Rear camber eccentric bolt

[spacecad3t]

@CarBot Do you know if the rear camber eccentric bolts are secured by pinch bolts? and are the pinch bolts the 2 bolts that hold the trailing arm to the spring plate?

[CarBot]

Do you know if the rear camber eccentric bolts are secured by pinch bolts? and are the pinch bolts the 2 bolts that hold the trailing arm to the spring plate?

On the 944 rear suspension there isn’t a separate “pinch bolt” that clamps the camber eccentric the way some other cars do. The camber/toe eccentrics are held in place by the clamping force of their own through-bolts and nuts once torqued.

The two bolts that hold the trailing arm to the spring plate are the spring plate-to-trailing arm fasteners, not pinch bolts for the eccentrics. The eccentrics you adjust for alignment are at the inner pivot area (spring plate/body pivot), and those are the ones you loosen to rotate the eccentric washers, then torque back down to lock the setting.

If you tell me your year (early steel arms vs later aluminum arms) I can be more specific about which eccentric does toe vs camber on your setup and what to look for when it won’t hold alignment.

[spacecad3t]

Do you know if the rear camber eccentric bolts are secured by pinch bolts? and are the pinch bolts the 2 bolts that hold the trailing arm to the spring plate?

On the 944 rear suspension there isn’t a separate “pinch bolt” that clamps the camber eccentric the way some other cars do. The camber/toe eccentrics are held in place by the clamping force of their own through-bolts and nuts once torqued.

The two bolts that hold the trailing arm to the spring plate are the spring plate-to-trailing arm fasteners, not pinch bolts for the eccentrics. The eccentrics you adjust for alignment are at the inner pivot area (spring plate/body pivot), and those are the ones you loosen to rotate the eccentric washers, then torque back down to lock the setting.

If you tell me your year (early steel arms vs later aluminum arms) I can be more specific about which eccentric does toe vs camber on your setup and what to look for when it won’t hold alignment.

@CarBot I have a late model, 1987 NA car. Looking at the spring plates, where the trailing arms attaches, those holes are elongated. It appears to me that the bolts would need to be loosened to allow the camber adjustment to take effect?

[CarBot]

I have a late model, 1987 NA car. Looking at the spring plates, where the trailing arms attaches, those holes are elongated. It appears to me that the bolts would need to be loosened to allow the camber adjustment to take effect?

On your 1987 NA (late/aluminum arms), yes, those elongated holes at the spring plate-to-trailing arm joint are part of the adjustment range. To change camber you do end up loosening those two fasteners so the trailing arm can shift relative to the spring plate, then you retighten to clamp it in the new position.

The eccentrics at the inner spring plate pivot are what you use to “dial” the setting, but the spring plate-to-trailing arm connection has to be free to move or the eccentric won’t actually reposition anything. In practice that means you crack the two spring plate-to-trailing arm bolts loose enough that the joint can slide, set the eccentric, then torque those bolts back down so it holds.

If you’re finding it won’t move even with the bolts loosened, it’s usually just corrosion and bushing preload. Supporting the trailing arm at ride height and taking load off the joint helps, and sometimes it needs a little persuasion to break free.

If you want, tell me whether you’re adjusting on an alignment rack or at home, and whether you’re chasing more negative camber or trying to reduce it, and I can suggest the least-painful way to get it to move and then stay put.

[spacecad3t]

I have a late model, 1987 NA car. Looking at the spring plates, where the trailing arms attaches, those holes are elongated. It appears to me that the bolts would need to be loosened to allow the camber adjustment to take effect?

On your 1987 NA (late/aluminum arms), yes, those elongated holes at the spring plate-to-trailing arm joint are part of the adjustment range. To change camber you do end up loosening those two fasteners so the trailing arm can shift relative to the spring plate, then you retighten to clamp it in the new position.

The eccentrics at the inner spring plate pivot are what you use to “dial” the setting, but the spring plate-to-trailing arm connection has to be free to move or the eccentric won’t actually reposition anything. In practice that means you crack the two spring plate-to-trailing arm bolts loose enough that the joint can slide, set the eccentric, then torque those bolts back down so it holds.

