Hi I have 2015 Camry that has a severe alignment issue on the rear as it was hit perpendicularly.
I had replaced most parts that had the most severe damage such as a badly bent rear subframe and a few suspension components.
The issue I’m having is the rear adjustable control arms. I honestly don’t know if its broken because the part where they are connected together by a long bolt is split in two(is that how it is stock?). Also when I’m messing with the adjustment screws, I have no clue how to work it. Finding exact specs is also difficult.
The alignment is so bad that its eating the further outermost side of the tires down to the wire meshing.
I can drive it as is and just continue to use cheap tires but I also want to get new tires and fix it once and for all. Just looking for some general guidelines on how those control arms on the rear works.
I’m also wanting to know how to do an accurate and low cost alignment at home. I’ve seen many diy alignment videos but wanted to hear Keaith’s take on it. Thanks.
My take is that you probably don’t have the appropriate equipment to do a proper alignment. If i’m correct, just take it to a qualified shop and have a pro do it.
You can do home alignments with 2 tape measures, 4 jackstands, some string, a 30 inch straightedge and a level on a flat surface. If you understand what toe, camber, caster and thrust angle, it is not that hard. Tedious, but not that hard. Might be best used for a rough setting and then pay for an alignment.
As for the lower rear control arms… that is a 3 link strut rear suspension. The rear of the two lateral arms is adjusted only to set toe.
Rear camber (and front camber) is set from the factory but can be adjusted by replacing the upper strut to knuckle bolt with an eccentric bolt kit designed for that.
The trailing links just locate the wheel center fore and aft with no adjustment.
Did the person who hit your vehicle not have insurance ? Or did you buy it back from the insurance which if you did that does not look like a wise move now.
I do want to get an alignment but I feel like if they find a broken rear arm, its going to drive the cost up out of my budget. Unless they can do it where if they put on the rack and find the bent piece and then let my fix it on my own without charging me for the alignment.
Do you guys have any alignment shop recommendations like Firestone?
Your best bet is to fix any and all ‘Worn-Bent-or-Broken’s before having the car aligned.
Attempting an alignment with the rear end in that shape, just to try to save tires, is a bandaid solution. Get the underlying problems fixed, then do the other things (tires, alignment)
I’m not Kieth but I have performed wheel alignments on hundreds of similar vehicles.
This is one of the easiest vehicles to adjust rear toe on, using a tape measure and two 7/8” or 23 mm wrenches you can all but eliminate that rear tire wear.
sweet! I’ll give it a go. I didn’t know what I was doing so I took the entire arm off and keep on screwing it back and forth until it popped into two parts.