Too much negative camber?

[Slateford]

I’ve got my Rallye in at the garage on Monday to check the front suspension and geometry. Travelling home a few weeks ago, the steering started to wobble at 50mph, less so below 30 and above 70, and there was a smell of brakes in the car. The garage cleaned the calipers which were dry and sticking, despite being done 18mths ago but the wobble was still there. I got the front wheels balanced but wobble still there. Travelled to the Rallye meet on Sunday and cars steering does not inspire confidence. Wednesday I swapped front and rear tyres and wobble has almost gone. The passenger side, RH, tyre has worn more on the inside edge and all other 3 show even tread depth and wear. Is the tyre wear showing that the camber might be out on this side? The car pulls to the left slightly when driving and has done so since owning it and tramlines a bit on rough roads. Its also harder to right turn than left turn when driving on main roads. Any thoughts on symptoms of having camber set at different amounts and the way a car drives steers?

[Chris S]

It is just as likely to be the toe in as the camber which is causing this, or more likely a combination of the 2, or possibly one or more of your coilovers is a bit tired. [xx(]

[no such user]

I’d definately have a look at the tracking as well, it’s got all the symptoms of having it way out, do you find when cornering there is more understeer than expected especially when turning right? and the inside tyre squeaks sooner ?

3 deg negative on the front will really make it turn in but will chew tyres on the inside, factory setting is 0 – 0.5 deg iirc

[Slateford]

Thanks. Turning right is certainly not as precise as turning left, especially if you meet a corner at speed. The car was fitted with coilovers 18mths ago and was great to drive but the garage lowered it too much as the anti roll bar was hitting some of the front suspension while going over speed bumps. The garage raised the height nearer standard and said they had redone the geometry when I asked. I didn’t get a printout and they closed shortly afterwards. I don’t think they did and this is where the problems lie, or some of them. Chris and Pascal will be investigating when I finally get over to Holland later this year[]

[no such user]

you can check it yourself quite esaly with a spirit level.

basicly find the flattest most level pice of ground you can and put level on you bonnet to see if the car is level then find somethign to drive onto to make it level ( normaly bits of plywood )

then simply put the level on your wheels to see how upright they are. if the level indicates that both are the same the problem is going to be tracking related. if the level shows a differance just loosten the two bolts that hold the suspention strut to the wheel tap it in the appropreate direction and check again.

some people say it’s not right to do it that way but thats how i have allways initaly set the camber on my cars before taking them to be checked and none have ever never needed to be adjusted ( smugness )

[Chris S]

The only problem with that Danny, is the fact that its his rear suspension thats playing up.

[no such user]

no one told me that, something broken or bent then

[Slateford]

When I purchased the car, despite a fresh MOT, the rear springs were snapped at the top. The seller sent me a fresh set and a 4WD alignment showed the rear to be within tolerences and very similar on both sides. When I got the coilovers on, the left rear was almost unchanged but the right was now out of spec.

Standard suspension rear[]
Left camber 2o12′
Right camber 2o14′
Left toe 0o12′
Right toe 0o08′

Coilovers fitted rear[]

Left camber 2o17′
Right camber 2o49′
Left toe 0o08′
Right toe 0o35′

In between getting the coilovers put on, I hadn’t hit anything that would have bent the rear suspension that I know about, unless one or more of the trailing arm bushes have give up the ghost.

[no such user]

must be a bush problem then, don’t know of any adjustment in there. so duff bush or incorrectly installed ecentric bush ( if it was lowerd )

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