i just got new tires and an alignment to day (after lowering on rsr down springs and kyb agx shocks). This pic is after the alignment



i have two questions, the first about the camber. i know i need a camber kit in the back but when i searched i saw that about -1 degree camber is beneficial to handling. specifically that it would be acceptable for a daily driver and improve handling. so do i need the front camber kit? i'm assuming so but i wanted some opinions

my second question is about the caster, the guy doing the alignment said i was missing a nut on the radius rod. he showed me as well so i know he wasn't BS'ing. he suggested i go to a junkyard and get a replacement. my only problem is they were gone on both sides, so is the correct way to adjust the caster? also can i just get that nut and put it on the radius rod? it shows them as seperate pieces on http://www.slhondaparts.com

 

bump for the morning crew.

 

Which are missing off of the radius rods?

If its one of the pair that connects to the LCA then check there isnt one there thats been sheared off! This can happen with wheel to curb meetings. If its the single nut that secures the end of the radius rod into the front section of the cradle then you most likely will have also lost the front rubber bushing and metal 'compression' washer that holds it in place.

Im guessing you mean the front nut on the cradle as 4.7* Caster says your right hand side wheel is very close to the edge of your the arch (rear of arch). So you need to check for the above bits on the front cradle member!
(You sure youve lost the left one also? front left caster is only 2.7* not waay outlike the other side!)

If you have lost them then PM me I have some lying around you can have

EDIT: Doh' You said 'NUT' the other two mounts on LCA for radius rod are Bolts

But you use that end nut on the radius rod to adjust the caster, Cant recall the TorqueSpec.
That should make it handle a lot better one youve got that right.

As for the camber, the rears are slightly adjustable but maybe not 2.4* so defo need one for the rears

And a -1 is good for handling but your probly going to have to get your tires rotated once in a while. I think -1.6*/-1.7* respectivly is a little too much for a daily driver; IMO I'd geta kit and make it slightly less negative.

Did Honda do you that print out? and is your Lude 4ws?

 

i just looked at the diagram again and i realized the nut he was referring to isn't supposed to be there. he was saying there was supposed to be a nut in front and behind the bushing to adjust the caster, which isn't the case. thanks will, i didn't even realize it the first time i looked at it.

i have decided to get the front and rear kit, i'll just put it on the credit card.

i got the printout from the shop i took it too. buffalo tire and car care, i believe they have several stores in the nc area. the guy who worked on the car was cool, he let me in the shop area and explained the alignment process to me, etc. he also printed that out, without me asking. hopefully they'll fix the caster for free since the guy was wrong about the caster adjustment, i'll just have to prove it too them.

 

ludespeed.com has camber kits check it out

 

well i just got off the phone with the guy at buffalo and i didn't have quite enough info to prove him wrong. he was trying to explain to me that they would have to use shims to adjust the caster.

so basically how do you adjust caster using the end nut? here is the diagram with the radius rod.



no 15 is a caster adjuster washer, how is that used to adjust caster?

 

Since both sides are the same for Camber on both ends-that is good. However, you should use Kits such as the SPC 67135 for the front to get it back under -1 degree. A nice feature of this particular kit is that it allows a small amount of CASTER adjustment as well. The tech doing the car will figure out how (actually it is how you position the plates). The fact that the printout is showing a 2 degree difference from side to side is worrisome. Has the front ever been hit? If not recheck the numbers. You can be over 3 degree as long as both sides are as close to equal as possible on a Base. Our car is at 3.7 degrees and handles better than it did at 2.5. In my case the difference from side to side is 0.1. Leave the rear Caster alone-it is fine as is. Camber kits are available and you need to decide which you want. I have Ingalls on mine-#3571 and 3573 (don't ask).

The drawing of the stock radius rods is correct for 4th and 5th gen Preludes without 4ws. You do the Caster adjustment with shims/washers. Honda offers them is several thicknesses. If my memory serves me you are allowed 2 and they can be either front or rear on a BASE depending on the correction needed. The SH requires a much more involved and expensive solution using different radius rods.
Hope this is a useful guide. E-mail me if you need more help.

