Notices
Honda Civic / Del Sol (1992 - 2000) EG/EH/EJ/EK/EM1 Discussion

Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 04-02-2014, 11:10 AM
  #1  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
aj345's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

Ok so I recently slammed my car, lower than I have ever been. Its a 95 civic dx. My wheel specs are 16x7 +37. I have ground control/koni yellows. I recently got my car aligned and here are what my camber specs are: Front Left: -3.7 Front Right: -3.5 Left Rear: -3.2 Right Rear: -3.5

The car has been handling weird since I dropped it so much like the front end is too loose. Everyone keeps telling me to get camber kits but could I have some kind of frame damage. Is this negative camber usual from just a drop?
Old 04-02-2014, 11:21 AM
  #2  
Honda-Tech Member
 
JuggerNaut-CTR's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: In the Mtns
Posts: 2,683
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default Re: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

If you are slammed....those numbers look right.

What does handling weird and "feels loose" mean exactly. More details...


Something to read if you wanted https://honda-tech.com/forums/suspension-brakes-54/no-you-do-not-need-camber-kits-2614449/
Old 04-02-2014, 11:23 AM
  #3  
Honda-Tech Member
 
kyden's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: CT
Posts: 6,883
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes on 4 Posts
Default Re: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

what do your caster numbers look like?
Old 04-02-2014, 11:25 AM
  #4  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
aj345's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

Originally Posted by JuggerNaut-CTR
If you are slammed....those numbers look right.

What does handling weird and "feels loose" mean exactly. More details...


Something to read if you wanted https://honda-tech.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2614449

So when I jerk the wheel to the right or left, it feels as if the rear isnt really attached to the car. Like the front turns first then the rear comes back and straightens out. And this happened after a hit a NASTY dip on the hwy and threw up sparks. I had it realigned and we could not find anything out of the ordinary. And I did the inner and outer tie rods on both sides before everything as well.
Old 04-02-2014, 11:25 AM
  #5  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
aj345's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

Originally Posted by kyden
what do your caster numbers look like?
Caster is .6
Old 04-02-2014, 02:08 PM
  #6  
B*a*n*n*e*d
 
JoeBlue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Off da Golden Coast!! YAAARGH!!
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

That is how slammed cars handle. Especially if your camber is way off to the point of treading into the toe limits when you turn. The more your tires wear unevenly the worse this feel will get until you feel like you're riding a boat and your steering rack starts eating itself along with your tie rods. When you start killing axles is when you should consider bringing the car up after wasting all of that money to fix everything twice.


edit: Frame damage is not hard to check, just pull your fenders and bumper off and look at the rails they are clearly visible. If you see spider webbing in the paint or what looks like stretch marks in the metal you know it has frame damage.
Old 04-02-2014, 03:10 PM
  #7  
Honda-Tech Member
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
 
aj345's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 70
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

Originally Posted by JoeBlue
That is how slammed cars handle. Especially if your camber is way off to the point of treading into the toe limits when you turn. The more your tires wear unevenly the worse this feel will get until you feel like you're riding a boat and your steering rack starts eating itself along with your tie rods. When you start killing axles is when you should consider bringing the car up after wasting all of that money to fix everything twice.


edit: Frame damage is not hard to check, just pull your fenders and bumper off and look at the rails they are clearly visible. If you see spider webbing in the paint or what looks like stretch marks in the metal you know it has frame damage.

Im going to buy some camber kits and try and get it to about -2 degrees all the way around. Ill probably need to raise it up a tad but I do not feel like destroying parts either.
Old 04-02-2014, 04:07 PM
  #8  
B*a*n*n*e*d
 
JoeBlue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Off da Golden Coast!! YAAARGH!!
Posts: 402
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Default Re: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?

As long as your tie rods and axles are siding loading they will experience greater than normal wear. Increased side loading occurs when the axle is in a straight line and you're driving it on the street where the whole assembly is being flexed and pushed every time you turn or go over any significant roads that cause the suspension to actually flex.

Doesn't matter if you have fixed the camber or not. Those parts were simply not designed to handle the side loading that they will experience with a lowered car. Upgrading both solves the problem temporarily but it causes issues elsewhere, as the spherical bushings to solve the tie-rod issue do not last long on the street, and the axles cost at least 300 for a pair that can handle greater side loads.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
DougNuts
Suspension & Brakes
14
03-10-2006 01:06 PM
joedaddy
Honda Prelude
4
08-15-2005 09:04 PM
97Alex
Tech / Misc
13
03-08-2004 06:33 PM
Yesman
Road Racing / Autocross & Time Attack
6
01-31-2002 11:01 AM
BeyondRedline
Acura Integra
7
10-04-2001 01:03 PM



Quick Reply: Can too much negative camber indicate frame damage?



All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:04 AM.