Thread: Front end set up ,possible camber?

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I have a 89 lowered suburban ( not as extreme as avatar)with new tires, semi new now. I noticed the outside corners wearing a little more and everything is new and I always check tire pressure . Shocks ,bushings ,tie rods ,etc everything is new. I know that I need gauges and a alingment shop to get everything correct but this is a custom deal. Alingment has been set up to factory specs at a reputable shop but being custom that throws a curve ball at what they can do. I am just trying to get ideas on what I want them to do not what they say I should do. Any opinions?

Yeah, whatever you do will be experimental. I might try adding 1* of negative camber and see what happens. If they continue wearing unevenly, try 2* negative.

Excessive toe-in will also cause outer tire wear.
Did you get a final state printout from the alignment dealer?

Originally Posted by SBC

Excessive toe-in will also cause outer tire wear.
Did you get a final state printout from the alignment dealer?

Toe in is not excessive , about 1/16" in front with straight edges parallel on both tires.
No, but I will be sure I do this time.

Here's a couple of "off the wall" alignment ideas. 1) Try to measure the tire with a infared thermometer and get the temp readings of the tires "inside", "mid tread", and "outside" after a drive. It might give you at least a direction to go in your quest for the optimium alignment spec's. 2)When you lowered the suspension, did you also change the height of the tie rods/steering box or are the tie rods running at a large angle? I know in our VW drag cars with narrowed and lowered front ends that they drastically change their "toe setting" as the ride height changes (because of short tie rods). In our case we set the front alignment with the front end jacked up and the front tires "almost off the ground" to simulate the cars attitude when crossing the finish line.

As Techinspector1 said, everything is experimental when you alter the stock suspension. I'm sure you are runing dropped spindles and probably are running wheels with a different offset than stock. These mods will effect how camber and toe, etc. change during suspension movement (compression/rebound). All this gets very complex. Your best bet here is to make an alignment change that might correct what you notice in tire wear (outside edges of both tires wearing would indicate to me that you need to adjust toe toward the "toe-out" direction, but this could also mean that camber on both sides should be adjusted in the negative direction and then the toe would have to be reset). Good luck!

The corrections needed will depend on what you did to lower it---I assume it is a 2 wheel drive and not a 4 wheel drive????or is it a four wheel drive???
did you use springs or spindles for the drop???does it bottom out on the snubbers a lot???does it lean much during turning???

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

The corrections needed will depend on what you did to lower it---I assume it is a 2 wheel drive and not a 4 wheel drive????or is it a four wheel drive???
did you use springs or spindles for the drop???does it bottom out on the snubbers a lot???does it lean much during turning???

Yes , I agree with you DUECE4.
And to lower it I did use a BellTech Lowering kit. Springs, dropped spindles, etc,etc.

does it bottom out on the snubbers or lean cornering?did you use different offset wheels??is it 2 or 4 wheel???Does the steering rods stay level????:
Have you contacted BellTech????anything in the directions on troubleshootig???were the tires new when you lowered it or did they already have some miles ????do the tires whimper( squeel) when turning??? try it in a big flat paved parking lot. does it track straight???

Originally Posted by jerry clayton

does it bottom out on the snubbers or lean cornering?did you use different offset wheels??is it 2 or 4 wheel???Does the steering rods stay level????:
Have you contacted BellTech????anything in the directions on troubleshootig???were the tires new when you lowered it or did they already have some miles ????do the tires whimper( squeel) when turning??? try it in a big flat paved parking lot. does it track straight???

NO,Yes,2 wheel,Yes,No,Maybe,Brand new,No squeel, and it tracks STRAIGHT. Lotta questions . It drives very "nice" , corners great even at highway speeds stays level. Even at the place the locals call dead mans curve , . I am going to check some prices on gauges so I can I can tune it and TRY to get equal wheel ware. It also has a taller tire/rim so that kinda magnifies things ,so I need a gauge.

And Tech you were right on with the neg camber.....

Originally Posted by deuce4papa

As Techinspector1 said, everything is experimental when you alter the stock suspension. I'm sure you are runing dropped spindles and probably are running wheels with a different offset than stock. These mods will effect how camber and toe, etc. change during suspension movement (compression/rebound). All this gets very complex. Your best bet here is to make an alignment change that might correct what you notice in tire wear (outside edges of both tires wearing would indicate to me that you need to adjust toe toward the "toe-out" direction, but this could also mean that camber on both sides should be adjusted in the negative direction and then the toe would have to be reset). Good luck!

Thanks also for the good tips