RussB

iTrader: (2)

I had my WRX aligned about 6 months ago, and the front camber and toe were off. I just took the car in yesterday for a check, and the toe and camber were out again causing my front tires to wear almost exactly as it did 6 months ago. the readings yesterday were right around -.13 degrees camber both sides and about toe was a total of about .20 degrees toe out. these numbers are pretty consistent with what was wrong the first time. I'm pretty sure the shop isn't screwing with me, I have a good history with them. any thoughts on this? anyone else have similar experiences? i'm running the stock wheels and OE size tires.

Uncle Scotty

You should have '0' toe in the front, and you really should have more camber in the front...most people MAX their negative camber in front for best handling. The factory alignment settings are for grandma.

Toe is what is eating you tires, not camber.

I run -2.25° camber front, '0' toe, and -2.0° camber rear, 2mm total toe out. A little toe out in the rear helps the car turn-in and my car handles very well. My suspension is fairly heavily modded and I have ~18k miles on Kumho MX's(fairly soft tires) and I expect another 8-10k miles out of them.

RussB

iTrader: (2)

thanks. if I ever get into track days or cone-bashing i'll mod the suspension and dial in some more front camber. right now the suspension is bone stock except for tires.

Uncle Scotty

That's the point....having very little camber is foolish for a performance vehicle. More negative camber can not do anything but make the car handle better especially on the stock, junk tires....you don't have to be on the track to benifit from more camber....I drive my car on the street everyday with the settings I posted and it rocks.
The factory alignment settings SUCK unless you are grandma.

Do yourself a favor and add some negative camber.
You're the one that posted about your alignment, I told you what was wrong with it.....Try it....You'll like it...I promise

gdogg

iTrader: (38)

can u give a description of what the tread wear may look like?? just wondering if thats why my tires are worn on the inside?(for some odd reason i have a brain fart and kinda forgot why this happens to tires) but no biggie cuz my rims/tires in da mail.

Uncle Scotty

Assuming '0' or negative camber, then the inside edge of the tire will wear faster which is what makes people think that it is the camber that is eating the tires when it is the toe in reality.
The dynamics of suspension geometry change, in use, is fairly complex and I'm no expert, but all things being equal, toe(usually toe in) will kill tires quick.
Too much toe out will produce an unstable vehicle which is glaringly apparent when driven, while toe in isn't as aparent as a problem.

jsmonet

god, he had almost not neg camber in the front? that had to get squirrely

the toe out is most likely what's eating the tires. I knew a guy who dropped on gc's + agx's but didn't get it aligned before hitting the hills (it hadn't settled, stupid decision) and his toe ended up being WAY out. his front tires got hot and lost grip, putting him into the side of the hill.

hard lesson to learn, but he aligns his cars religiously now

RussB

iTrader: (2)

Uncle Scotty, I do understand what you're saying... I have a fairly good understanding of Toe, Camber, Caster, etc. and I understand that Toe is what was eating the tires. my question was more of "has anyone else had their alignment go out of spec that quickly?" and "why would my alignment go out so quickly?"

can I dial in that much front camber on a stock suspension, or would I need camber plates? and if i can set it with the stock suspension, how would i check camber?

Uncle Scotty

I think you got a bad alignment and you need a good one.
Max neg. camber in front with '0' toe....most people can get ~1.3° neg camber in front....
....and just a little toe out in the rear...with the stock suspension that is all you can do.