So, I had front struts replaced yesterday.
Monroes. OESpectrum.
Install is very easy and you can find complete write up with pics by Georgeahybrid.
Of course, I wisely had alignment scheduled for today, and that's where the issues started.
Come to find, OEM strut bolts have no alignment capability for camber. Install ended with major negative camber. You can see it.
Guy calls me on my cell and says - well, I have to have camber bolt kit to align camber (3 out of 4 wheels had negative camber).
I ask - how much? Grand total ends being $221 and pennies at LSchw-b.
Tires are good for likely another year or so, I am also planning on installing rear struts too, so I kindly thanked him and pulled car out.
O'Reily sold me one axle camber bolt kit for $22 and I have another one ordered for tomorrow. Something like this:
http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sk.../MEMK9757.html
Basically, I did self install. And camber alignment. It's not that hard to do, I used simple bubble level placed against rotor to at least get them to neutral. Vertical. I was quite successful on the pass side, not so much on the driver side. Reason being, though rotor showed as vertical, wheel ended being negative camber again. I think I know why. I found that you need to have rotor pressed against hub as much as you can, when doing this job, and I did not, that likely skewed result. No big deal, will do over tomorrow.

Here's word of wisdom for those that will attempt DIY this:

TIGHTEN THE HELL OUT OF STRUT BOLTS AFTER DONE. That's likely why negative camber came in play to start with. Apparently, just breaker bar does not do it. I "got it" and had my old faithful impact gun on them full power today.

Now, don't blame Toyota. Guy told me that pretty much all new cars are done this way.

 

Good morning all.
Beautiful day out there.
Here's final update.

In my madness, I took my car for alignment to Firestone, as theyu were the only place open Sunday. That by itself should have cautioned me.
I had appointment scheduled for 2 45.
They took me in at 3 15, no apologies.
Tech did what he did, and then I observed manager, walking around the shop, key in their standard plastic bag, attending to all other things he wanted to attend to, for about 15 minutes, car outside, instead of giving me the key to bail.
I grabbed receipt and relaized, that he gave me no printout.
Walked back and asked for print out. Stepped out, look at the print out - camber is WORSE after alignment, than it was before.
Walk back, guy at the counter already making a sour smile, and explain, that camber was not done. "he says you can not do it on Toyotas". I say"No, this one has camber adjustment bolts installed"; "They must have looked the same, he didn't notice"; "No, factory bolts are white grey, camber bolts are coated black. He didn't look". "I'll talk to manager", then "manager" shows up, gives me similar talk, I give him mine, he says "we'll take her back and adjust".
Fine
Another half hour later, they take her back in. Up on the lift, tech makes some noises, I am right outside the bay, watching him. By now, see, I know quite a bit about camber bolts.
Tech does whatever, calls "manager", he climbs up on the lift and pulls with all his body forcing wheel into positive camber.
They are "done", "manager steps out and "we could get her only to borderline spec on camber, it's still a bit off". So here goes my well educated question" John, bolt was set for negative camber; did he flip the handle around for positive?" "Yes, he did".
OK, tough. Guy pulls car out, tells me "gonna take her for a spin to make sure everything is fine". Comes back, gives me printout.
Printout says:
Before: -2.1 After: -1.6 Spec: -1 to -1.4. I am - OK, 0.2 degree not gonna hurt too bad.
Get in drive out - car pulls to the right like hell.
Get her back home, only 1.5 mile away - look at the camber bolt - HANDLE IS STILL SET FOR NEGATIVE CAMBER. They never flipped it to positive and lied to me.
At this point, I went berserk.
Shot very nice email to Firestone CS, detailed description.
Was going to go there after work and request full refund but around 9 am had call from one Sean, local manager, on this.
He will "talk to the store". He will mail me refund check. Fine.
He for some reason refused to send me confirmation email, with details of our conversation, but now I have HIS name and number, so it's either check in 2 weeks, or HIS head will be on the platter.
I'll post bashing review about that place on every Google I can find. They don't know me well enough.
Will DIY camber tonight and bring her to my ol trusted tech Jeff Saturday.

 

That really sucks man! I would have "come unglued" over all of that!

It is too bad there are not any "hole in the wall" alignment shops where you are. I know several around here that would invite to show you things while the car is on the rack (at your own risk of course).

It sounds like that entire shop is a little uneducated on that whole "camber bolt" procedure, what to look for and how to handle it!

 

First tip was their tech appearance, though they say - don't judge by appearances.
Well, refund on its way.
Had camber fixed in about ten minutes DIY. Flipped bolt into positive camber adjustment, set to slightly positive by rotor, lowered - wheel is much so perfectly vertical.
Have her scheduled with my guy at LS Saturday anyway. Will find out tomorrow if she still pulls to the side.
There's only one thing that keeps eating me. I don't trust those camber bolts.

 

Ok, cashed refund on Tuesday. Took her to my g'ol Jeff at LS. He did what he had to do, she drives perfect.
Also, told me those cam bolts are reliable and he seen only one broke so far.

Also figured nice tool to do my own camber adjustments. Magnetic protractor. Few bucks and precise enough.

 

Hey.... You should get a few pics of those bolts and also a few pics of using the protractor and have GH add that to the strut procedure for the folks who choose not to use the factory struts.

What PITA... Glad you got it sorted!

 

This is a sample picture. I had mine from O'reilly, $22, they matched what LesSchwab put onto estimate. LS uses Specialty product.
Alignment tech vouches for them.
Large washer has tab and handle. PICTURE IS WRONG - LARGE WASHER HAS TO BE ON THE SIDE, OPPOSITE TO PINCH NUT. HANDLE FACING OUT. Tab is bent at 90 degrees and fits along with bolt, between strut bolt hole and cam recess. You can slide it in only one way, truly. Angled handle should face directly towards engine to increase negative camber or, directly towards wheel to increase positive camber. Heads are 18 and 21mm, same socket for lug nuts.

Magnetic protractor:


is set on rotor or hub, then camber is adjusted with 188 bolt head and box wrench. Lower strut bolt needs to be loosened just enough to allow adjustment by camber bolt. Camber bolt has to be tightened snug enough for the washer not to move, whilst adjustment is done.
Bolt is inserted into upper strut bolt hole.
Car must be on a level ground to check final result, as if car is tilted, protractor will show wrong camber.
I actually used bubble level, and had mine withing 0.5 degree of spec. Spec is +0.4-+1.4 degree.
Camber bolt torque is 122 lb f.
OEM strut bolt is 155 lb f.
So, it's either a very HD torque wrench with cheat bar, or very powerful impact wrench.