RESOLVED: Rear wheel camber problem

[PJAB]

Hi All

Just sharing how a problem that has existed on my car since it was bought by me just over a year ago has eventually been resolved.

The nearside rear wheel has always had positive camber - close to 2 degrees - which is hopelessly wrong. The offside has always been close to correct - i.e. a small amount of negative camber.

The third garage that looked at this solved the problem. They took some bits apart and found that the Rear Hub Carrier Inner Oil Seal Track / Seating Ring - had been fitted the wrong way round - pushing the hub too far out. The misfitted part is asymmetric - so there is a right way and a wrong way to fit it.

It has now been fitted correctly, the relevant shims re-inserted and the rear wheels now both look and feel right - I drive the car gently but even I can tell that the car is more planted at the rear after any steering input.

I guess the moral of this story for me is that there is probably a solution to every problem on our cars - it’s just a matter of sticking with it until you find the expertise to correctly identify the cause of the problem - fixing things is generally easy after that!

Whilst working on the suspension the guys also found that the front springs that were replaced only last autumn were both different heights and different gauges (and therefore compressibility). No wonder they had to pack one side out with 4 spacers and none on the other side! I am very disappointed by this and feel that I was hoodwinked as a new customer - I won’t be going back there! Happy to supply details privately if anyone is interested.

Anyway - problem now solved once and for all and the mechanical condition of the car has been further improved - which has been my primary aim since buying the car. Photo was an example of such a part shown to me by the garage that fixed the problem - it may o may not be the right part for my XJ-S - but it helps illustrate the point I feel.

All the best.

Peter

[greeban]

Thanks for sharing this - is really good to learn about issues owners have had and how they have been resolved.

[PJAB]

Cheers

I just want to share my findings - people will either add to the post and increase my understanding - or be able to consider if they have a similar problem.

I’m still in that “very enthusiastic newbie” phase!

Peter