How much camber correction needed?

[trecooljr]

Is there an easy/cheap way to figure out how much camber correction I need now that I've lowered my car? I can tell that it needs adjustment but I'm not sure which kit to buy. I got Sportline springs, which they say lower the car about 1.7" front and 1.4" rear. The back actually seems worse than the front though. I've been reading on forums that some people can get away with camber bolts if they don't need much adjustment (+/-1 degree), but how much is that? Is there any way I can estimate it w/out having to take it to an alignment place and paying? It's like $40 bucks for them just to check it, and then another $80 to have it aligned if I have to leave and come back.

[jdlhonda]

I think were gonna need make, model and year of car in order to really help you out. But I think less than 2 in drop generally equals something like -1.5 degress of camber which for AutoXing would be a good thing.

Let us know what the car is and we can probaly help you further.


Jason

[GodSquadMandrake]

It depends if you want negative camber or not. I run 2.5 degrees negative. It gives me an awesome contact patch during cornering:

http://www.god-squad.net/images/autox/dctc/IMG_6940.sized.jpg

My suspension is at full tilt at that point, and the most important tire is touching the ground flat. It really improves grip, because if I had 0 degrees camber not as much rubber would be touching.

[trecooljr]

It depends if you want negative camber or not. I run 2.5 degrees negative. It gives me an awesome contact patch during cornering

My suspension is at full tilt at that point, and the most important tire is touching the ground flat. It really improves grip, because if I had 0 degrees camber not as much rubber would be touching.


Well I do want some negative camber, just not so much that it'll eat my tires. I figure -1 to -1.5 degrees should be okay daily driving on tires plus still give me good cornering?

My main question is how do you judge how much adjustment is needed? The car is a '98 240sx. I drove through some gravel about 5 mph one day and looked at the part of the tread that had dirt on it. Front was just about flat and rear had about 1" on the outside of the tire that didn't touch the ground.

[GodSquadMandrake]

I'd say 1.0'-1.5' should be fine.

[SUV-ETR]

Well I do want some negative camber, just not so much that it'll eat my tires.

Camber won't eat tires...at least not so fast that an autocrosser would otherwise notice. :D

Toe in/out is what really eats tires in a hurry.

[shane86]

Well I do want some negative camber, just not so much that it'll eat my tires. I figure -1 to -1.5 degrees should be okay daily driving on tires plus still give me good cornering?

Yeah.
Just make sure you air down your tires when driving on the street. when i had my saturn fully cambered (1.7 Degrees -) i just dropped the air down to 30PSI on the street. when i finally pulled the wheels off about 5k Mi later, there was almost no camber wear what so ever.

i think there was more wear from roll over when i was running no camber. :lol: