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No strut adjustment, does it make any sense to buy a new strut to replace the original strut?

Tiny
JC-842
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 NISSAN ALTIMA
  • 2.4L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 104,000 MILES
Hello, being as my struts on the car listed above have no adjustment to correct right side tire leaning inward at the top. Does it make any sense to buy a new strut to replace the original strut? Front end alignment cannot be done correctly until this is fixed. Either the Tech didn't take time to fix this problem when alignment was done, or he was too lazy. I guess it's up to me to try and correct the problem. My understanding is the bottom mounting hole can be drilled to allow for some extra movement for alignment. I need to know if there is a special bolt to replace the original bolt after the hole is made bigger. I also need to know if the hole should be drilled sideways per the mounting holes or vertical up and down. How much bigger should I make the hole? Or I looked at new struts here's some of the spec's.5.91 Damper Travel and Damping type. Not adjustable. What type of drill bit is best used? Thanks. JC
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Wednesday, May 31st, 2023 AT 12:56 PM

11 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,466 POSTS
You can get a camber adjustment bolt that allows 1.75 degrees of change from a variety of places. The bolt goes into the top hole, and you rotate it to change the camber. A different strut would make sense if the one on it is bent. The bolt doesn't need drill work though. It just goes in place of the original.
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Wednesday, May 31st, 2023 AT 6:44 PM
Tiny
JC-842
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Well, this is very good news. I wonder if a Nissan part's dept could help me get one and once I get the bolt will you walk me through the installation? I put a level on the front tires sitting on the ground and passenger side tire needs to come out about one inch to be straight up and down hence the pulling to the left I assume. I'll work on getting the bolt tomorrow. Thanks for the information. I'm glad to hear that no drilling is needed. Thanks again. JC
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Wednesday, May 31st, 2023 AT 8:17 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Nissan probably doesn't have them, but your local parts store should. As for installing it, you jack it up and remove the tire, then you remove the upper bolt and loosen the lower one. Then you have to wiggle the new bolt into place. Then it needs to be adjusted and torqued down. The factory bolt will get torqued to 125 ft lb, the replacement should come with the torque spec for it because there are different types sold. Then take it in for an alignment.
MOOG K90473, MEVOTECH MS90002, ACDELCO 45K18035 are some of the part numbers.
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Thursday, June 1st, 2023 AT 12:40 AM
Tiny
JC-842
  • MEMBER
  • 181 POSTS
Thank you for the fast response. I found them on eBay. 4 of them bolt's nuts and some kind of what appears to be maybe an adjustment washer. It doesn't come with instructions, but it does show the direction in which you install the bolt. I'm going to try this using the original strut because I don't think it's bad. I think I told you the passenger side is leaning inward by about one inch. So, it needs to come out. Its.2.0 degrees, I think. And it should be 0.00 is that correct? I have the alignment print out also. I'm not sure how to adjust the bolt without instructions but it has a shoulder on the bolt. I think the shoulder part rests inside where the original bolt holds the strut to the knuckle. And the high point of that shoulder will pull the tire back into straight up and down position?
Is that close to how it works? Thanks. JC
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Thursday, June 1st, 2023 AT 1:08 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 13,466 POSTS
The bolt is simply a cam. In use it simply acts as a lever and moves the centerline of the holes. In effect it would be the same if you took the bolt out and moved the knuckle. Like these videos show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co64us-vzUY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJV2WviNUl8
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Thursday, June 1st, 2023 AT 5:21 AM
Tiny
JC-842
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Thank you
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Saturday, June 3rd, 2023 AT 2:39 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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You're welcome.
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Sunday, June 4th, 2023 AT 9:28 AM
Tiny
JC-842
  • MEMBER
  • 181 POSTS
Steve does the lobe on the bolt face the strut or does it face the knuckle? My wheel has to come out at the top 2.0 degrees. Positive camber?
JC
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Sunday, June 4th, 2023 AT 10:02 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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The lobe is what sets the camber. On most of them the lobe goes opposite the way you want the tire to move when installed in the top hole. So, if you want the top of the tire in, the lobe goes out, that pulls the bolt body in and tilts the tire in as well. I've used 2 of them before to make large changes, but it's not recommended. Be sure you have the other bolt loosened or you will fight it. I have also done it the hard way by using a die grinder to slot the holes and installing adjuster cams but that's not something I suggest either.
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Sunday, June 4th, 2023 AT 1:00 PM
Tiny
JC-842
  • MEMBER
  • 181 POSTS
Thank you so much my tire needs to come out at the top I'm sending you the print out from the alignment shop. It's so far out I'm not sure if the cam bolt will work. But I'm definitely not looking forward to grinding the hole out. I don't know what you would use what kind of bit would cut it. That's hard steel. And the hole is not oval shaped. That front tire needs to come out at least one inch. Do you think using both cam bolts is a bad idea because of possible clamp failure? Those are 12mm cam bolts and I think the OEM Are at least 14mm. JC
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Sunday, June 4th, 2023 AT 3:17 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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Most of the ones I've used will go about 1.7 - 1.9 or so degrees. That should get you into the green on that car and leave you at with better negative camber which is better for handling. So, your steps are going to be, remove the tire, loosen the lower bolt, remove the upper bolt. Now install the new bolt with the eccentric facing out. If they included a flag washer you use it to point the way the camber cam is. Now be sure it's all installed and torque the bolts down. Now have the camber checked and see where it is.
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Sunday, June 4th, 2023 AT 7:35 PM

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