Alignment issues with GC camber plates

[Schniddy]

Camber Front:
left=3.28
right=3.67

Toe Front:
left= 1/16
right= 3/32

Caster Front:
left= 8.68
right=8.84

I brought the car in to get the toe aligned since the PO said it hasn't been done since the GC and camber plates have been put on. The tires are totally worn on the inner wall. The car pulls to the right, even after the alignment but I figure its due to the tires being worn. The passenger side is much worse too.

I was under the impression when I left virginia that the camber was dialed in at -1, but on the machine it said it was 3.31 on the left and 3.7 on the right. We tried to adjust them but the bolts hit the tower and can't move anymore. The most we could get is around 2 degrees with two of the bolts removed.. Obviously we couldn't keep it like that, so they went back in and the camber moved to -3 again.

I don't know anything about camber plates, but shouldn't they be fully adjustable, why are the bolts hitting the strut tower?

thanks
Jon


*at work with no spell check

[Schniddy]

To clear things up a little

1. Is my toe correct? ( before alignment R: 1/32 L: 3/32)
2. Why are the GC camber plates only adjustable to -2?

[houstonh]

can you include what is positive and what is negative? Positive Camber sounds frightening.

[Schniddy]

Its all negative camber, I can check the sheet again later today.

Still wondering though:

1. Is my toe correct? ( before alignment R: 1/32 L: 3/32)

2. Why are MY GC camber plates only adjustable to -2? ( two of the four hex bolts hit the shock tower, stoping it from moving any more closer to positive)

[jlevie]

The primary market for camber plates is for those of use that feel "camber deprived" and want somewhere above -3deg for handling. They aren't really intended for the purpose of reducing camber. A lowered street car will have more negative camber than is desirable for good tire wear, but if you set zero toe-in, or even a touch of toe-out most of the increased wear will be eliminated.

The only downside to running zero toe or toe-out is that you've reduced the self centering forces and increased the sensitivity of the steering (the car will want to turn). It will demand to be driven 100% of the time, but it will handle great.

[Schniddy]

The primary market for camber plates is for those of use that feel "camber deprived" and want somewhere above -3deg for handling. They aren't really intended for the purpose of reducing camber. A lowered street car will have more negative camber than is desirable for good tire wear, but if you set zero toe-in, or even a touch of toe-out most of the increased wear will be eliminated.

The only downside to running zero toe or toe-out is that you've reduced the self centering forces and increased the sensitivity of the steering (the car will want to turn). It will demand to be driven 100% of the time, but it will handle great.

thanks for the responce

is it normal to have different toe settings for both sides?

Toe Front:
left= 1/16
right= 3/32

I'm just wondering how he got about getting those settings since the stock specs are out of wack with the lowered suspension and camnber plates.. is toe dependent on anything or is it independent?

I took a closer look at the steeringdriving to work today, it looks like it drives straight now.. it's just the wheel that is crooked.. I'll see if that fixes it.

[Schniddy]

does anyone know what toe settings I should have? .06 left and .09 right is what it is at now.

the car is pulling to the right, it's not a crooked steering wheel. tires both are at 35psi.. same size tire with basicly the same wear.. just different brand tires.

[FlodaM3]

The tires are totally worn on the inner wall.

fwiw, those wheels and tires were on many of my vehicles and were only on the E30 for a short time, so the bulk of the wear to those tires was not caused by that car.

Check your voicemail, your PMs, or get in touch with me somehow. I need my tags back and I've been more then patient. You are illegally running on my tags right now.

[Schniddy]

PM sent

I'm pretty positive all the wear was from the long ride home with -4 degrees camber and out of wack toe.

When I let go of the wheel it pulls to the right.
When I hold the wheel dead center it pulls to the left.

I'll try to even out the camber a little more. If that doesn't do it, I think I'll call the shop back up.

Would having an out of wack alignment in the rear cause the car to pull to one direction??

[moatilliatta]

Im not real familiar with the GC camber plates but can you swap the plates side to side so it will give you more positive camber an maybe even it out?

[kishg]

2. Why are MY GC camber plates only adjustable to -2? ( two of the four hex bolts hit the shock tower, stoping it from moving any more closer to positive)

You might need to cut the shock tower out a little more at the top to accomodate more neg camber. although, I am not sure that's what you really want in this case?

[erik325i]

A lowered street car will have more negative camber than is desirable for good tire wear, but if you set zero toe-in, or even a touch of toe-out most of the increased wear will be eliminated.

That's not correct. Giving it less toe in, or even some more toe out will not make up for a lot of negative camber.

Negative camber will cause the inside edge of the tires to wear.
Toe out will cause the inside edge of the tire to wear.
Doing that would be counter-productive if you are trying to save your tire life.

-Erik

[funcrew]

That's not correct. Giving it less toe in, or even some more toe out will not make up for a lot of negative camber.

Negative camber will cause the inside edge of the tires to wear.
Toe out will cause the inside edge of the tire to wear.
Doing that would be counter-productive if you are trying to save your tire life.

-Erik

+1.

If you want to run substantial negative camber and still get good tire wear, then you want roughly 1/16 or maybe 1/8 toe-IN to even out wear across the width of the tread. The toe-in also increases straight line stability.

SOME auto-x guys swear by toe-out for improved turn-in response, but to me the arguments for that don't hold up. Even if that's correct, there's no question that toe-out on a negative camber car both increases uneven tire wear and causes straight-line squirreliness.

-Tim