 

If its loose then you tighten it up to torque, That should seat the wheel correctly, Otherwise if its still off you cam add a maximum of 2x shims


Each 1/8" shim (3.2mm) gives a camber change of 0.41* degree, as as caster angle can be adjusted this way up to 0.83* degree max then Im guessing you may have a streched radius rod. BTW locknut should be at 41Ft-Lbs

Caster should be 2.67* spec but tolerance is between 1.67 -> 3.67

Id say one of the rods is bent there.

 

well i know that the car was involved in an accident which was a front impact or collision (1995). (carfax report)

how would i know if the radius rod is stretched, will it be noticeable by looking at it? i would rather not buy a part that isn't needed.

based on what has been said i can only replace the radius rod to correct the caster, as the shims can only provide 0.83 degrees of adjutsment.

 

Unless the whole frame is bent (doubtful) then it'll be the radius rod that is damaged,

Seriously the radius rod is the culprit! I may have one about that you can have if you pay the postage! Remember I changed out the wholecradle onmineas theleft handside wheel got pulled back into the arch, well Ive still got all the good components from the right hand side! theyre not very heavy so ill check it out on postage for you if you want!

Is the right side wheel pulled back in the arch compared to the left? most likely it is and the rod is streched, they are vey hard to tell visually

 

if you want to check on the postage that would be great, i really appreciate all the help. its dark here right now, so i'll have too look at it tom. what do you mean by pulled back in the arch?

 

If you look at the carstanding, then when your caster is out the wheel on yours will look aroundand inch further back than the other side. Use te mudflap and edge ofthe front bumper as reference points and measure with a tape measure!

Im going down to my lude to play with grease right now and sort my CV boot out but when Im done Ill bring the good rod up and weigh it for you at the Post Office. But get some measurements and post them up

 

will a base fifth gen camber kit work on a fourth gen?

 

The 5thGen front suspension was uprated some what so Im couldnt tell you.

I have you a radiusrod, Do you need any of the rubber bushings and metalwashers etc? what have you lost from the rod (look at front of the car lookingtowards the rear, look at the cradle and where the rod comes through, does it have ametal washer, and a rubber bung underneath that?)

This way your not paying extra postage for somthing you dont need!

I missed the PO on sat but will check the postage cost 1st thing monday

 

as far as i can tell everything is there, but if i need a washer/etc., i can source it locally. thanks again.

 

ok recorded delivery to america on its weight is 18.47GBP

so youve just gotta see how much you can get one there for and if its more than $40 then pm me your address

 

its 31.56 brand new from honda. thanks anyway, let me know whenever you want that helms manual.

 

No problem then! Once youve fitted it,
If it feels EXTREMLY tight to geton then make sure the lower control arm isnt bent near the pivot point on the cradle, Its the weakest point as i know...



Im going to be getting someHelms manuals from you a bit before I sell my Prelude to go with the car thanks and also an Integra Type-R book ready for when I start building an engine to promote the company with! Cheers Steve, Hope the RODs all that was wrong

 

if the lca was bent, wouldn't it be reflected by the alignment. Would it only affect caster like the radius rods or would the camber/caster/ toe all be affected

 

it can affect all three if the LCA is bent
Like the one in the pic, that LCA made the caster Waaaaaaay Positive, Positive Camber and Toe-out.

Although that pic is serious damage to the LCA as the whole weight of the car went through that front left corner wheel on a slippery road when I swerved for sum1 who slammed on, on a bend then I couldnt turn back into the bend so understeered into the curb. (at least the body work wasnt touched!)

So that LCA took 1300kg + me + nearly full tank of gas's weight!

So if the LCA was only slightly bent then it would still be reflected in the print out but seriously, Itshardtotell when Its only slight but the main thing that is affected is caster.