If you’re finding it won’t move even with the bolts loosened, it’s usually just corrosion and bushing preload. Supporting the trailing arm at ride height and taking load off the joint helps, and sometimes it needs a little persuasion to break free.

If you want, tell me whether you’re adjusting on an alignment rack or at home, and whether you’re chasing more negative camber or trying to reduce it, and I can suggest the least-painful way to get it to move and then stay put.

@CarBot I'm actually just changing the eccentric bolts out to install drop links. Im planning on marking my camber setting, but I was trying to understand if my camber would be preserved by the trailing arm "pinch bolts", or if the hole would shift on me when I remove the eccentrics. It seems like it should remain stable if the trailing arm bolts are not loosened.

[CarBot]

I'm actually just changing the eccentric bolts out to install drop links. Im planning on marking my camber setting, but I was trying to understand if my camber would be preserved by the trailing arm "pinch bolts", or if the hole would shift on me when I remove the eccentrics. It seems like it should remain stable if the trailing arm bolts are not loosened.

If you leave the two spring plate-to-trailing arm bolts tight, the trailing arm shouldn’t be able to slide in those elongated holes, so your camber setting should stay essentially where it was. Those bolts are what clamp that joint and keep it from shifting.

When you pull the eccentric bolt(s) at the inner spring plate pivot to install the drop link hardware, the spring plate can still try to relax a tiny amount because you’ve removed the clamp at that pivot, but it typically won’t “jump” to a new camber position as long as the trailing arm-to-spring plate joint stays clamped and the car is supported safely (ideally with the suspension supported near ride height so there’s not a bunch of twist/preload fighting you).

Practical tips that help preserve the setting while swapping eccentrics for drop links are to scribe/paint-mark the eccentric washer position relative to the spring plate and body bracket, do one side/one bolt at a time, and snug the new hardware before you fully remove any other related fastener. After it’s back together, it’s still worth checking alignment, but you can usually get it close enough to drive to a shop without chewing tires.

If you tell me which drop link kit you’re using and whether it replaces the inner eccentric bolt or adds a bracket under the eccentric washer, I can tell you what usually shifts (if anything) on that specific setup.

[spacecad3t]

I'm actually just changing the eccentric bolts out to install drop links. Im planning on marking my camber setting, but I was trying to understand if my camber would be preserved by the trailing arm "pinch bolts", or if the hole would shift on me when I remove the eccentrics. It seems like it should remain stable if the trailing arm bolts are not loosened.

If you leave the two spring plate-to-trailing arm bolts tight, the trailing arm shouldn’t be able to slide in those elongated holes, so your camber setting should stay essentially where it was. Those bolts are what clamp that joint and keep it from shifting.

When you pull the eccentric bolt(s) at the inner spring plate pivot to install the drop link hardware, the spring plate can still try to relax a tiny amount because you’ve removed the clamp at that pivot, but it typically won’t “jump” to a new camber position as long as the trailing arm-to-spring plate joint stays clamped and the car is supported safely (ideally with the suspension supported near ride height so there’s not a bunch of twist/preload fighting you).

Practical tips that help preserve the setting while swapping eccentrics for drop links are to scribe/paint-mark the eccentric washer position relative to the spring plate and body bracket, do one side/one bolt at a time, and snug the new hardware before you fully remove any other related fastener. After it’s back together, it’s still worth checking alignment, but you can usually get it close enough to drive to a shop without chewing tires.

If you tell me which drop link kit you’re using and whether it replaces the inner eccentric bolt or adds a bracket under the eccentric washer, I can tell you what usually shifts (if anything) on that specific setup.

@CarBot Im installing adjustable drop links using new eccentric bolts with the stud on both sides. Do I need to have the Porsche Toe In tool in place when I loosen the eccentric?

[CarBot]

Im installing adjustable drop links using new eccentric bolts with the stud on both sides. Do I need to have the Porsche Toe In tool in place when I loosen the eccentric?

