down, and got the camber down to -.6 or something like that. It was still slightly more camber than the other side, but better than before.

I was able to visually see and feel the difference between the right side (damaged) and left side which was ok. I have since installed the plates on top of the mount which are supposed to help prevent future damage.