I just got my skunk2 coilover sleeves installed and this weekend I dropped my car about 1.75" to 2", not sure exactly. I know that a lot of people say that a camber kit is necessary, but how do you know when it is needed. I know that the tire wearing out on the inside part of the tread is a good warning, but I don't want to wait to see if that happens. If someone will let me know, or try and find a thread for me....my search for camber produced a lot of best buy threads, etc. TIA

 

Did you have an aligment? Excessive Tire wear is caused more by in correct toe, than camber. Having negative camber will help how your car handles. Camber will wear the inside of the tire more than the outside.. but this will happen over the normal life of the tire, not quickly, because that is were you are riding. My Del Sol has been lower for almost 2 years I have not camber kit, I run 1/8th toe out in the front 0 in the rear and I have -2.25 degress of camber in the front and about 1.75 in the rear and my tires are wearing pretty well... I have had them for almost 2 years now.

 

dont be ghetto... get a camber kit ... negative camber looks stank .. and wears your inside of the tires premature ..

 

i like kinda like the way negative camber looks

 

It took me about a month and a half to notice camber wear o n my tires... I'm dropped 2.5F and 2.25R, I drive about 50-80 miles a day so that should give a lil bit of an estimate...Get a camber kit

 

Good response. From experience, not just regurgitated internet information.

Camber kits are only necessary if you start to experience uneven wear. I am over -2.5deg camber in the front with over 20k on my tires and they are doing fine. Install the suspension, get an alignment, minimalize your toe, check the alignment specs, monitor your tire wear, THEN get a camber kit based on your personal results.

There is no answer to "when do I need a camber kit"

 

Most times it is necessary on a car with the suspension set up on old school civs adn tegs'. Most times going below 1.5" causes changes in suspension geometry. I would recommend cashing out the $ to get camber kits, unless you want to buy new tires soon. BTW neg camber is cool in moderation, too much camber on a race car on a street car no

 

You may though help slow down camber wear by changing the toe of the tire.

 

Actually it's not necessary "most times". In fact "most times" people think they "need" a camber kit, it's actually a result of bad alignment. I agree with Solracer and newgsrdriver, I've had about -2.3 deg. camber on my front tires and -2.0 on my rear tires for over 25K miles now. I'm still driving on the same tires I've had since June 2001 with over 40K miles on them now. If you get the toe set exactly and rotate tires every 3K-5K miles, your tires should be fine.

In reality, if you need a camber kit to keep the tires from wearing excessively on the inside edge, then you have probably lowered your car beyond daily driving functionality.

 

As stated. The camber helps handleing. Go get an alignment. I use my camber kits to adjust the rear in response to the amount of camber I have in the front. Racers do this so the car will slide correctly

 

They do it so the car will handel bettter and not slide... rotate yes but not slide... unless there a really car driver. Camber Kits are usfull if you are going to be adjusting your camber a lot in response to track conditions and setup.

 

my thoughts exactly...and this whole time i thought i was the only one...

 

Did you not read what we all just wrote? That is TOTALLY incorrect.

 

yeah, I go with the "if it ain't broke, don't waste money and possibly cause more problems by trying to fix it" technique. My tires wear almost perfect, therefore why get a camber kit?


[Modified by PatrickGSR94, 12:24 PM 2/17/2003]

 

I have a camber kit, but only because I didn't have enough negative camber! I'm sitting at -2.74° and zero toe in the front right now, quite happy.

 

No.. it is not

here is fact:

Negative Camber = Uneven Wear
just how much wear is what is in question

Assuming that you have a proper alignment
...how much negative camber
...type of tires
...weight
...and how you drive the car
are the major factors