I just bought an 86 GXL (w/ the adjustable suspension). The rear tires have got some major negative camber. How can I fix that? Is it a matter of getting new rear springs? Or perhaps an alignment is needed? How can I tell which problem I have?

 

The excessive rear camber is probably caused by sagging springs... these cars camber up when the suspension is compressed (or the car is lowered, same thing) you can get adjusters here http://www.awrracing.com/pages/rx/rxsusp.html that let you adjust the left and right independently. Racing Beat also makes a link that lets you adjust them both at the same time by moving the subframe around. Between the two you can probably get the adjustment you need.

 

Check the FSM on TeamFC3s.org The rears have negative camber from the factory, but not a GREAT deal..

If the car has drop springs on it or just tired stock springs, it may have more than it should.

There are two ways to fix it, both require buying parts..

you can replace the vertical link to the rear subframe with an adjustable unit, this will adjust BOTH wheels at one time by tilting the subframe on way or another.. costs about 110 bucks or so. but its limited in the amount it can adjust. Mazdatrix or racingbeat.

Mazdatrix also makes adjustable camber links that replace the stock units, they allow for a greater adjustment and each wheel to be adjusted individually, BUT, they cost about 115 EACH....

Mazdatrix

http://www.mazdatrix.com/h6_86-92.htm

Near the bottom of the page

if TOE is your problem.. its adjusted via a cam nut on one of the bar ends for each trailing arm

 

The car has stock springs.

So, you guys are saying that on the stock setup the camber is not adjustable?

 

You MAY be able to use those adjustment bolts on the strut base.... like they sell on Tire rack... but i doub't if you'll get enough movement out of them if you car is really out of whack.

 

The AWR Racing adjusters are only $175 for both. I have them and seem to be really good quality. I think the Mazdatrix and AWR Racing adjusters are probably made by the same manufacture.

 

I was told if you use the mazdatrix/AWR independant camber adjusters on stock trailing arms it will cause them to bind up. APprently you are only suppose to use those type of adjusters if you have installed sphereical bearings for the rear control arm main pivot point.

 

I have not noticed any binding but, they have only been on for a couple of weeks. I also have coilovers which are a bit stiff and I am not sure if I would notice if they did cause binding.

 

I know this is going to sound like sacralige to you guys, but I'm going to be content with replacing the springs w/ stock ones - if that does the trick.

From talking to someone, it looks like I just need to pull the struts out and replace all the rubber stuff first.

 

There wasn't any mention of that in the instructions that came with my AWR kit. They do make a needle bearing kit for the front control arms to prevent binding though, but that's another matter.

 

That's a good approach. Cars don't just go out of alignment. It means something is worn, bent, or broken. If it's minor, the car can be adjusted back to within spec. But as cars get older, you inevitably get to the point where you have to replace some parts.
After the new springs and other things are installed, be sure to get a good 4 wheel alignment to make sure everything is back within spec. Then you'll have one of the best handling cars around.

 

I got under the car today. I noticed that the two rear lower shock mounts are a little off. It looks like the bushing has worn somehow that the bolt isn't perfectly perpendicular to the shock. I'm thinking this is part of the problem. How easy is it to replace this bushing? Are they readily available?

 

Regarding the binding thing... after getting the AWR adjusters installed and my camber dialed in, we had the car up in the air for something else, and one side (the side that had a bunch of negative camber dialed out of it) was slightly restricted in droop travel, not reaching full droop. My car is so stiff that in driving it will never reach full droop while cornering anyway, so it's not a big deal, but I thought I'd mention it.

 

damned double post