I lowered my car (components in sig) and had a Progress camber kit installed. The shop (Hibdon Tires) did the alignemt for me and this is what they got:

FRONT:
Caster:
left: +2.1
right: +2.0
Camber:
left: -0.9
right: -0.6
Toe:
left: 1/32"
right: 1/32"

REAR:
Camber:
left: -1.6
right: -0.8
Toe:
left: 1/16"
right: 1/16"
Thrust angle: 0


Reason I am asking is this. I got under my car today to change my oil. I noticed the inside of my front passenger side tire is totally smoothed off. where the rest of my tread is about half way. What is the deal? Should I take my car back and tell them to fix the camber or what? I am going to be buying new wheel and tires soon and I dont want this happening to my new tires.

 

I think the numbers they gave you were the way the car was before they started....atleast I hope for yoursake. How long ago did they do the alignment? How long have you rode on thos tires...before and after the alignment was done?

The toe should be set to 0...otherwise you will continue to burn tires.
Your numbers with the camber are ok besides the difference between -.9 and -.6. I set mine around -.5 and -1 for two reasons.
One...to turn...two because if they go out(towards 0) they hit the fender.

 

No those are the final numbers

The alignment was done on 08/19/02. I wasnt getting new tires this soon but after discovering that tire, I guess I might as well but I want to make damn sure that this doesnt happen again. So, tell them to set the toe at zero? Have them fix the difference between the left and right camber on the front, but what about the rear?? Is the caster OK? This really pisses me off. I hate incompetent people. I spend $200 on a camber kit and another $150 for the install and alignment and this is as close as they get it.

 

They aren't incompetent, those numbers are fine (aside from the caster, which I don't know specs for on your chassis... but still sounds reasonable). Factory specs virtually never specify zero toe, you need a touch of toe in to keep the car's directional stability up to par under heavy braking. And 1/32" toe in isn't going to fry tires.

Now about that right front tire, did you have it rotated recently? Could those inside tread blocks have previously been on the outside, and also do you have your alignment numbers before they adjusted it? It could be many things, but most likely it was improper alignment specs and/or your continual cooking of that tire around particular turns (i.e. it used to be on the front left, and you take most on/off ramps very fast).

 

Here are the initial specs:

FRONT:
CASTER:
L: 1.3
R: 1.4
CAMBER:
L: -1.0
R: -0.8
TOE:
L: -13/32"
R: -3/8

REAR:
CAMBER:
L: -1.8
R: -1.0
TOE:
L: -1/8
R: 1/8

I had it the tires rotated at the time of the alignment and camber kit install. They are directional S-03s, so the front right was the right rear. The front left driver side is like this as well. I had the tires a little bit before I installed the camber kit and there were the beginning signs that the inside of the rear tires were wearing unevenly, but nothing big. So thats when I rotated them and had all this done. But they are bald on the inside now.

Also, the camber on the rear, they have -1.6 on the left and -0.8 on the right. Should there be that big of a difference in these two numbers? Should I tell them to get them closer to being equal? Thanks again for all the help.

Forgot to add: I have also been getting a weird vibration in the steering wheel when braking around 60 mph since having all this done. Doesnt do it above or below that speed though.


[Modified by b00stn, 10:53 PM 10/21/2002]

 

I would definitely get the rears closer in negative camber if possible, but it isn't adjustable on the stock suspension components, do you have a camber kit they can adjust? Aim for -1 degree at both corners. And those toe in levels were definitely way large, that's probably the source of your wear problem (I'll bet your initial turn in is much better now too). Once a tire gets an uneven pattern of wear, it tends to retain that pattern even if you fix the alignment issue that initially caused it. I run S03's too, and they are wearing very evenly for me.

 

I have the Progress Camber kit. It uses shims for the rear. That statement about the tires tending to retain their pattern of wear is most likely my problem.

So I dont need my toe adjusted?

 

No you don't, a touch of toe in is recommended for 95% of drivers. I used to run zero toe on a car that gained quite a bit of toe out under suspension compression, and believe me it's not the hot ticket for 100% street driving. Heavy braking is a two hands on the wheel affair, because <u>anything</u> the tires roll over even hinting at a change of direction requires an immediate response at the wheel to keep the car pointed straight.

 

Its looks like the alignment that you got is called "toe and go". Its where they set the toe so the car drives straight, and thats it. Its quick and easy for them because it goes straight so you dont question anything else until you have bald tires. If you look at the front camber I'd say they didnt touch it. The computer says it not adjustable and changing toe even a little bit will affect camber. But the camber barley changed, and the toe was changed enough to go straight. If they were competent they could make the camber a little more attractive. I'd say get it aligned for real next time (wehn you get new tires) and dont worry about uneven tire wear again.

Unbalanced wheels usually vibrate between 60-85 mph.

 

Exactly. Those #'s look good to me. I actually have my shop set mine at -1 to -1.5 degree camber all around to help the cornering. They could have gotten the camber settings a little closer (and what's up with the rear tires) but they are within spec. The toe settings are correct also. You NEVER want zero tow. It will cause the car to tramline all over the place and could actually be dangerous. Have you ever taken your hands off the wheel at highway speeds and wondered what keeps the car centered? (other than inertia of course) Its the slight tow in on the front tires.

P.S. you can tweak caster settings if you have aftermarket radius arms like the Z10's or some of the others. It helps to get everything exactly in spec particularly if your front sub frame is a little bent. I get really **** about my alignment specs and I just love the Z10 bars for that reason.


[Modified by 92sleepR, 11:13 PM 10/22/2002]


[Modified by 92sleepR, 11:13 PM 10/22/2002]