What causes camber wear?

[Mr Polson 10,214]

Okay, so my ute is still wearing camber on the insides of the front wheels like nothing else, I've had it aligned multiple times and it will either slow down the wear or do nothing (seems to depend where I take it).

 

I figure there has got to be a suspension part causing the wear. The springs are good (2/2.5" KFFL-59 I think). Shocks are good, ony 7 months old. All ball joints and tie rods are good (about a year old now). Idler arm is good. Radius rod bushes are good (previous owners have replaced with Nolathane).

 

I remember one place I took it to telling me the bushes in the UCA are pretty much stuffed.

 

Really need to try and fix this problem guys, it's resulted in 4 bald tyres so far, and after maybe 1500-2000km is already showing visible wear on the newer tyres.

[XTREME KARTS XF 1,212]

slipping camber bolts is all i can think of.....

[Mr Polson 10,214]

slipping camber bolts is all i can think of.....

Going to check that when I get my next alignment done by marking the bolt against the body.

[gerg 10,871]

You lowered it, right? Maybe your suspension angles are screwy, ie your upper control arms are sloping upwards at static ride height, and on compression, slope even further causing camber to go more negative. At stock ride height, the upper and lower should sit roughly level with the ground. As you lower it, both arms start sloping upward but the top arm, being shorter, slopes more. This causes the top of the spindle to pull in towards the car and thus you're getting neg camber.

 

You should forget about getting the wheels aligned at that place. It's obvious that it's not achieving what the car really needs. look at it this way... If you're hungry, you eat. If your pot plant looks a bit sad, water it. If your tyres are showing wear on the inside, forget what the factory settings should be, just give them less neg camber. Every car is different, every driver has differing needs. I like lots of caster, a bit of camber but not much, and a wee bit of toe-in. If you run out of adjustment on the lower arm, shim out the top arm.

 

If your wheel aligner doesn't know what to do about that, maybe it's time to find another, let him play with other strut front wheel drives and charge 50 bucks to do a 5 min toe-in/out adjustment, or do it your bloody self... What do you have to lose? Another set of tyres?

 

What tyres are you running by the way? If they're low profiles, they definitely need less camber. This is the whole point of low-profile tyres. The stock, 14-in 195/65s have tall sidewalls that flex when cornering, tipping the tread over and running on one side of it. To counter this, a bit of neg camber is dialled in to keep more of the tread on the road on cornering. Go upgrading to 17s or something and there is nowhere near as much sidewall flex, so there's less to compensate for with camber.

 

Again, i stress that you just need to read what the car wants, and the tread wear is the best indication. Screw the manual, these cars don't come from the factory lowered 2-1/2 inches.

[Trevor 326]

could be too much toe out

[mcfly94 169]

poor alignment!

[Mr Polson 10,214]

I've tried a few different wheel alignement places, and seem to constantly end up with the issue still. This is why I'm wondering if its due to a suspension part rather than alignment.

 

I'm running roughly standard height tyres, 235/60R14.

 

Might take it back to the place who last done it and ask them to do it again but with less neg camber.

[deankxf 20,292]

if the control arm bushes are shagged might be time to fix them

 

i'd still go with too much toe out. 

 

Pedders are the only ones i trust to do an alignment on my ute, 

[revhead 1,392]

biggest problem is when you lower a car you need to shim or space out you top arms to make the wheel sit flat on the road,

 

or your camber bolts in your lower control arms are rooted or moving after adjustment,i had this happen with a new set of bolts ,so when it got aligned ,i got there mig and put a hefty tack so they couldnt move

[Mr Polson 10,214]

i'd still go with too much toe out.

 

Correct! From what I was told today. Turns out I have excess movement in the front end. Pitman arm, wheel bearings and drag link (I think that's what its called, links the inner tie rods together) are causing movement, resulting in not holding a wheel alignment.

[deankxf 20,292]

Correct! From what I was told today. Turns out I have excess movement in the front end. Pitman arm, wheel bearings and drag link (I think that's what its called, links the inner tie rods together) are causing movement, resulting in not holding a wheel alignment.

idler arms are the most quickly wearing shit thing in the front end. the drag link is the bar that joins all it together, holds the inner tie rods and mounts to the idler arm and the pitman arm.

you cant do a wheel alignment with worn parts.. i had that issue once with BOB JANE, who didn't(and 10 years later probably still dont?) check the front end for wear prior to an alignment.

 

hence i like Pedders, they will not align a worn out heap of crap.. lol..

[Mr Polson 10,214]

They (Bob Jane) have never ever told me I have worn parts.

 

Took it to Beaurepaires today - who didn't align it due to the wear. Rather impressed.