Re: Control arm

["Melissa & Jim" <jadney@vwtype3.org>]

On 12 Dec 97, CHARLES E. HAASE wrote:

> Hi Jim and everyone!
> Would someone have a front, right side (i.e. the side opposed to the 
> driver), lower control arm, preferably with a ball joint already 
> installed?

Actually, I think the control arm is that small arm that the tie rods 
connect to that controls the steering direction of the wheel.  The 
part you are asking about (I think) is the lower trailing arm.

I don't think I have one already removed from a front axle beam, 
although there is a good donor beam on the ground next to the garage.

> What happens is that my car has always pulled to the right, and today 
> after taking it back to the place where i got my alignment done a few 
> weeks ago, they told me that they cannot pull off the lower arm to 
> adjust the "caster"? (or something named like that). In other words, 
> what the guy told me is that it's as if I were standing with both of 
> my feet parallel in relation to each other, but one of them, being a 
> little behind. Therefore since it has stuck together, he may have to 
> cut it to get it off. Therefore, we would need another one.
> Does it make sense what I'm saying? Any sugguestions?

I'm not sure what has stuck and what would have to be cut.  I'm 
worried that he may not know what he needs to do to properly align 
your front end.

As a first check I suggest that you study the front end section of 
your Bentley manual, then crawl under your car and look at each of 
the ball joints.  Each of the 4 ball joints has a stem that passes 
through one of the trailing arms of the front suspension.  At the 
bottom end of each stem there is a kerf which MUST point directly 
forwards on the lower ball joints but may be adjusted either way on 
the upper ball joint to get the camber adjusted properly.

Verify that the bottom ball joint on each side is pointing straight 
forward.  If it is not see if you can show them the manual and get 
them to try doing it the way VW suggests.  I have frequently found 
that this is done incorrectly in such a way that things sometimes 
seem like they just cannot be corrected.

If the lower notches are both pointing straight forwards, then it is 
possible that you have a bent lower trailing arm, but I would have 
expected him to tell you that.

It might be worthwhile to get a second opinion.

I actually have a rather nice Stewart Warner alignment setup, but it 
is so much trouble to use that last time I took mine somewhere to be 
done.  Big mistake, They didn't have the right tools (big pipe 
wrench for tie rods) so I had to make a second appointment to come 
back and bring my pipe wrench and then show them the right way to do 
it.  Everyone on both sides was very nice about it all, but in the 
end I could have done it myself exactly right with a little more work 
and a whole lot less time.

PS Don't let them just pull the steering wheel and turn it to get it 
to be aligned right when you're driving down a straight road.  Read 
the manual, wrong procedure for a worm and roller steering box.

Jim
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
       Melissa Kepner                                    Jim Adney
                             Laura Kepner-Adney
                         jadney@vwtype3.org      
                             Madison, Wisconsin
   ---------------------------------------------------------------------