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Ok so I took my car in today for an alignment and they told me it is very far out and needs an alignment kit. I went on Rockauto and found cam bolt kits, will this fix the problem or do I have to install camber kits? The car is only lowered about an inch. I know on my Sunfire all they did was notch out the holes on the body and it is lowered about 3-4inches.
While I am doing this I want to do the bearing/bushing plates in the front along with the bushings that the spring sit on. i cant find the spring bushing anywhere, does any one know what they are called and where to get them.
Any other thigs I should do at this time?? Tie-rods, sway bar bushings ... I just want to do it while I am there.
thanks
Last edited by bluebomber; 09-14-2008 at 08:50 PM.
Camber is not a issue. Set the toe to zero in the front. As long as you don't spin your tires you will be fine. Unless you are running 16+ tires then you need to get the camber in the 2.0 range or less.
I dont understand, can you please elaborate why I do not need to have the camber within spec? The car is aligned to the best they could do and it still pulls slightly.
Last edited by bluebomber; 09-15-2008 at 03:59 PM.
After you read that you can change your tierod ends if you want. If the rubber is cracked and split then change them. If the rubber still looks good on them then the ball should still be in good shape and I wouldn't bother with them. Also there can be a number of reasons why your car pulls to one side. If the camber is way off on one wheel it will pull, I have yet to even check my camber on my 200 but got my toe and thrust almost perfect and my car drives almost perfectly straight. If one of your tires is worn worse then the other it will pull, long story but that is what is happening on my car. Or simply if they are incompetent at their job in alignments then it will pull, trust me this happens, my buddy had a Sears alignment and you could see that one of his wheels had some serious positive camber. I just started doing my alignment only after I read Steve's post and talking with him when I was up in VA a couple of months ago, He knows his stuff that is for sure. You could easily pick it up and do it yourself. You will need a couple of tools listed in his thread but it is well worth the money and time spent.
Ok say I am bringing my car into the dealer tomorrow, what do I need to tell them to do, other than notch out my strut housing a little to obtain a spec camber? The car is a daily driver lowered with Eibach and GAB. I am not sure of the springs as they were on the car when I got it. I just want it to roll straight and not wear out the tires. My apologies for my laziness but I need some answers and I dont have a lot of time to research, but I will read Steves post.
You need to know what your current settings are for the car. You can live with a lot of negative camber if you have 15 inch tires, the car is balanced left to right and the toe is at ZERO. Not knowing what your current settings are it's tough to help. But you would likely not have more then 2.5 degrees negative with just springs and getting the setting to zero would probably be fine up front.
What car do you have?
What size wheels?
Always save the printout from any alignment. ALWAYS
Ok well here is the printout from the current alignment ...
Left Front Right Front
Actual Before Specified Range Actual Before Specified Range
-2.02 ---- -1.33 0.17 Camber -1.17 ----- -1.33 0.17
2.02 2.02 .67 2.17 Caster 1.67 1.67 0.67 2.17
0.30 ---- 0.00 0.20 Toe 0.30 ---- 0.00 0.20
Front
Actual Before Spec Range
Cross camber -.85 ---- ----
cross caster 0.35 0.35
total toe 0.59 ----- 0.00 0.40
Left Rear Right Rear
Actual Before Spec Range Actual Before Spec Range
1.31 ---- -1.75 -0.25 Camber -1.17 ----- -1.75 -0.25
0.20 ---- -0.15 0.25 Toe 0.33 ------ -0.15 0.25
Rear
Actual Before Spec Range
Total Toe 0.53 ----- -0.30 0.50
Thrust Angle -0.07 ------ ---- ----
the items I have put in red are what he tech comments were based on. He said camber kits are needed for the front and shims for the rear. I am ery skeptical of Firestone techs but its a lifetime alignment.
Will the routing of the strut tower holes help with the front camber?
So in the front you have too much camber on the Left side (-2.02) and not enough camber on the right side (-1.17). You don't need camber bolts. I would loosen both the bolts to each hub. With a friend helping on the left pull the top of the brake disc towards you and the bottom push away. Tighten the bolts while holding this postion. On the right do the oppisite. All you are trying to do is balance the car out L/R. You can also get a file and elongate the upper hole on the Left side to take a little extra camber out of that side. Ther rear is pretty good but you could leave one side alone and try the other side a little to balance it out. Like the printout said 1.33 is still in spec up front. Your not that far off. You need to get them to get the toe to zero. Thats actually the much more important thing for tire wear.
You have a lifetime alignment. Buy yourself some $50 toe plates. Use the shop to set your camber and toe. Latter you can fine tune the toe at home with your toe plates. It's a great way to learn.
Ok so Ill have the shop notch the strut tops to get the camber within spec. I have a pretty good guy that can do the alignment again and probably get the toe to zero. Ill definitely need to invest in the toe plates to make sure it is within spec every one and a while.
Do you happen to know the size of the spring bushings, the ones that were on the car have totally deteriorated and I am going to get some polly es ones but I need to know the diameter. I have also purchased new KYB bearing plates and mounts. Anything else while I am there??
You elongate the upper strut bolt hole not the frame of the car. You probably don't need it if you follow the previous advice.
I don't know what you mean by "spring bushing"
I meant elongate the holes ... I am talking about the bushings that the springs sit in on the strut. It is a thin rubber bushing.
I wouldn't do that. Take of one of your wheels and look at your strut. See where there are two bolts attaching the steering knuckle to the strut? Detach the strut and drill out one of those holes on the strut itself (NOT THE KNUCKLE) and that will allow you a little bit of slop to adjust your camber. You might think this seems unsafe but many of the high end coilovers (Progress being one) already have larger then stock bolt diameter holes for this very reason. If you F something up on your strut then that is replaceable, if you F something up on your frame......yeah have fun with that one.
Slot the top hole in the strut. Nothing else. Like I said you probably can get it pretty close to balanced just by using the existing slop in those holes.
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