Alignment cams don't seat into beam

Cricket · Post by **Cricket** » Fri Jun 09, 2017 8:11 am

I'm assembling some SWP beams I had. The alignment cams I'm using, I think they're Raybestos brand, seem like they sit high and aren't seated in the beam. The cotter pin hole to castle nut spacing looks spot on. The only thing I can think of is that the lower to upper ball joint spacing might off from the cut and turn process. This pic is with both balljoints seated and torqued to 100 ft-lb.

Cricket · Post by **Cricket** » Fri Jun 09, 2017 8:27 am

I guess my question is, has anyone experienced this issue before?

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Fri Jun 09, 2017 9:49 am

Looks like the beams have been powdercoated. Did they coat don't into the hole the cams are supposed to slide into? If so could this be a cause of the problem with them not seating?

Cricket · Post by **Cricket** » Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:22 am

That's a good point, but yes, I triple checked and the bore is totally bare steel. I'm pretty confident the movement is restricted at the CAM to balljoint interface, basically on the taper of the stud itself. Maybe the cam's taper is machined too tight, I'm just curious if anyone has run into this before I go spending money on different brand cams.

I think I can get some OEM eccentrics off a parts truck to measure the height and check assembly, so that's my next step. Right now I'm thinking it's got to be either that or the lower to upper balljoint spacing.

ChaseTruck754 · Post by **ChaseTruck754** » Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:37 am

Balljoint spacing could be it. SWP stuff, like most bigger/better shops out there should be made in a jig/fixture though which would prevent that issue. Goofs can and do happen though.

Tchajagos · Post by **Tchajagos** » Fri Jun 09, 2017 5:36 pm

Does the cam sit all the way down inside the beam end with the knuckle removed? Is the cam loose in the beam end? I've had only 1 issue like this and the cams were off a dana35 TTB which are not the same as the ones for a Dana 44 TTB

BDKW1 · Post by **BDKW1** » Fri Jun 09, 2017 8:34 pm

More than likely the cam. I have had them sit up like that before when swapping them around. If you have calipers handy, measure the base diameter.

Cricket · Post by **Cricket** » Tue Jun 13, 2017 8:02 am

Well, I measured another truck with stock beams and the balljoint spacing all looks good. The cam seems to fit in the beam end fine, so it looks like the taper fit between the balljoint and the cam itself is too tight. The zinc coating is also pretty worn on the tapered bore already from just assembling them a couple times.

The balljoints are Raybestos Professional grade and the Cams are from MOOG, I hope this may help someone down the road.