Alignment camber

SixBanger

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Apparently both front tires show excessive wear on the outside of the tires.

I saw on the Autozone repair guide that this can be adjusted using a C4576 tool.
At a garage I could inquire here if they have a tool and could possibly adjust it.

However, I could not find how many degrees the camber and caster should be adjusted.

However, I have adjusted toe-in once myself.

| Repair Guides | Front Suspension | Front End Alignment | AutoZone.com

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Aspen500

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It can be done without the tool, just not as easy. What I've always done at work with this style adjustments (slots) is look at the reading on the screen (camber and caster) and then estimate how far to move each slot. Could be both the same direction the same amount(change camber, not caster) or in opposite directions (or one more than the other in the same direction) to adjust both. The weight has to be off the suspension to do this or the arm will go to the inside of the slots as soon as the nuts are loosened. Need to move them the estimated amount, tighten the nuts, then set the car back down and do a caster swing. HOPEFULLY you guess right and the readings are good. If not, lather, rinse, repeat. :eek:
To do it without the car on an alignment machine may get you close on camber but caster would be an unknown. Caster doesn't wear the tires but it has an effect on stability and also, if too much difference side to side, can cause a drift or pull one way or the other. Uneven camber can cause a drift or pull also. It will always pull to the opposite side of the wheel with the most negative camber. The spec puts more neg. camber on the right wheel to offset road crown. Some vehicles use caster to achieve the same thing.

Anyways, the spec for camber is: Left, 0.0 to +1.0 degrees, +0.5 preferred.
The right is -0.15 to +0.45 degrees, +0.15 preferred. Caster is basically as much postive you can get while keeping the camber in spec. Normally on an F-body you can get a max of roughly +3.0-+3.3 degrees with stock parts.

You may already know this but, after adjusting camber and/or caster, you need to adjust toe again. It will change with camber/caster adjustment.
 

SixBanger

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Great explaining and giving specs.

Before I would do the adjustment job I did an simple check with my mobile phone. But first I had to compensate the riding height of the left side to the same amount of the right side (before I had 1/4 inch ish difference).
With an app on the phone an the use of the intern gyroscope you could measure the spirit level. So I give it a go.

I used an steel L profile to place the phone on an straight location on the two outside edges of the rim. Rims are steel and semi new.
First calibrated the app while measuring the angle on the each rear rim. These should be at right angles to the body.
Then measure the camber degree of the front wheels.

Results.
Left +0.8 deg.
Right +0.2- +0.3

But looking at the front wheels, I realized that Toe-in was larger than I had adjusted this early this year. Strangely, I had measured this before and set it to 0.15 deg -> 0.1 " Toe-in difference between the wheels.

I assume that did cause is the excessive wear of the tires. I also cannot imagine that the tie rod could turn after assembly. But would check that tomorrow.
 

Aspen500

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Your camber angles won't affect tire wear. Too much toe in will wear the outer tread of the tire, and too much toe out will wear the inner edges. Toe will cause more uneven wear than camber (unless it's WAY off). Too much camber either way will put more weight on one edge of the tire than the other but excessive toe-in or toe-out causes the tires to "scrub" on the road. Basically they're being dragged over the road instead of rolling straight ahead, if that description makes any sense.
 

AJ/FormS

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If you don't know this; Your angles have to be set with the wheels pointing straight ahead, because everything changes when the wheel turns in either direction.
I always used cross-caster adjustment for crown but only when it was called for; our local roads have very very little crown.
 

Aspen500

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Some vehicles call for a caster split, others a camber split to offset road crown. Problem is, not all roads have the same crown (if any at all). I remember at the Ford dealer, people would come in complaining their car or truck drifted to the left,,,,,,,,,,,,SOMETIME'S. Then you find out it's always when they're in the left lane on the freeway or on a certain road. Even had one guy say it drifts left on the way to work, and drifts right on the way home and something is wrong with his truck. "On every road?" I asked. "No, only on county hwy B". Well guess what, that road has no crown, it's tilted to one direction slightly. Some people.....................lol
 

SixBanger

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Last weekend corrected the toe-in.

Last time I adjusted the toe-in after mounting another steering gear.
I only measured the relevant distance between both wheels while both wheels were jacked up. This explains the wrong adjustment. A pity but unfortunately this is how you learn something new, such as the adjustment and effect of the adjustment of the front suspension.
Now I have used wooden strips for easy measuring. The relevant toe-in size noted on the wooden strip.

The roads here in Holland does have some crown. And also driving on the right side of the road. Originally a 'Dutch' car and does not exported lately from the USA.
What I have always noticed is that the car slightly tends to drive to the left without correcting the steering wheel. The question is whether this is serious, since a difference in caster does not cause an extra degree of tire wear.

IMG_20190526_204111.jpg
 
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Aspen500

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If it drifts to the left slightly, unless it bothers you, I wouldn't worry about it. There's other things that can cause a drift or pull also, like tires, steering box valve body out of adjustment, twisted pitman shaft which causes the steering gear to be "off center" while driving straight ahead. As you said though, none of that will cause tire wear, it's just an annoyance.
 

SixBanger

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Okay thanks I would not worry about it then. Steering is now way better when I did bought the car a year ago. Before with the previous steering gear it did have a steering play of 30 deg ish. Now used an better secondhand item and replaced other steering stuff and it is good to go.
I must say that I also mainly steer with one hand, even if it is an automatic transmission.Easier to operate the radio.
 
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