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When installing the link pins how does one decide how many shims to place on each side of the kingpin? Do the number of shims still need to total 10 on both top and bottom? What is the difference in placing shims inside or outside of the kingpin? Trial and error can take quite a bit of time and I am hoping for suggestions to save time; my thanks to all in advance for any and all advice.
Rick Ruckman (rgr1racing)

The best answer is found in the VW manual which describes in detail the correct procedure. Typically you will use all the shims. If you have offset bushings you will be able to acheive negative camber with free arm movement, without them make sure the trailing arms are free and accept whatever camber you can get. The most important thing is to keep the arms free to move.

Rick:

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Dietmar

Rick,

With our offset bushings installed you would typically have about 12 shims on the lower inside of the spindle. On the top inside of the spindle 1 (or none). On the top outside ~9 (not critical but close to a total of 10 so the the link pin will adjust correctly. This should get you about 1.2 to 1.6 negative camber per wheel if the turkey legs etc are ok and adjusted correctly. At this point unhook one side of both of the shocks and make sure the car bounces up and down freely with no binds. Some people will grind the worm groove in in the link pin a bit and install even more shims at the lower side to get more negative camber. Which is ok, but make sure that the frontend doesn't bind when doing the bounce test.

Make sure you have adjusted wheel bearings, turkey legs, clearances at the beam/turkey leg, and link pins correctly. Otherwise you will just give the negative camber all back in the corner.

Binding is the key issue. The link pins will tell YOU where they want the shims. You cannot force more or less camber from the pin/bushing assembly without binding, unless you wallow out the precision fit of the bushings, which introduces major slop in the corners.