Camber adjustment adapter

An adapter for use in aligning the front end suspension system of a vehicle enables a mechanic, working alone, to adjust the camber setting without otherwise requiring the mechanic to remove the wheel in order to gain access to the camber adjustment bolts, or without otherwise requiring assistance of a second mechanic. The adapter comprises a generally U-shaped tool having first and second legs and a bight portion for extending around opposite sides of the housing at the base of the suspension system strut assembly where the camber adjustment bolts are located. The first leg of the U has a bore with a closed interior surface adapted for engagement with the head of a camber adjustment bolt. The opposite second leg of the U has a fastener for being tightened against the opposite face of the housing. This holds the tool in a fixed position for locking the camber bolt against rotation. After each camber bolt is adjusted to provide the proper camber setting, the tool is used to lock each camber bolt against rotation so the nut on the opposite end of the camber bolt can be tightened to torque the camber bolt the required amount. The second leg of the tool is shorter than the first leg to provide access to the torque nut adjacent the end of the second leg. The interior surface of the bore has a large number of short flats that permit locking onto the hex head of either camber bolt independently of the rotational orientation of the bolts. Stabilizing bolts on the bight portion of the U can be tightened against the housing to prevent the tool from slipping when torque is applied to each camber bolt.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to an adapter to facilitate torquing the camber 
bolts of a vehicle front suspension system when making a front end 
alignment. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Some vehicle front end suspension systems include a pair of camber bolts on 
a housing at the base of a suspension system strut arm. The camber bolts 
are adjusted to make the desired camber setting for each hub assembly. The 
camber bolts are initially loosened prior to making the desired camber 
setting, and a nut on each camber bolt is tightened to torque each bolt a 
required amount after the camber setting is made. In one automobile 
suspension system, 140 ft.-lbs. of torque are required for each camber 
bolt. 
Several procedures can be used to make front end alignments. For example, 
one procedure involves removing the wheel, loosening the camber bolts, 
replacing the wheel, adjusting the bolts to make the desired camber 
setting, partially tightening the nut on each camber bolt to avoid 
slippage, jacking up the front end of the vehicle, torquing the camber 
bolts, and then lowering the front end. 
In making such a wheel alignment, the wheel is often removed after the 
desired camber setting is made in order to provide the mechanic with 
sufficient access for torquing the camber adjustment bolts. If the wheel 
is removed, the camber-indicating instruments must be reset and the camber 
adjustment checked after the wheel is replaced to ensure a correct 
reading. In many instances the camber setting will change after the camber 
bolts are torqued and the wheel is replaced. It often requires more than 
the allowed shop time to perform a front end alignment where the 
electronic insturments must be reset after the wheel is replaced. 
A front end alignment can be performed without removing the wheel, but this 
requires two mechanics, one mechanic for holding the head of each camber 
bolt while the other mechanic torques the camber bolts. If the wheel is 
not removed, it produces such a large obstruction that one mechanic, 
working alone, cannot simultaneously reach the head of the camber bolt to 
hold it in place and also reach the nut on the other end of the bolt with 
a torque wrench and then be able to adequately torque the bolt. 
It would be desirable for one mechanic, working alone, to perform a front 
end alignment while avoiding removal of the wheel, so as not to require 
assistance of a second mechanic and so that the instruments can be left in 
place to continuously indicate the correct camber reading, while saving 
time otherwise used in resetting the instruments, not to mention the added 
time required to remove and replace the wheel. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Briefly, this invention provides an adapter for use in torquing a camber 
bolt installed in a housing in a vehicle front end suspension system. The 
housing has a pair of opposed first and second faces, and the camber bolt 
has a hex head adjacent a first face of the housing. A torque nut is 
secured to an end of the camber bolt adjacent a second face of the 
housing. The nut can be tightened to torque the camber bolt. One 
embodiment of the adapter comprises a generally U-shaped tool having 
opposed first and second legs with a bight portion that extends around the 
housing so the first and second legs of the tool can overlie the first and 
second faces of the housing, respectively. A bore extending through the 
first leg has a closed interior surface for being releasably secured to 
the hex head of the camber bolt. A fastener on the second leg can be 
tightened against the second face of the housing to hold the tool in a 
fixed position to lock the camber bolt against rotation while the bolt is 
being torqued by tightening the torque nut on the camber bolt. The second 
leg of the tool is shortened relative to the first leg of the tool to 
provide access to the torque nut adjacent the end of the second leg of the 
tool. 
In one embodiment, fastener means on the bight portion of the U can be 
tightened against the housing to prevent the tool from tipping when the 
camber bolt is being torqued. 
The adapter provides means for allowing one mechanic, working alone, to 
avoid removing the wheel of the vehicle when adjusting the camber setting. 
The tool holds the camber bolts in place while all of the mechanic's 
effort can be used in torquing each camber bolt. Since the wheel is left 
in place, the instruments used in setting the camber also can be left in 
place, so they do not require resetting. Since the adapter holds each 
camber bolt in place, the mechanic does not require the assistance of 
another mechanic in making the camber settings. 
These and other aspects of the invention will be more fully understood by 
referring to the following detailed description and the accompanying 
drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
FIG. 1 shows a camber adjustment adapter 10 according to principles of this 
invention. The configuration and use of the adapter is best understood by 
initially referring to FIG. 3, which illustrates an automobile front end 
suspension system. A pair of camber bolts, also referred to herein as an 
upper pivot bolt 12, and a lower cam bolt 14, are located on a housing 16 
at the base of a generally upright strut arm 18. The strut arm housing is 
secured to a hub assembly 20 by the camber bolts. Opposite portions of the 
housing sandwich an arm 22 of the hub assembly, and the camber bolts 
extend through the housing and through the arm 22 for fastening the strut 
arm to the hub assembly. A suspension system cross-member 24 and a lower 
steering control arm 26 also are shown in FIG. 3. A first torque nut 28 
and a second torque nut 30 are threaded onto opposite ends of the pivot 
bolt and the cam bolt, respectively, and are torqued a preselected amount 
to tightly secure the strut arm to the hub assembly. 
The adapter comprises a generally U-shaped tool having a first leg 32, a 
bight portion 34 and a second leg 36 spaced from and extending generally 
parallel to the first leg. The first leg is longer than the second leg of 
the U. The first and second legs are spaced apart by a distance equal to 
the distance between a first face 38 and a second face 40 of the housing 
16. The first and second legs have generally flat, parallel inside 
surfaces for overlying the first and second faces, respectively, of the 
housing, while the bight portion of the bracket extends around the side of 
the housing. The tool is made from a rigid material, preferably metal such 
as steel. 
A first bore 42 extends through an end portion of the first leg 32. The 
bore has a closed interior surface comprising a series of short lands 44 
of a saw-tooth pattern around a circle that defines the internal surface 
of the bore. The lands are arranged to releasably engage the exterior 
flats on the hex head of each camber adjustment bolt. As shown in FIG. 4, 
the pivot bolt 12 has a hex head 46 rigidly secured to a washer 47, and 
the cam bolt 14 has a hex head 48 rigidly secured to a cam 50. The 
interior surface of the first bore 42 is adapted to engage either hex 
head, independently of their rotational orientation. Thus, regardless of 
how either camber bolt is rotated to make the desired camber setting, the 
U-shaped adapter can be slipped around the side of the housing and the 
bore locked onto the head of either camber bolt. The bore has a number of 
lands in excess of six that are shorter than the six flats on either hex 
head. In the preferred embodiment, there are twelve short lands that 
engage the flats on either hex head and lock the hex head in the bore. 
This locks the camber bolt against rotation as long as the tool is held in 
a fixed position. 
Although the bore is shown in the tool for locking the hex head against 
rotation, a tool with an open-ended notch, such as an open-ended wrench, 
also could be used. 
The exterior surface portion of the first leg can have a raised portion 52 
that sourrounds the bore first 42. The lands 44 extend through the raised 
portion 52, as well as the main portion of the first leg 32. The added 
thickness of the raised portion provides added means for ensuring a good 
grip on either camber adjustment bolt 46 or 48. 
A fastener such as a bolt 54 having a threaded shank is threaded into an 
internally threaded second bore 56 in an end portion of the second leg 36. 
The second bore 56 is internally threaded not only through the main 
portion of the second leg, but also through the raised portion 58 that 
surrounds the bore. This provides means for ensuring engagement between 
the bolt 54 and the bore 56 when the bolt is loosened. A square head 60 on 
the bolt 54 facilitates turning the bolt relative to the second leg 36 of 
the tool. 
A tool stabilizing fastener such as a bolt 62 having a threaded shank is 
threaded into an internally threaded bore 64 extending through the bight 
portion 34 of the U. A square head 66 facilitates turning the stabilizing 
bolt 62 relative to the bight portion of the tool so the end of the bolt 
can be adjusted with respect to the bight portion of the U. 
The axis of the first bore 42 is offset from the axis of the second bore 56 
owing to the longer length of the first leg 32 of the U. Both axes are 
parallel and intersected by the axis of the bore 64 which receives the 
stabilizing fastener 62. 
