Chevrolet Repair: rear struts on GM W body, oldsmobile cutlass supreme, strut bolts

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1991 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme. Same platform as the Chevy Lumina and Monte Carlo, Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Regal. 3.1L v6. I replaced the rear struts and mounts. Since then, the wheels/tires look wrong. The camber is off. The top of the tire is out and the botton is inward. It's going to wear my tires. Someone said to let the struts relax and it would fall into place but no such luck. New struts and already making lots of noise. They are Gabriel ready mount struts. I didn't use the mono leaf spring compressor and change them at the same time. I had to do it one side at a time. It was the only option I had. The old struts were stuck in place. Very bad shape. Car runs and drives like a dream but looks funny. Should I be worried?

ANSWER: HI POCKETKNIFE, YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GET THIS CAR ALIGNED FAST LIKE..THE REAR CAMBER IS WHAT IS CALLED POSITIVE WHICH WILL WEAR THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRES OUT AND ALSO THE TOE IS OFF,BECAUSE CAMBER AFFECTS TOE ADJUSTMENT...TO GET THIS SET BETTER THEN IT IS YOU COULD LOOSEN THE 2 LOWER KNUCKLE BOLTS TO THE STRUTS AND PULL OUT ON THE TOP OF TIRE WHILE SOMEONE TIGHTENS THE BOLTS TO HOLD THE WHEEL IN PLACE. YOUR SECOND CHOICE WOULD BE TO JACK THE REAR OF THE CAR UP TO TAKE THE WEIGHT OF THE REAR WHEELS,LOOSEN THE 2 LOWER STRUT BOLTS AND PULL OUT FROM THE TOP SIDE OF THE BRAKE ROTOR OR DRUM AND TIGHTEN WHILE YOU ARE PULLING IT OUT. THIS WILL BE BETTER THEN IT IS, BUT YOU WILL STILL NEED TO GET THIS ALIGNED. UNLESS YOU HAVE A CALIBRATED EYE !!! AS FAR AS THE NOISE GOES THERE SHOULD NOT BE ANY AFTER REPLACING THE STRUTS UNLESS YOU LEFT SOMETHING LOOSE LIKE THE UPPER MOUNTING BOLTS ??? I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU ..TOM

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QUESTION: Are you referring to a front end alignment or is there a rear alignment too?

Answer
HI POCKETKNIFE,,IAM REFERRING TO A TOTAL 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THEY DO THE REAR FIRST AND FRONT END LAST. YOU SEE,, THE FRONT WHEELS FOLLOW THE REAR. MOST ALIGNMENT SHOPS TODAY WILL ONLY DO A 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THERE IS A CAMBER AND TOE ADJUSTMENT FOR THE REAR. [WHICH IS THE PROBLEM YOU ARE HAVING [CAMBER]... THEN THERE IS A CASTER,CAMBER AND TOE ADJUSTMENT FOR THE FRONT. THIS IS WHAT IS CALLED A TOTAL 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT. HOPE THIS HELPS YOU,,, TOM...