Camburg SAW coilover screwed... HELP!

[blacktaco666]

I have an '01 tacoma with camburg LT front susp with their 2.5" sway-away coilovers (sorry, thats all I know about them... whatever camburg sets them up with is what I got). This afternoon I was inspecting and adjusting my coilovers since my next desert trip is coming up and I got that sinking feeling in my stomach when I noticed with the suspension at full droop and my limit straps loose that the joint in the bottom of my shock was totally moving about an 1/8"! I raised and lowered the jack a couple times and made sure the through bolt was nice and tight, to make sure I wasn't just imagining things, and yup, it is effed up :( So my question is has anyone else with my camburg set-up (or any shock really) experienced this before? If so, what should I do?? I have a limited budget and my next desert trip is fast approaching... who can fix my shock the cheapest/ fastest? I live in Vista.

On a side note, camburg's SAW they stick in their LT kit has a reeeeally stiff spring... can anybody help me as far as where to get a less-stiff spring? (Could this stiff spring be the reason why the joint failed?)

[cosmo]

mirage in santee for your springs,

[blacktaco666]

Thanks for responding so quickly, but I've never heard of Mirage in santee. Do they specialize in coil springs? Also I just googled them and didnt come up with anything, do they have a website?

[151fab]

http://www.camburg.com/images/tacoma/CRS-internals.jpg

Are you talking about the spherical bearing that is contained within the aluminum lower rod end? If so that piece is replaceable and you should be able to get it from any place selling Race Runner shocks. If the spherical bearing is loose within the aluminum (the aluminum is damaged and allowing the bearing to float around) you will need a new rod end, either way you shouldn't need to replace the whole shock.

Call Camburg first. They should be able to help you locate the needed parts and might be able to tell you why it's happening. They would also be the ones to talk to about a different spring weight or a change in valving (more likely what you are looking for). They might even hook you up since you are a customer already.

If you don't want to deal with them; the next place to call would be Sway Away. They can tell you what part you need and where you can get it the fastest.

Finally, you could just call McKenzie's or Kartek or any other retail store that sells the Sway Away brand of shock.

Camburg Engineering Inc.
7409 Slater Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
714 848-8880 phone
714 848-1844 fax

Sway-A-Way
9555 Owensmouth Avenue, Suite 9
Chatsworth, California 91311
818-700-9712 || Fax 818-700-0947

Kartek Off-Road
2871 Ragle Way
Corona, CA
Buggy Dept. # - (951) 737-7223
Truck Dept. # - (951) 737-2999
Fax # - (951) 737-1877

McKenzie's Performance
807 E Orangethorpe Ave
Anaheim, CA 92801
714-441-1212

[blacktaco666]

thats a whole lotta good info, thanks 151fab! I'll call up camburg on monday and ask them where to get a replacement bearing.. and since i work at a machine shop i guess i'll just rebuild it myself.

[cosmo]

Mirage sells Hypercoil springs. They should have what you want 619 562 5533 ask for Doug

[blacktaco666]

Update on the lower bearing on my SAW coilover: the movement between my lower a-arm and the coilover is from the steel bushings that convert the 5/8" bearing through hole to accomidate a 1/2" bolt... the bolt has worn away some material causing the slop. maybe i'll make the part myself on a lathe and heat-treat it to harden it

On the stiff coilover springs: I just got some 14" 500lb. eibach springs from ORW (closer to me in Escondido and in stock) that should work well... the ones i have in there according to camburg are 13" 650lb. springs. Is anybody running these springs here? I think I've heard of a couple guys over on TTORA who have switched and are happy.

[151fab]

The only reason that bushing would wear is because it wasn't tight. You shouldn't need to harden a new one, in fact you'd be way better off with that piece being the softer material because you wouldn't want the bolt to wear instead. While your replacing the broken parts you should check all the other fasteners as well.

[DRIVE Jon]

For the spring rates...I run 650 on a short arm truck. The stiff springs work great for the very limited travel...and helps prevents bottoming. Since you have more travel, it is normal to run a lighter spring than a vehicle with minimal travel. common spring rates for long arm Tacos like yours (with a single spring) is 500-600lbs. people who run bumps, and or dual-rate springs, sometimes run lower spring rates...since the bumps or secondary spring rate will help control the bottoming associated with lighter spring rates.

Now tha I am converting to long arms, I am going to run a dual-rate setup. combined rate will be 450lbs, but the last 25% of travel will jump up to 800lbs. It helps to have a 10" shock to have room to do this type setup.

Don't heat treat...just make sure things are tight like 151fab said...around 90 ft/lbs for cadmium plated bolts (dry and fine thread...if its oiled, reduce torque by about 20%...so like 70ft/lbs) is a normal torque for a grade-8, 1/2in bolt. make sure you are using the "pinch-top" locking nuts....and make sure the spacers fit the shock mount properly...no gap betwen shock mount tabs and the spacers.

[flyinbronco]

Funny, I thought Jerry would have replied by now.

[DRIVE Jon]

Yeah..where are his priorities!! RDC debating/surfing/thread hijaking, #1....everythign else, #2!
;)

[Jerry Zaiden]

This is why I did not reply. Good info right here. Just call the shop and ask! PM me your number and I will call you back, what ever works for you...


http://www.camburg.com/images/tacoma/CRS-internals.jpg

Are you talking about the spherical bearing that is contained within the aluminum lower rod end? If so that piece is replaceable and you should be able to get it from any place selling Race Runner shocks. If the spherical bearing is loose within the aluminum (the aluminum is damaged and allowing the bearing to float around) you will need a new rod end, either way you shouldn't need to replace the whole shock.

Call Camburg first. They should be able to help you locate the needed parts and might be able to tell you why it's happening. They would also be the ones to talk to about a different spring weight or a change in valving (more likely what you are looking for). They might even hook you up since you are a customer already.

If you don't want to deal with them; the next place to call would be Sway Away. They can tell you what part you need and where you can get it the fastest.

Finally, you could just call McKenzie's or Kartek or any other retail store that sells the Sway Away brand of shock.

Camburg Engineering Inc.
7409 Slater Ave.
Huntington Beach, CA 92647
714 848-8880 phone
714 848-1844 fax

Sway-A-Way
9555 Owensmouth Avenue, Suite 9
Chatsworth, California 91311
818-700-9712 || Fax 818-700-0947

Kartek Off-Road
2871 Ragle Way
Corona, CA
Buggy Dept. # - (951) 737-7223
Truck Dept. # - (951) 737-2999
Fax # - (951) 737-1877

McKenzie's Performance
807 E Orangethorpe Ave
Anaheim, CA 92801
714-441-1212

[Fire Chicken Of Doom]

While I was down there last time while installing my new 500 lb. springs i noticed my upper control arm was also moving about a 1/4 inch which worried me. I spoke with a camburg guy about a replacement bushing set at the last off road expo in pomona and he told me that camburg sells a kit with all the bushings for the UCA and also includes the through bolt (better than stock?) anyways just thought I'd add that those bushings crapped out and I'll be installing new ones shortly. All this bushing stuff is happening on my passenger side wheel.... almost makes one think that I hit something?! :-X

[DailyPedal]

Or maybe an alignment issue or other worn part (tie rod end, etc)...causing a weird harmonic on that side...or a tire issue, or even not tight from the biggining causing a vibration that may have taken out the spacers and bushings over time. Or maybe those crappy San Diego roads, some are like driving in Mexico...LOL

[Fire Chicken Of Doom]

FYI guys... BlackTaco was at my house and accidentally posted the above post on my user name.