376 Auto Suspension and Steering Copyright by Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Note: If a flat metal strip shim is being used instead of a full-contact shim, it is not necessary to remove the housing completely from the axle. The shim can be slipped into place after the bolts are loosened. Place the shim between the bearing housing and the axle. See Figure 17-31. Th en reinstall the bearing housing. Th e variation in thickness of the shim tilts the bearing, and therefore the wheel, to obtain the needed camber and toe. Carefully position the shim to ensure that the fi nal camber and toe adjustments are correct. Be sure to install all rear axle parts in their original positions. If necessary, clean and lubricate the rear wheel bearings before reinstal- lation and properly preload them. Install a new cotter pin. Reinstall the rim and head, and again compensate the head. Recheck the toe and camber. Aft er all rear-wheel alignment adjustments are correct, recheck the tightness of all fasteners. A loose fastener can cause tire wear and handling problems, and it may contrib- ute to an accident. Front-Wheel Alignment Procedure Aft er setting and rechecking rear-wheel alignment, set the front alignment. On many vehicles, either the caster or cam- ber is not adjustable. On some vehicles, only the toe can be adjusted. Check the manufacturer’s specifi cations to deter- mine which alignment angles can be adjusted. In some cases, aft ermarket parts are available to make camber and caster adjustments that are not specifi ed by the factory. Camber To Reduce To Increase Toe-in Toe-out Toe Top view Side view Side view Hunter Figure 17-30. Full-contact rear alignment shims used to set camber and toe. Rear axle housing Alignment shim Backing plate Bearing hub Specialty Products Corp. Figure 17-31. Placing a rear-wheel alignment shim between the bearing hub and the axle housing.