Camber adjustment with regular front-end alignment?

E_Free · 04-29-2005, 06:20 AM

About 7,000 miles ago I installed the Daystar 2.5” leveling kit (I am aware of the issues with this kit and, if I had visited this website prior to purchase and installation, I would have done things differently). After installation, I noticed the front wheels had positive camber (both leaning out). When I took it to the alignment shop (not the dealership) I asked if they checked the camber when performing a regular front-end alignment and they said “yes.” When I picked my truck up, I did not notice any change in the camber of the front wheels, so I asked the service guy and he said they checked it and it was fine. My initial reaction was bullhsh%#, but I did not say anything (should have said something).

7,000 miles later, the outsides of my front tires are showing excessive ware compared to my other tires. I don’t think there is an issue with the alignment other than the camber adjustment.

Have any of you guys experienced this? Should the alignment shop have adjusted the camber when they did the alignment? Is adjusting the camber something I can do?

I would like to get this issue resolved before I drop $1,000 on A/T tires.

grpape · 04-29-2005, 03:27 PM

I too have this problem. The place that did my alignment told me that the centric bolts are maxed out (so they can't do anyting about the camber). By positive, do you mean that when you look at the tires from the front of the vehicle, the bottom of the tires come a bit in? This is what I have. It is very slight, but never was there before the leveling kit. I decided to get my money back, and am probably going to the dealership to get it aligned right. Good luck to you and post what you figured out.

aloha, Derrick

PrerunnerGreg · 04-29-2005, 04:56 PM

A bit of positve , or negative, camber usally wont wear tires out like that. But if the tow is off just bit it will eat tires like crazy. look at most irs sports cars, they usally have alot of neg. camber on the rear wheels from the factory. My stang runs 3 degrees neg on the front and it doesnt wear tires out. My titan has a bit too much lift and has just a hair of pos camber and I have almost 20k miles on my tires with no odd wear patterns at all. Id guess that E free has too much toe-out if the tires are worn on the outside edge. Measure it with a tape measure, that way you'll know first hand and not have to rely on some 16 year-old at the alignment shop working his way through an ROP program.

**loufish** · 04-30-2005, 07:14 AM

My alignment guy is a truck, and car guy, I asked him if there was enough adjustment to give me a 1/4 deg neg camber, and still maintain a good caster spread. No problem, he was able to hit the numbers right on the head.

IF there wasn't, I'd extend the slots, and move the stops to make it so, but I have access to a fabrication shop to do so...my garage.

grpape · 04-30-2005, 06:56 PM

I have talked with Greg about this problem, and he has told me that it won't affect the tire wear. I don't really care, because the faster the stock tires wear, the faster the wife will let me get some real shoes. I just don't like the look of the tires having a slight positive camber. It just looks kinda weird to me. My Pathfinder had a lot more positive camber, and I hated it. However, I did learn to live with it.

aloha, Derrick