Upper balljoint camber adjustment

Adam · Site Admin Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 682

All geminis, unless they have been previously modified, will gain from increased front camber, the optimum amount of camber varies depending on the cars ability to pull lateral Gs, or in laymans terms 'turn corners'. The better a car handles - be it due to better tyres, springs, shocks or swaybars etc. - the more negative camber is required to maintain a good contact patch on the laden outside tyre.

The simplest means to ensure that your stock setup has the most camber possible is to make sure that the upper balljoints are offset inwards. The upper balljoints on a gemini are NOT symetrical, if you sit them one way, you get positive camber(bad), the other, you get negative camber(good), this is a rough guide on how to do this.

First place the car on a hard level surface, chock the rear wheels and ensure the handbrake is firmly applied. Crack the wheelnuts, then jack the car up underneath the front crossmember and place chassis stands underneath the crossmember, lowering the car onto them. Remove the road wheels and note the installed position of the upper balljoints, if all is well then they should like somewhat like this.

Note how the curved edge of the balljoint is outwards and the side with the flat edge is towards the inside of the car, this means that the balljoint is already set up for negative camber. If on the other hand you can see the flat edge indicated below, then you should reverse you're upper balljoints.

Start by loosening, but NOT removing the 17mm balljoint retaining nut from underside of the upper balljoint, this is best approached from the rear (as in towards the back of the car) side of the upper suspension arm, the nut is left in place to prevent the stub axle assembly from damaging the flexible brake line as it falls away when the balljoint taper is released. Release the balljoint taper by striking the side of the stub axle/steering knuckle assembly adjacent to the balljoint firmly with a hammer, it should release with little or no effort. NEVER EVER EVER STRIKE THE BALLJOINT DIRECTLY WITH A HAMMER!!!.

Once the balljoint taper is released, remove the balljoint retaining nut and support the stub axle/steering knuckle assembly, DO NOT allow it to hang on the flexible brake line as damage to this line will result in death. Once the balljoint is free of the stub axle assembly remove the two balljoint to upper suspension arm retaining bolts with a 14mm spanner, make sure the nut underneath the arm isn't just spinning as you turn the bolt from above.

Once you have removed the balljoint to upper suspension arm bolts you can reverse and begin re-installing the balljoints.

It is worth considering replacing both upper balljoints with new items at this point, they are inexpensive but they can dramatically affect the handling of your car.

To reassemble, start by refitting the upper balljoint retaining bolts, whilst tightening these ensure the balljoint itself is pushed inwards as much as possible, this will ensure the greatest amount of neg camber. Once these are tightened place the jack under the lower suspension arm and raise the lower arm just enough to place the balljoint taper back through the stub axle assembly.

You should replace the balljoint retaining nut at this point as it is an internally nylon washered item and is as such for single use only.

Fit the new balljoint retaining nut and ensure that the balljoint taper pops back into place, refit the road wheels and repeat process on the other side of your gemini.

Happy handling

------------------------

Adam Gibson
Adam@hotgemini.com
ICQ #40093715

old forum · hod rodder Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 15499

Has anyone done this on their car?

old forum · hod rodder Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 15499

adjusting the camber can be good for handling but also bad for tyre wear... negivite camber will mean that at normal speeds and while braking in a straight line a little less tyre than usual will be touching the road... as a result you may find that you "chew out" the inside tread of your tyres... also... the lower you make you gem the more camber your wheels will have! the last time i had to buy a set of top ball joints i picked up a pair from autobarn that had slots insted of holes on the top! so that even greater camber could be adjusted in due to being able to push the ball joint inwards more. they're a bit more expensive but worth it!!

Bugle · tinkerer Joined: 08 Oct 2001 Posts: 221

You need more camber only when cornering dont you? Won't giving it more castor do that?

Adam says "To a degree, but you really need a balance between the two. Also there is a limit as to how much front caster can be acheived on a gemini without custom modifications to the upper and/or lower wishbones"

Stock TE · backyard mechanic Joined: 12 Mar 2002 Posts: 853

Just did this, car now handles great

TXcoupe · petrol head Joined: 05 Oct 2001 Posts: 1675

as adam and i have been modifing our gems now to get more camber u can also get slooted ball joints for more camber. the part number is BJ-117 and its by O.E.M products should cost u $80 - $100 a pair

Riggs · newbie Joined: 23 May 2003 Posts: 0

I've heard if you bolt a TE crossmember on an earlier model Eg.Td you'll get a shitload more camber, is this true?
Graet site, love it.

Riggs · newbie Joined: 23 May 2003 Posts: 0

Please can anybody tell me if i bolt up a TE crossmember to My TD will it give me better camber or not? I have been told that it does but i need more proof before i start pulling apart my gem.

Stock TE · backyard mechanic Joined: 12 Mar 2002 Posts: 853

No that is not true. But you can lower the car by installing RTS (TD-TG) lower control arms on the TX-TC models.

Riggs · newbie Joined: 23 May 2003 Posts: 0

Thanks mate and that sounds like a plan for my tx coupe