In use, the U-shaped adapter is placed around the side of the housing 16, 
as shown in FIG. 4, so the first leg 32 of the U overlies the first face 
38 of the housing with the lands 44 of the bore 42 locked to the hex head 
46 of the pivot bolt 12. The second leg of the U overlies the second face 
40 of the housing 16, and the bolt 54 is tightened against the housing to 
hold the adapter in a fixed position around the housing. The stabilizing 
bolt 62 is tightened against the housing also to prevent tipping of the 
tool when the torque nut is being tightened, especially when the bight 
portion 34 is spaced from the housing as shown at the top of FIGS. 4 and 
5. This attachment of the tool to the housing locks the pivot bolt against 
rotation. The mechanic can easily install the adapter in this manner while 
leaving the wheel in place. The mechanic is than able to torque the pivot 
bolt with a torque wrench placed on the nut 28. The mechanic is able to 
use both hands to torque the bolt to its required amount, since the 
mechanic need not be concerned with also locking the pivot bolt against 
rotation. Access to the pivot bolt is thereafter easily available with the 
wheel in place on the hub assembly. The second leg 36 of the adapter is 
shorter than the first leg so the end of the second leg is spaced from the 
nut 28 on the pivot bolt when the adapter is fastened in place. The second 
leg is sufficiently short to provide good access to the nut 28 by the 
torque wrench without interference from the adapter. The adapter can be 
released from its locked position by loosening the bolt 52. The bore of 
the adapter then can be applied to the hex head 48 of the cam bolt 14 and 
the opposite side of the adapter fastened to the housing by tightening the 
bolt 54. The cam bolt 14 then can be torqued by tightening the nut 30. The 
interior surface configuration of the bore allows the adapter to lock onto 
each hex head independently of the position of either hex head after the 
camber settings are made. Although one hex head is offset laterally from 
the other, the legs of the U-shaped adapter are sufficiently long to 
accommodate this offset to reach either of the camber bolts. 
FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternative camber adjustment adapter 110 in which 
the U-shaped tool is similar to the U-shaped tool described in FIGS. 1 
through 5, and in which 100 has been added to reference numerals in FIGS. 
6 and 7 to indicate similar elements of the tool described in FIGS. 1 
through 5. The alternative camber adjustment adaper inclues bracket 
stabilizing means having fasteners on an elongated flat, rigid metal 
stabilizing bar 170, instead of the stabilizing bolt 62 described above. 
The bar is rigidly affixed to the bight portion 134 of the U by welding 
172. The length of the stabilizing bar is greater than the width of the U, 
so that opposite end portions of the stabilizing bar extend beyond the 
opposite side edges of the U, as shown best in FIG. 6. Stated another way, 
the bar extends along an axis that intersects the plane of the U. In the 
illustrated embodiment, the bar is perpendicular to the plane of the U. 
Separate fasteners extend through the outwardly projecting end portions of 
the stabilizing bar. These fasteners include a first stabilizing bolt 174 
having a threaded shank threaded into engagement with an internally 
threaded bore 176 in one end portion of the stabilizing bar. The first 
stabilizing bolt has a hex head 178 for turning the bolt about its axis so 
that the end portion of the bolt can move axially into the U. i.e., toward 
the ends of the first and second legs when the bolt is tightened relative 
to the stabilizing bar. A second stabilizing bolt 180 has a threaded shank 
threaded into engagement with an internally threaded bolt 182 in the 
opposite end portion of the stabilizing bar. The second stabilizing bolt 
also has a hex head 184 for turning the bolt about its axis so the end 
portion of the second stabilizing bolt can be moved into the U, i.e., 
toward the ends of the U when the bolt is tightened relative to the 
stabilizing bar. The two stabilizing fasteners are generally parallel to 
each other and each is spaced outwardly from an adjacent side edge of the 
U. 
The tool illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 is used in a manner similar to that 
shown in FIG. 4 so that the first leg 132 of the U overlies the first face 
38 of the housing with the lands 144 of the bore 142 locked to the hex 
head 46 of the pivot bolt 12. The second leg of the U overlies the second 
face 40 of the housing 16, and the bolt 154 is tightened against the 
housing to hold the adapter in a fixed position around the housing. The 
stabilizing bar extends adjacent the end of the housing opposite the 
camber bolts, and the stabilizing bolts are tightened against the housing 
and/or the strut arm 18 to stabilize the tool to prevent the tool from 
tipping when the torque nut is being tightened. By tightening the 
stabilizing bolts against the housing and/or strut arm, the stabilizing 
bolts provide two points which are spaced from opposite sides of the U and 
at which the U is stabilized with respect to the strut housing. This 
additional means of stabilizing the tool ensures that the tool will not 
slip from its fixed position when the large amounts of torque are applied 
to the torque bolts. 
In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the two stabilizing bolts 
are of different length. The second stabilizing bolt is longer since, for 
certain strut housing designs, one bolt has to reach farther than the 
other bolt. For example, when one bolt is being tightened against the 
strut arm instead of the housing, the bar is spaced farther from the strut 
than the housing, so one fastener is longer to accommodate the increased 
distance. 
Thus, the camber adjustment tool can be installed by a mechanic and then 
the mechanic can torque each camber bolt by himself while the wheel is 
left with the instruments intact. This saves time otherwise required to 
remove and replace the wheel and reset the instruments, and does not 
require the assistance of another mechanic to properly torque the camber 
bolts.