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Effect of worn bushings and ride height on alignment

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Old 10-11-06, 08:18 PM
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Effect of worn bushings and ride height on alignment

Just got back from getting the FD aligned. Setup is:
Konis - front at highest perch, rear at middle
H&R Springs
Newish shock tower bushings and new spring pads
New Rotary Extreme trailing arms and toe links
Eibach sways front/rear

Ride height is 25.5" front and rear

The issue was that I couldn't get less than -1.2 degrees camber on the passenger side rear. On the driver side rear, it looked like we could not get less than -0.8 degrees camber. I was aiming for -1 degree camber up front and -0.8 camber in rear. B/c I could not get less than -1.2 on the rear, I wound up setting both front and rear camber at -1.2.

I'm thinking that this might be due to a worn bushing in the rear. Probably the rear upper A arm. I'm also hearing some clunking from that side.

What do you guys think? Thanks.
Old 10-11-06, 08:36 PM
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You should be easily able to get less camber than that, and I don't see how worn bushings would effect that.
Old 10-11-06, 11:23 PM
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needs more track time

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Yes, I should but we were unable to. Hence my wondering if something might be askew.

Camber is adjusted using the camber bolt on the lower rear arm, right?
Old 10-12-06, 08:37 AM
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Something aint right... you can and should be able to crank over 2 degrees of camber into the car. I've currently got -1.7 rear on a car that's 25" at the fender lips... and there was more available.
Old 10-12-06, 09:15 AM
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Thank you both for the participation.

I can easily get -2 degrees or more on both sides of the rear suspension. Problem is I want less than 2 degrees.

I wanted -0.8 degrees on the rear. I can't get LESS than -1.2 degrees on the passenger side rear!

Hope that clarifies things.
Old 10-12-06, 10:20 AM
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I could get down to less than 0.5 deg in the rear, even with the car to 25" fender height. Something is definitely wrong.
Old 10-12-06, 01:22 PM
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Yeah, same... when I checked my car at the track last time out, it had ZERO camber on the rear tires. Do you have aftermarket toe/trailing arms?
Old 10-12-06, 01:57 PM
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Yes, I do. A new set of Rotary Extreme trailing arms and toe links. The rear suspension's pillowball bushings were replaced a few years ago (~4 years maybe). However I do hear a clunk from the passenger side rear so at least one bushing back there seems to have failed again.

My thoughts were that a worn bushing on the upper rear A arm could cause the top of the hub/bearing/spindle thing to lean the wheel/tire inward thereby increasing the amount of camber through this fault.

Not sure if my rationale is correct, but it seems to be sound. I had wondered if decreasing ride height might have reached the limits of camber adjustment but apparently there are people lower than 25.5" with no camber adjustment issues like myself.
Old 10-12-06, 11:04 PM
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i'd look into that bushing, but also be sure to check and see that the trailing/toe are adjusted properly.

When I first lowered my car I chose to put it on the lowest setting on Koni yellows w/ Eibach springs. it was ridiculously low, like a show car... and I still got the thing adjusted back out to factory specs. You SHOULD be able to get yours right, it's not that low. Mines lower right now.
Old 10-13-06, 12:07 AM
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I will do that. Just wanted to get input to make sure I didn't miss something before spending my hard earned cash. -1.2 degrees of camber is more than I need and doesn't feel the best on some of the streets I drive.

The H&Rs sit a bit higher than the Eibachs and my ride height is exactly where I want it. Who needs coilovers

Thanks!
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