No, you don’t need the Porsche rear toe tool in place just to loosen and swap the eccentric bolt for the drop-link style eccentric, as long as you’re not trying to adjust toe during the job.

The toe tool is mainly for making controlled toe changes and holding/setting toe accurately while you rotate the eccentric. For a straight “remove and replace” where you’re putting the new eccentric back in the same clocked position, your best bet is to mark the eccentric washer orientation very clearly before you loosen anything, then reinstall the new one to the same orientation and snug it up before you let anything else move.

What does matter is keeping the suspension from being twisted while the eccentric is loose. Supporting the trailing arm near ride height (jack under the arm) and doing one side/one eccentric at a time helps a lot. If you loosen both eccentrics or both sides at once, it’s much easier for the spring plate to walk and you’ll lose your baseline.

Even if you’re careful, plan on at least a toe check afterward. These cars are sensitive back there, and a tiny eccentric rotation is a noticeable toe change. If you want, tell me the brand of the eccentric/drop link hardware and whether you’re replacing the toe eccentric, the camber eccentric, or both, and I’ll tell you which one is most likely to shift during the swap.

[spacecad3t]

Im installing adjustable drop links using new eccentric bolts with the stud on both sides. Do I need to have the Porsche Toe In tool in place when I loosen the eccentric?

No, you don’t need the Porsche rear toe tool in place just to loosen and swap the eccentric bolt for the drop-link style eccentric, as long as you’re not trying to adjust toe during the job.

The toe tool is mainly for making controlled toe changes and holding/setting toe accurately while you rotate the eccentric. For a straight “remove and replace” where you’re putting the new eccentric back in the same clocked position, your best bet is to mark the eccentric washer orientation very clearly before you loosen anything, then reinstall the new one to the same orientation and snug it up before you let anything else move.

What does matter is keeping the suspension from being twisted while the eccentric is loose. Supporting the trailing arm near ride height (jack under the arm) and doing one side/one eccentric at a time helps a lot. If you loosen both eccentrics or both sides at once, it’s much easier for the spring plate to walk and you’ll lose your baseline.

Even if you’re careful, plan on at least a toe check afterward. These cars are sensitive back there, and a tiny eccentric rotation is a noticeable toe change. If you want, tell me the brand of the eccentric/drop link hardware and whether you’re replacing the toe eccentric, the camber eccentric, or both, and I’ll tell you which one is most likely to shift during the swap.

@CarBot Hmm, there is no toe eccentric bolt- it is an open hole that the Porsche Toe In tool is placed into. I did mention that I am replacing the camber eccentric. Are you sure about this information? It feels right to me, but you have me questioning your responses when you mention non-existent hardware.

[CarBot]

Hmm, there is no toe eccentric bolt- it is an open hole that the Porsche Toe In tool is placed into. I did mention that I am replacing the camber eccentric. Are you sure about this information? It feels right to me, but you have me questioning your responses when you mention non-existent hardware.

You’re right to question that, and thanks for calling it out. On the late 944 rear (aluminum arms), toe is adjusted at the spring plate-to-trailing arm joint using that separate toe adjuster tool in the open hole. There isn’t a “toe eccentric bolt” back there on your setup. I misspoke when I referred to a toe eccentric.

For what you’re doing, swapping the camber eccentric bolt for the drop-link style camber eccentric, you do not need the Porsche toe tool installed just to loosen and replace the camber eccentric, as long as you keep the spring plate-to-trailing arm bolts tight so the toe setting can’t slide in the elongated slots.

The main way you’d lose toe during this job is if those two spring plate-to-trailing arm bolts get loosened, or if the joint is already not clamped well and shifts. If they stay tight, the toe tool isn’t doing anything because the joint can’t move anyway.

If you want to be extra safe, you can scribe/paint-mark the spring plate-to-trailing arm position across the joint before you start, and after you’re done confirm the marks still line up. Even then, I’d still recommend a quick alignment check afterward, but you should be very close if nothing moved.