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Can camber problems be blamed on bad bushings?

D

dlphnfn

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Location
Central Iowa
I did some searching, and I think the answer to my question is basically, no, but I want to check for sure...
I had some inner tire wear on my last set of tires. So bad, that a strip broke away while driving. I have since replaced the 215/45 17's with 225/45 17's (Pure Sweetness!!). I just pulled the wheels off yesterday and visually inspected the suspension the best I could. I did the 3/9 and 6/12 clock test too.
I didn't see anything out of the ordinary except the LCA bushings are pretty wack. (Best I could get with the cell camera.)
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If I replace these, what are my chances of "evening" out the camber? (Can you tell I'm trying to get out of buyig a camber kit!?!? :mad:) I'm going to get an alignment next week some time, I'm just trying to get all the suspension changes BEFORE then. Thanks,
Erick --

Is there a way to check to see if you need new bearings? I read in an older post to roll the wheel, and if it sounds like a roller skate, then you need new bearings. Are there other methods to confirm? Thanks.
 
if you did the 6/12 clock test and there was no movement the bearing are ok. if you feel the bushings are shot then replace the control arms, the 2-bolt ones are cheap.

as for the camber problem the bushing maybe causing it, I replaced my control arms already and the bushings here not that bad, but then again I wasn't having any alignment issues
 
its not camber, its toe alignment that it will affect and yes that will eat through your tires very quickly.

btw, they are like 65 new.
 
bensenvill said:
its not camber, its toe alignment that it will affect and yes that will eat through your tires very quickly.

btw, they are like 65 new.
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no its definately camber that causes the inside or outside of the tires to wear. my 95 had bad bushing on the 4 bolt arms and you could see the arm move as weight was put on it. that threw off the toe setting but it didn't eat my tires up.

camber angle
Camber_angle.jpg

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Camber_angle.jpg

caster angle (red line would be the strut)
600px-Caster_angle.svg.png


http://www.ozebiz.com.au/racetech/theory/align.html
 
Obviously the bushings are shot in the LCA's. That will cause all sorts of issues. And they are like $50 a piece unless the cost went up.
 
ya they went up to 65.

I just ordered a set last week... stock set number 3 that I've burned through in 68k miles.... I hate my car.
 
Toe is the most critical Tirewearing angle on inner and outer edges.

Camber doesnt normally wear tires UNLESS its out pretty far.
Extreme camber does do the same tirewear as toe.

Get your alignment checked first and specify u want camber adjusted (dont know if u can just adjust camber on our vehicles by just loosening the strut mounts or not) If u dont specifiy they usually wont do it. Most of the time they only do Toe and Go's.
 
Also yes the bad bushings can cause tirewear. Unless a alignment was done after the bushings we're bad then the wheels would be aligned correctly even with the control arm cocked a little.

If there is no side to side wheel play or up and down wheel play.
Spin the wheel and put ur hand on the Spring if u feel a vibration in the spring the wheelbearing is bad/going bad.
 
Pole120 said:
Thought you had the tubular arms on? :confused:
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I took them off for the moment after I snapped an axle in May. They are likely going back on when I convert over to MTX this winter. That and the car was hardly streetable with them, its a pretty compfortable ride without them.
 
Ray said:
MOST likely, that is.

a bearing CAN fail and not move at ALL.
Click to expand...

Case in point - me. No play when I did the 9-3, 12-6 'testing'. LCAs were relatively new but bearing was making noise so I replaced it. Car rides like new & is VERY quiet - just tire hiss. I can now carry on a quiet conversation when before it was difficult to hear.

Symptoms I had, car would 'wander' on highway when going over pavement seams. REEEEAAAALLLY bad tire wear inside edges. Loud hum or moan that I thought might have been tire tread noise was actually the bearing.
 
smokedya95stang said:
Also yes the bad bushings can cause tirewear. Unless a alignment was done after the bushings we're bad then the wheels would be aligned correctly even with the control arm cocked a little.

If there is no side to side wheel play or up and down wheel play.
Spin the wheel and put ur hand on the Spring if u feel a vibration in the spring the wheelbearing is bad/going bad.
Click to expand...

May I add that loose bushing can foul up an alignment to the point that you can't get a trustworthy ready. Too much slop and it really isn't alignable. It move all over the map and changes as driving dynamics change.
 
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