Front camber issues

[CW05TEG]

Morning all,

I took my Dc5 to a local garage to do a laser realignment yesterday. The steering had been knocked out of line after I bounced it off a kerb at cadwell.

The front and rear toe was pretty far out so that was corrected. However the front camber is completely different from left to right. The NSF wheel is at -2degrees and OSF is at -0.55degrees. Despite playing with the camber adjusters on both sides it would barely move either way.

The car is fitted with Spoon springs and SPC adjustable camber bolts, everything else is stock.

I wondered if I had managed to knock the subframe out a little but we loosened it and tried to shift it but it didn't make any real difference to speak of. Any ideas what could cause this? It's almost as if I've managed to bend something. The car now tracks straight and feels much better but I'd like to get to the bottom of it if possible.

Any help is appreciated guys!

 

[Crazylegs]

Hi mate,

In a similar position myself, camber is well out on the passenger side front compared to the drivers side but I'm not running camber bolts. I'm on Mugen Showa dampers and Spoon Springs.

I've changed track rod ends but have since found out that the lower control arm bush has been fitted upside down which I think is causing an issue and is potentially impacting the camber somewhat.

I'd get it on a ramp and get all the bushes, ball joints, driveshafts etc checked to see if anything is out as that is probably where your issue lies.

 

[CW05TEG]

The most obvious thing I'd guess is that the front bushes have started to crack slightly, but only appears superficial. I suppose they will need doing soon anyway so I'll find out soon enough.

I've also had a top mount replaced on the osf so maybe that could be contributing to it?

 

[carl hammond]

Do you know what the camber was on on either side before the issue (the geo for the track day) and are you 100% you don‘t have camber bolts (which could have been impacted also).

Top mount shouldn‘t and imo couldn‘t have made a difference to the camber but I‘m wondering if you‘ve poss damaged the shock or something as that‘s a massive difference.

The reason I ask is it‘s very odd to manage -2degrees without camber bolts (not even sure that‘s possible), I can‘t remember what mine was with the mugen/spoon setup but I ran that with normal non camber adjustable bolts and it was under -1degree from memory with a total drop of 40mm.

 

[CW05TEG]

Sorry I wasn't very clear in my first post. The car has adjustable camber bolts fitted at the front. Spc if I remember rightly. I always assumed max camber with these should be around -1.5degrees each side, but it's as though mine is biased to one side.

 

[carl hammond]

Sorry I wasn't very clear in my first post. The car has adjustable camber bolts fitted at the front. Spc if I remember rightly. I always assumed max camber with these should be around -1.5degrees each side, but it's as though mine is biased to one side.

I‘d say it‘s possible your camber bolt has come lose or been knocked out of place on impact. Many have got -2degree camber with just camber bolts as lowering the car also adds do it.

I run two camber bolts on each side with bilstein coilovers and have -2.5degrees camber on the front.

Bilsteins do not have camber adjustable top mounts and use oem ones so my cambers all from height adjustment and the camber bolts.

 

[Grano]

If you still have the alignment report check for variance in the S.A.I between both sides. That will tell you if something is bent. Most alignments I do for the local panelbeater that have smacked a kerb have a bent spindle, or sometimes (rarely) a bowed shock.

 

[CW05TEG]

Thanks for the replies guys. Unfortunately I didn't get a copy printed but I'm thinking I'll remove the front wheels and clock up my hubs/driveshafts. Failing that I'll drop the shocks and see if there's anything obvious going on. The car feels soo much better after being realigned but it's annoying knowing its not quite right.

 

[SnejVTEC]

Maybe the subframe have moved a bit towards one side. That would give you more camber on one side and less on the other. Just a thaught. Might be a thing to check 😊