I had IE front strut mounts installed to replace torn stock mounts on 2006 S. The camber is now off quite a bit.
LF -1.2
RF -2.5
I did search and ideas I found are spring perch might be hitting on water drain panel that needs to be flatland out . A second idea was put weight on suspension before tightening bolts. Any other ideas before I take back to shop? Tks Larry

 

Mtnmotor
If your front camber is off that much I would bet that you have some serious strut tower mushrooming. The mounting holes for the camber plates do not allow for any adjustment so if your spring is hitting on the driver side drain tube you would see it and hear it. That is a simple fix by flattening the drain tube where it contacts the spring. This problem would not change your driver side camber though, it would just make noise. Run a search on this and you will see plenty of examples. Other than an incorrect install I would say you have the strut tower mushrooming. Be sure when they installed your struts that they are fully seated in the steering knuckles. That could also effect your camber.
Steve

 

Steve, I had ordered m7 tower plates at same time IE tower mounts and they came in last wk and I put them on. The m7 plates were almost flat on and just a couple of wacks on 1x4 had them rt on, so based on that I don't think its a tower problem. I did get under car and spring def. hitting drain tube. With the spring hitting Don't you think that would keep that wheel from having right amount of camber? Larry

 

Hey guys and gals... anymore ideas? Larry

 

Mines off like that in the passengers side. Strut towers are fine and IE fixed plates. Happened after hitting a bad pothole. Ended up being the steering knuckle was bent. MINI mechanic I use told me it is not that uncommon.

 

Ok .. I was wrong on drip tube keeping camber off. I took left strut off and flattened out drip tube. No change but it had been hitting a little. Car has not been wrecked and towers are flat on top with m7 plates. I have car in air now and will look for steering knuckle damage. Thanks Larry

 

Those are some odd numbers for those plates. I have -1.7 degrees L/R up front with stock springs/shocks with the IE fixed plates.

 

Yes I agree ... I was very disappointed with alignment .It is strange because I had never noticed any problem, camber appeared even, steering wheel dead straight ,tires wearing ok. I have car in air with wheels off trying to figure out what might be bent. I have searched 'STEERING KUNCKLE" and came up with no illustration.I guess I need help to know exactly what I am looking for. lol ! Thanks for any help on what to look for. Larry

 

What were your "before" camber numbers? Can you take a picture of each wheel so we can see what the camber looks like? Something is wrong with both sides to get those numbers.

 

Are you sure that both left and right plates are a correct pair, not two lefts or two rights?
If they are correct the strut bolts should be leaning toward the engine not the fenders.

If the car was fine before it would seem that it's an incorrect pair of plates.
IE plates are unmarked as to right and left and you may not have a proper pair.
That has happened before and yes, to me.

Hope this helps...

 

Well.... maybe I'm nuts. Every time[ well most times] when I measure camber with a big square I get a different reading. Today I took pictures of front suspension and got back on ground. I drove back and forth and it measured within 1/16 side to side. I moved car and checked again and now has 1/2 in more neg camber in rt front. Drove into town and measured and was 3/8 off, pulled up 100 yds and now right on Drove across town and camber rt on the money, then I drove home about 4mile and with front wheels on pad rt ft had 3/8 in more neg camber. Everything seems tight , no play in wheel bearing, and car drives great. I am at a total loss! Larry

 

Yeah ,the bearing is to the center of car on each side. Larry

 

When I measure ride ht it can vary 1/2 in or more. Could a bent strut be hanging up a little and could this cause camber to vary? Larry

 

Could be. You should post some pictures up here.

 

I was taking pics yesterday when i noticed how things kept changing. Now I need to find cable and learn how to post pics. lol Also, Hunter 99 referred to "steering knuckle" might be bent, I don't know what exactly i am looking for.
Larry

 

Camber can only be measured on perfectly level ground. And, tire pressure affects caber settings in particular; if air temps change tire pressure changes...camber changes. First thing to check when performing an alignment is tire pressure. Fuel load will also affect all settings.

Other than tires, lazy damper...sticking bushings...broken or leaking inner control arm bushing...bad camber plate...and bad damper/springs in the rear can cause the problem you have - weight move diagonally across the car.

I big square is like a big hammer...

 

Thanks for input..I am understanding more about very subtle changes making big changes in my" big old square" measurements. lol I talked to shop with laser frame machine and he said he would be glad to put car on it and take my money,but did not think he could help me as it wont measure suspension components. I am going to take car to different alignment shop and maybe they can figure this all out. .If a strut is bad would koni yellows work with stock springs and IE fixed plates or price wise Megan coil overs look pretty good .Thanks for help! Larry
ps . The pics I took didn't show up good enough to tell anything.

 

Took car to different alignment shop and shop with sonar frame machine today. After talking to both of them my plan is to live with alignment for now,spend my money on pulley kit" to take my mind off alignment problem" and keep real close watch on tire wear. If I have problem I can get adjustable plates and/or new struts or coil overs. If anyone can recommend alignment shop with mini experience in South central Illinois I would do that. Please express your opinions re; Thanks Larry

 

Sorry about not getting back sooner. I will be honest that is what my mechanic mentioned. He is pretty respected in the MINI community around here. Names Dan Zipkin and owns Grassroots Garage.

I did find that part once while looking at Real OEM but I think the name was similar but slightly different. He told me you cannot fully tell if it is bent until off the car.

If I remember the price was about $140 for the part. When I have time later I will see if I can find it again.

 

Hey Hunter99.. thanks for remembering me. I am thinking knuckle must be part the bearing is in. A friend has a lot of machinist tools and we are going to try and measure on car just for grins. I looked up Grassroots Garage, looks like something we need here!
I am trying to find the best alignment shop between St Louis and Indy just to confirm alignment. Larry

 

My bet is on the lower control arm bushing being worn out. That affected my alignment numbers quite a bit.

 

I agree and pinted that out above...the OP really should have a look at those because they affect more than just camber.

 

PenelopeG3 , meb58 and and all, thanks for help. Looks like I can get OE or Power flex for app same money. What would your recommendation be to replace at same time,control arm, sway bar and....? OE or Power flex...or? Anything on rear to replace at same time? Trailing arm bushings?
Thanks Larry

 

That could be since he said he saw the camber moving, I'd replace them with the powerflex bushings.

 

Since the sub-frame has to be lowered to replace those bushings, you have an opportunity to replace a number of other potentially worn components; Steering rack bushing (Powerflex?), lower control arm ball joints, swaybar bushings, and inner tie rods - although these can be replaced in-situ, it is much easier to replace them with the sub-frame out of the car.

Be very careful replacing the inner tie rods...follow torque specs exactly and make sure the end you are working is turned into the rack as far as possible without removing the ability to thread the inner tie rod. If that end of the rack gear is is turned out as far as it will go and you torque the new inner tie rod to spec, the leverage placed on the long rack sticking out while torquing the tie rod may cause the rack gear to bend or break...VERY IMPORTANT!!! Easy to remove and install, but follow this advice!!!

The Powerflex lower control arm bushing is a very well designed and durable piece...I used one for about 150,000miles on daily Northeast raods and track. you will notice a very big improvement in braking and steering response will be even faster. Harshness goes up a bit. The powerflex steering rack bushing doesn't really had to any significant/noticable performance gain, but it will not deteriorate like the stock one.

You may want to flush steering rack fluid at this tiime as well...most folks leave this stuff in the car forever. Depends upon mileage.