I took my Z into get a wheel alignment done today because it has been wearing the inside out of the tyres, but turns out its actually the camber. The guy said I've got about a 2.5 degree negative camber on the front, he couldn't do the back but they are wearing similar to the front so its probably about the same. After having a bit of a search around here it seems its a pretty common problem with the Z's because the old suspension sags and the remedy seems to be getting front and rear adjustable camber arms. Now my question is, if i spend say $450~ on the front and rear adjustable camber arms, all I'm really spending that money on is correcting sagging springs and not really improving much (correct me if I'm wrong). The other side is if i spend $1500~ and get new Tein adjustable strut & springs I don't really feel as though I'm just throwing the money away, I'm actually getting a better set of suspension, but will getting these new struts + springs fix my camber/inside of the tyre wearing out problem? or will i still have to get the adjustable camber arms as well...? Thanks for the help :biggrin:
Have alook at a 300degree camber kit Copy that for about $20 and 2- 3 hours of ur time . Not hard. Regards Trev
If you set your new fnacy adjustable suspension to stock height, then yes it will fix the camber issues. If you have a NA and just want to go the arms you will also need to get adjustable rear toe arms as the extra camber correction thorws the toe out as well
how far out is the rears ??? There is a camber adjustment on the back. Not much but its there. Most wheel aligners wouldnt have a clue its even there. Even when my zed had new stock suspension on it. The camber was still out. Suggest that you fast track at least the front camber arms.
He couldn't do the back because his (old school) mechanical alignment machine cant do rear alignment apparently. He was the only guy i could find that could even do any alignment on it! all the other guys who had the new laser type machines said the front bar was too low so the machine wouldn't read it. and yeah he couldn't find a rear adjustment, he was pretty good though because he told me if i could find out if there are any adjustments just to bring it back and he will fix it up.
If you are running large than stock diameter and/or wider wheels/tyres, you can expect to have camber issues resulting in excess wear to the inner shoulder of the tyres. This is extremely common on Z32's. Adjustable control arm bushes, or adjustable upper control arms, are really your only easy "fix" (along with a proper wheel alignment, front and rear). Just as a matter of interest, how is this guy you went to, going to adjust the rear camber(once you show him where it is) if he has no equipment with which to measure the results?
On the top camber arm on the rear. Up against the subframe is an eccentric bolt that will allow about 3mm of camber adjustment. That may be enough for you if you are at stock height. Get the front arms ASAP You can actually do a fairly close camber adjustment with a spirit level. I can usually get them to less than 1/2 a degree out before I take em up to be aligned. It has been quite an education with the local aligner here in bayswater. I have made him redo a few cars I have fitted arms to 3 times to get it right. Now he knows to just do it properly the first time
I've got 17" 235/45 on the front and 17" 255/40's on the back, and yeah i didn't think about that might have to go somewhere else to get the back done...
I can't seem to find any details on how to make this up? do you know much about it? Thanks for the tip mate
here ya go mate http://www.300degree.com/hard_parts/camberkit/ take note of how thick the spacing plates are , u can make several different thicknesses to give whatever camber u desire Really its that easy :zlove: In the the old days this was how it was done Regards Trev
Lowering or heightening changes the geometry of the suspension, this includes camber/castor AND toe in. Diameter/ width of tyres and rims have absolutely nothing to do with suspension geometry. :zlove: Regards Trev
whats the stock setup? what is the stock setup for a perfect zed, front and rear camber tow and castor?
I have started to set the rear CAMBER almost zero during alignment. When you sit in the car it is then at the lower limit for camber. 0 deg, 35 min, perfect. I tend to adjust out most of the positive camber in the front. I cant get good tyre wear when it is set at the extremes of the spec. I suggest the lesser of the amounts is a good idea in all areas. Dont let the aligner look at it and pronounce it "in spec" The loosest part of the spec is pretty crappy IMO. You will note the front calls for almost zero degrees camber as minimum spec, and zero toe in. I reckon that is about right.
Try telling that to the hundreds of Z32 owners who have severe tyre wear after fitting wider rims and tyres. I did not say that wider rims/tyres CAUSE the problem, only that it becomes more obvious when wider tyres are fitted(as the wear factor is more evident, and always on the inside edges), and cannot be adjusted out because of insufficient camber adjustment in most cases(hence the need for increased camber adjustable components).:zlove:
"If you are running large than stock diameter and/or wider wheels/tyres, you can expect to have camber issues resulting in excess wear to the inner shoulder of the tyres. This is extremely common on Z32's. " THIS IS WHAT U SAID ? this wear WILL happen even if you were running cookie cutters would it not ?( of course inner tyre wear is common, suspension starts to sag just like boobs after a few years lol) Ask any wheel alignment specailist ? lucky for me a good freind of mine IS In a stock zed there is no provision to adjust camber (front)in the rear is about .25 max Like i said before it is the raising or lowing of the susupesion that will effect its geometery over and out :zlove: Regards Trev
