Set up for rear trailing arm shims? Options

[morehills]

When taking my trailing arms out I noticed that I had three shims on the passenger side and only two on the driver's. Is that normal? I think I remember how they were set up for reinstall, but is there any general wisdom on how to configure them when I put the suspension back in. I'll have the rear aligned by my shop when they reinstall the engine, so maybe this is not very important. Thanks, John

[technicalninja]

those shims adjust camber BUT...

Toe is adjusted via the slots that the trailing arm outer mount has in it.

Merely loosing these bolts WILL alter the toe.

These bolts HAVE to be removed to change the shims...

Process is to check camber on rear and decide if you need to change shims.

I bought extra shims from this member, I like stainless...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...=372781&hl=

Make your camber adjustment, recheck that puppy and then comes the HARD part.

You have to rotate the trailing arms via the slotted mounting holes to adjust toe.

You make an adjustment, recheck toe, and make further adjustments until you get toe correct.
Toe needs to be adjusted PER SIDE, not against each other.

A dedicated alignment machine will make this easier BUT it can be done on the ground using a variety of methods. Stringing the car up will work fine.

Tangerine Racing makes special outer mounts for exactly this purpose.

https://tangerineracing.com/shop/ols/produc...ng-arm-brackets

Those screws make setting toe easier. They work better one direction, if you go too far you should back up past "perfect" and come up on the toe setting with minor adjustments.

And I go a bit farther on loading. Static "rest" height is often higher than actual "in motion" height. This can be more pronounced on lighter cars (914 qualifies as light).

On a streetcar, I'm prone to full tank of gas, 100lbs in each seat, 100 lbs in front and rear trunk.

Track car is different, actual driver and equipment, 1/2 tank of fuel and nothing else.

Aero track car is even harder to determine average ride height. I'd probably load that critter up pretty heavy on the alignment machine.