Jimmydean771

Couldn't find a thread so I made a new one. I have a '95 Accord coupe lowered with coilovers and I went and had an alignment done to correct my toe issue, but they said they couldn't adjust my camber/caster because it was non-adjustable. I just want my tires to wear evenly so they can last. My sheet says my left front camber is -2.2 and my right front is -1.6, but on my right front the outer edge of my tire is wearing. How can I correct this? I bought a camber kit but it says it goes from +1 to -3, but after reading a sticky people said they aren't good and that there are other better ways to correct it, I don't know as if I wanna use em. It says I have negative camber, but it wears like it has positive camber . Suggestions?

AKAahlecks

If it's the outer edge, its probably toe in. What are your toe specs?

Jimmydean771

My toe is zero-d out. That's what it was originally brought in for an alignment for.

SpokaneSpeed

Camber is off

Jimmydean771

I realize that. I'm asking what is the best way to go about getting it fixed because as of right now my camber is non-adjustable. Another thing that gets me is that the sheet says I have negative camber and zero-d toe, but it wears on the outer edge of my right front. It's not the saw-tooth style wear displaying incorrect toe either.

SpokaneSpeed

If the car is lowered, you need to get an adjustable camber kit.

Jimmydean771

I have one. I don't know as if this is the best way to correct it because I read a sticky on here saying if you hit a pothole, ect. then it will throw your camber off bad. Also, it says it goes from +1 to -3. I don't know as if it will fix it, and although my sheet says i have negative camber, it wears as if it has positive camber.

SpokaneSpeed

It needs to be re-aligned, properly. You might consider taking it elsewhere. And yes, pothole can definitely throw off alignment.

slowcivic2k

Excess compliance in the front bushings can cause outer tire wear without showing on the alignment.

You have not specified tire size, rim size, and wheel offset. Pictures are worth a 1000 words.

Excessive wheel offset generally exaggerates tire wear wherever it can occur. Tire scrub due to SAI is also a likely candidate.

How old were the tires when it was aligned? Were they replaced? A tire that already has wear built into it will tend to wear that way for the rest of its life. Rotations? Need more information.

Toe should never be zero, toe should be slightly in, or out. Having zero toe will cause instability due to tire wander. (The tire finding the path of least resistance and tracking it)

Jimmydean771

Thank you for the great information. The car had the same front tires on it when it was aligned, but the rear tires were bought after the fact. The tires are all 205/50r17s, and I had to buy them all used. They all had little to no tread on em. I do not know the rim offset, they were on the car when I got it. Tires have been on for about 2,500 miles, not nearly close to a rotation and I've been noticing that its wearing the outside lip on my right front. I'm on mobile and don't know how to post pictures, but I will as soon as I can. Thanks for helping and informing.

idriveahonda

You have no idea what you are talking about.

I have only had a camber kit on one of my cars, which was a track car. Camber adjustment is not needed unless you are dialing in for specific conditions.

Camber wear does NOT eat tires or cause uneven wear, unless they are at an EXTREME number (and the OP's aren't even close).

Toe adjustment and good bushings and you are set.

SpokaneSpeed

Lol..... do some research before you call someone out there bud... lowering a vehicle alters the camber! And you are absolutely INCORRECT - camber WILL affect tire wear! Again, do some research. You obviously do not know what you're talking about...

Do your research, or better yet - call your local tire store and see what they have to say about it. Lol! SMH...

rallyrcr

+1 on lower = change in camber. Additionally, all other adjustments like caster, toe, etc. will be affected too.

TunerN00b

We have an entire stickied thread in the suspension forum specifically addressing this. You really ought to read it.

Lowering will not change caster on the vast majority of cars.

lostforawhile

yep really good read

slowcivic2k

Lowering the car unevenly, however will change the frame angle of the car, and this change will induce a caster change. Overloading or a difference in ride height from front to rear will cause caster to change.

In addition, lowering a car will change the resting suspension geometry, and may induce an increase or decrease in camber. Changing the ride height also will cause the toe to increase inward, or outward, depending if the vehicle steers from the front of the knuckle, or behind.

This toe change can be corrected by adjusting the tie rods.

Bump steer (the feeling of the steering wheel pulling out of your hands over changes in terrain, such as pot holes) will also increase due to the tie rods and steering rack not being level and within the same plane. adjusting the steering rack mounts upwards/downwards or extending the tie rod mounting location will help minimize bump steer.

Jimmydean771

I believe that is the thread that has me wary about this new camber kit.

What pictures will you guys need exactly? I have my camera and car ready for whatever pictures may need to be taken. I'd imagine bushings, control arms, tire wear, ect. but I don't wanna play a guessing game so it's easier for everyone that cares to look at this thread.

Also, do you guys think that somehow it's showing up as negative camber on the sheet but is actually positive camber while actually driving? And I believe I saw a "washer" trick a little while ago on here used to add/correct negative camber if I'm not mistaken. Maybe if I used that same trick on my lower control arm only maybe it'd make my entire tire have contact with the road instead of just the outer inch or so? I may be overthinking the situation as I sometimes do, but it's just a thought.

TunerN00b

Washers are commonly mentioned for the rear of Civics / Integras. I can't comment on whether such could be used on an Accord.

The same is true for the warnings on using camber kits. In theory, they can be a great addition to a car with a modified suspension. In reality, on some cars, they eat into what little suspension travel is available and cause other issues. Man years of Civic, and the Integra, are some such cars. Those other issues, combined with cost are really the only reason to avoid them. If they were free and didn't reduce the suspension travel at all, they would be recommended for nearly everyone willing to pay extra during an alignment to have them adjusted.

It seems like you have other issues to solve here.

If your camber is more positive than -3°, just get the toe set and call it done. This can't fix damage already done to the tires, and those already worn unevenly will need replacement, but that really will be good enough assuming that your bushings, balljoints, and tie rods are in decent shape (which is a big assumption for a 20 year old car, so do an inspection).

In regards to wheels and tires. Are you running reasonable sizes and offset? If so, then that isn't the issue here.

Jimmydean771

Just had new upper ball joints put in, and I'm gonna be replacing CV axles and lower ball joints as soon as money is better. The tires are 205/50r17s, and the rim offset is unknown to me because they were on the car when I got it. I'm gonna go through the car within the next two weeks and check bushings and tie rod ends, ect. and I'll post pictures when I do. The toe is already set, but I know when I do my axles I'll have to get a new alignment so when I do that I'll probably already have at least a new right front tire mounted and balanced, so I reckon I'll see how it'll run then.