Just been down to Elite in Rainham for a 4 wheel geometry check and balance. Got stung for 2 new tyres as they had bloody big nails in them (Tyres only 6weeks old!!!!!!!!)

Anyway dialled in a compromised prodrive setting leaving the fronts with about 0.75deg of negative camber, approx 1mm of toe-in; lovely.

However the rear camber is -1deg30min on right and -0deg51min on other side. I have read on the website that a std UK car does not have adjustable rear camber. Is this true? Can anyone say weather this will cause problems?

Finally the guys at Elite said you can buy a bolt kit that lets you adjust rear camber. Basically you remove one of the hub bolts and replace with one with a cam profile. Anyone heard of this arrangement?

Hi,

When I had mine done at Micheldever they also found that the camber was different between sides at the rear. No, you don't have adjustable camber, but what you can do is to move the subframe around so that you can even up both sides.
The guy doing mine didn't manage mine because he thought the bolts may be shearing.... So, it is possible fo next to nothing. I was thinking of going along next time with a set of new bolts and telling them to do it anyway.

Dunno about the cam arrangement..

Cheers

Dave

I had my car done at Micheldever. They moved the rear subframe with no trouble. The rear camber spec is minus 1.1 deg. anyway and really does not need changing from that as long as it is equal both sides. Standard front spec is minus 0.5 deg I believe and prodrive setting is minus 1.3 deg. I know a couple of people have gone to minus 2.5 degree on the front without excessive tyre wear.

Bob

Bob,

How much did Micheldever charge to do the alignment (including moving the subframe)?

Do they know the settings or do I need to take them with me?

Cheers

Ken

I was surprised to read that the rear camber isn't adjustable. On my 1999 Type R the lower arms are connected to eccentric location bolts at the inner end which can be rotated and there are marks to show the degrees of change. Doesn't that allow camber adjustment?

Waysiders,

Think they adjust the toe in.

Mark.

Elite are doing a deal on 4 wheel alignment: 1/2 price before 12:00.

So cost £25.00. Reasonable...can definatley feel the difference with less understeer and a more planted feel.

Waiting for some rain to check it again on a particulary slimey roundabout.......

Definatley worth doing if you find understeer anoying.

Kenny, Micheldever charged approx. £49.00 for the setup. It took just over one hour. No you do not need to tell them the settings. Just ask for the pro-drive settings. They know exactly what to do. A point, don't try and get it done on a Saturday, they are so busy that they will refuse.

Bob

James,

I had my MY98 set up by Elite (Rainham not the other outfit in Reading), and they got pretty well the same setting as you for me on the front. Again they couldn't do much with the rear, however it was adjustable (they showed me by how much), just not enough to get any decent camber changes. Thet got my rear set up equal, and also offered me these 'Cam Bolts' to get more adjustment.

I asked to see these and instantly said 'no way are they going on an Impreza'. Basically they were ungraded bolts (therfore could have been made from platic for all I knew) they were made by taking a standard M12 (IIRC the size fitted on the Impreza rear suspension) bolt leaving about 5mm of the shank and turning the rest down to an offset M8 thread. In my opinion if they were fitted on my car they would shear the first time I got back out on a track and pushed the car harder than I would on the road.

I do not think these bolts are a good idea, and would, like the others, suggest that the rear suspension and subframe should be re-hung.

[This message has been edited by Tim W (edited 04-07-99).]

My dealer only managed .50 negative on the front. Said 'cos an STi has stiffer springs it may be less adjustable!
I said what the ***king hell has that got to do with it.
Any comments?

(Apologies for reactivating this dusty old thread...)

Dave/Tim,

When you had your rear camber evened up, did they have to slot out the holes for the subframe bolts or is there already enough play for them to do the necessary?

TIA

-= mike =-

Mike,

Sorry mate - dunno! The guy at Micheldever said he could loosen the rear sub-frame to even up the camber but then he was worried about the bolts shearing - so he didn't. I hadn't actually asked him about the technicalities by the time the effort came to a premature end!

He also made the comment that the rear toe adjusters had very coarse adjustment. I was thinking of getting the rally type ones from MRT - I believe (without checking their web site again) that they also do camber adjusters for the rear!

Craig - my sentiments exactly! From what I've seen written here and on IWOC it seems that individual cars vary in the maximum amount of negative camber they can dial in. I believe that LEDA car increase this - maybe they just cut a bolt thread furthur along the bolt? Any ideas anyone?

Cheers

Dave

"LEDA Cars" ? :-)

Cars equipped with LEDA suspension do have a greater degree of camber adjustment due to elongated holes... at least that's what the bod at LEDA told me when I got them to check the geo on my car. I'm not sure whether this applies to all of the types they do (there's a list longer than I can remember) but certainly on the oil and gas adjustables ones.

Cheers,

Pat.