How much can alignment shops help w/ camber? - Honda Prelude Forum

SLICK96 · 06-11-2003, 09:52 AM

I'm thinking about removing the Progress front camber kit that I have, and putting back on the stock camber caster pieces, b/c I'm tired of having the upper control arms slamming into my fender well (why nobody else on the board has this problem, and I do, I'll never know, apparently). Now, I KNOW that there are numerous people on this board who are lower than I am (one perch from the bottom all the way around on my koni yellows), and I only have Neuspeed sport springs, and don't have camber kits at all, and have no alignment problems.

QUESTION--> How much can alignment shops correct for camber w/o camber kits? I talked to a few people at LFW, and they said they didn't have camber kits, and were lower than I was, and had very little camber, if any. Please, for the love of God, help me.

Thanks,
Jason

vtecprelude · 06-11-2003, 10:26 AM

I have Neuspeed sport springs and will say that there is a camber problem. The inner tire does wear out more. I don't believe anyone who says their camber isn't off with those springs or lower drop. It's probably because they don't mind.

Alignment shop can't do a thing to adjust camber without adjustable camber. You might be able gain a few tenth of a degree by removing the washer from the radius arm that's connected to the front cross beam. I did this in my car. Not only will it shift the front suspension to the front slightly but also correct caster, where it all should be.

Why don't you try the APC ball joint camber?

vile10 · 06-11-2003, 12:52 PM

I have the same problem too, left rear, control arm slamming into fender all the time, the noise's so loud, so irretated, but i had alignment done not so long ago and they even said my camber's ok

spin_r_g · 06-11-2003, 06:04 PM

My upper control arms used to do that when I had a different camber kit in. I have the progress currently and I'm having no problems at all. Which setting do you have it on? The one with more or less correction? I have it on the lesser one. I'm not sure but I think the front camber can be off -1 degree. When I had the other kit on my car was lower (coilovers) right now it's about a 1.3-1.5 in drop somewhere around there. When I got the alignment at this height with the progress kit in my camber had some weird numbers Left front .2 and right front -.4 I've talked to a couple of people and camber is really werid its different for every car. 4th gens with the same setup came out with different numbers when they got alignments. I don't think camber is adjustable on our cars. I could be wrong. Do you still have the print out of you alignment specs?

SLICK96 · 06-12-2003, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by spin_r_g
My upper control arms used to do that when I had a different camber kit in. I have the progress currently and I'm having no problems at all. Which setting do you have it on? The one with more or less correction? I have it on the lesser one. I'm not sure but I think the front camber can be off -1 degree. When I had the other kit on my car was lower (coilovers) right now it's about a 1.3-1.5 in drop somewhere around there. When I got the alignment at this height with the progress kit in my camber had some weird numbers Left front .2 and right front -.4 I've talked to a couple of people and camber is really werid its different for every car. 4th gens with the same setup came out with different numbers when they got alignments. I don't think camber is adjustable on our cars. I could be wrong. Do you still have the print out of you alignment specs?

There are two positions you can mount the bolt on each side of the upper control arm that reach through the strut tower bar. Out of the two settings you can mount the bolt in, I believe I have mine on the inner hole. There has got to be a way to stop the upper control arm from smashing into the fender well, and I'm not really down for cutting the fender well, as the last thing i need is for the upper control arm to slam into the hood, or to be smashing the front end of my car down everytime I hit a bump on the freeway or a pothole. This is frustrating as F@CK, b/c I know of SO many luders out there who're lower than me, and have apparently no problems, no camber kits...what are you all doing?????

Jason

vtecprelude · 06-12-2003, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SLICK96

There are two positions you can mount the bolt on each side of the upper control arm that reach through the strut tower bar. Out of the two settings you can mount the bolt in, I believe I have mine on the inner hole. There has got to be a way to stop the upper control arm from smashing into the fender well, and I'm not really down for cutting the fender well, as the last thing i need is for the upper control arm to slam into the hood, or to be smashing the front end of my car down everytime I hit a bump on the freeway or a pothole. This is frustrating as F@CK, b/c I know of SO many luders out there who're lower than me, and have apparently no problems, no camber kits...what are you all doing?????

Jason

Since you're not getting an answer to your question from someone who has a low drop, you should now be able to draw your own conlusion.

You can also try to shave off or cut some metal from the end part of the upper control arm that's making contact.

SLICK96 · 06-12-2003, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by vtecprelude

Since you're not getting an answer to your question from someone who has a low drop, you should now be able to draw your own conlusion.

You can also try to shave off or cut some metal from the end part of the upper control arm that's making contact.

Well, there has got to be a better reason than "my car was just lucky like that." There must be an explanation... I can't believe that I'm the ONLY person on the entire board who's ever had the upper control arm problems that I've had...and I'm not even dropped that low.

J

vtecprelude · 06-12-2003, 10:00 PM

I think +or -1 degree is still within specs. So getting the camber just close enough to that # would be considered within specs. Hence probably why other people say they don't have this camber problem.

I have yet to see a droped 4th gen that doesn't have negetive camber without any cutting or fabrications.

mr. r00t · 06-13-2003, 08:50 PM

My car is slammed. My front right bumps sometimes when I go over stuff, is this what you mean?

phatz · 06-13-2003, 11:20 PM

My alignment shop can fix camber problems for 100 bucks canadian a side... They pull out the control arms. put them on a press and presto... your camber is fixed..

MidNKight-lude · 06-14-2003, 12:47 AM

haha how low are you dude, you saw my car no camber kit, and doenst' seem to be bad, when i get back from the alignment shop i will tell you how it goes. ps i won't be goin anytimes soon. i am drop at least 1.5 inchs, with my stock si rims, i wored away the inside in about 3 months, you can see the wearing. btu with my new rims that doesnt' happen. i am goin to say the reason is this. My Stock rims are about 15x6? i have no idea some1 plz correct me. my Velox rims are 17x7.5 most ppl have 17x7 that extra .5 inchs over other i believe helps me fix my camber, more contact patch to deal with.

SLICK96 · 06-14-2003, 04:54 AM

I'm guessing I'm lowered 2"...maybe 2.25", and I have a camber kit.

J

vtecprelude · 06-14-2003, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by phatz
My alignment shop can fix camber problems for 100 bucks canadian a side... They pull out the control arms. put them on a press and presto... your camber is fixed..

You mean they bend the knuckle? I wanted to this also but the shop that works on wrecked honda's said the knuckle cracks easily.

SLICK96 · 06-14-2003, 03:24 PM

I believe the knuckles also pretty pricey to replace, the last time I checked.

J