Alignment needed after front camber bolt install?
 

I'm considering purchasing the SPC 16mm camber bolts. Is an alignment required after the install? Do toe and caster change? I'm currently running on OEM tires and would prefer to do the alignment after I get some sticky rubber mounted.

camber bolts:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Specialty-Products-Company-81280-Adjuster/dp/B000CB3QUI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1356902043&sr=8-1&keywords=16mm+camber+bolt"]Specialty Products Company 81280 EZ Cam XR 16mm Adjuster Bolt - Pair : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]

Caster wont be effected. Toe and camber will be, so yes, an alignment will be required.

if i get an alignment with the oem tires, will i have to get another alignment after i get new tires mounted? the tires will be the same as the OEM size and mounted on the same rims.

I'm really not sure if you're trolling or serious.

No you wont need an alignment after mounting new tires, but if you've driven enough to wear out the OEM tires it may be worth it to get an alignment incase any large potholes or even just normal wear and tear caused things to drift.

i just wasn't sure because even though the new tires will be the same size (215/45/17), they're not necessarily identical in tread width compared to the oem tires.

It wouldn't mater if they were a different size. The tire size wont effect the alignment.

The toe change when you add the camber bolts will be pretty negligible. I added nearly 2.5 degrees of negative camber via bolts and still had a reasonable alignment (about 1/8" toe in). I want zero toe to a little bit out, so I did adjust it, but for around town? Nah, no real need.

I'm using the factory alignment bolts up top and some 14mm SPC bolts in the bottom holes.

according to whiteline, the official camber bolt for this car is supposed to be 16mm mounted in the top slot of the strut. the camber bolt might be carrying too much load by having it mounted at the bottom.

Then use the 16mm up top. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.

You still won't need an alignment.

This.

Also are you doing any lowering?

Our suggestion would be to get an alignment after doing the camber bolts because you will be changing the camber and having someone check it out to make sure it's correct is a good idea.

-Mike Paisan

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no plans to lower it at this point. i'll get an alignment once i get the front camber bolts installed.

getting additional camber in the rear will be tricky though. maybe lowering the car to get additional rear camber might not be a bad idea.

Also changing the tires does not change the alignment.

-Mike Paisan

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11+ Years Maintaining, Modifying and Educating TriState Subaru Enthusiasts.
Call directly as We carry almost every manufacturer now, so before you buy parts call us.
Like us on Facebook! | E-mail: sales@azpinstalls.com | 725 Fairfield Ave | Kenilworth, NJ 07033 | 908.248.AZP1 (2971) | T-1 Certified Amsoil Direct Jobber |AIM: AZP Installs
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Yes you will, you still need to set the camber to ensure it's even and where you want it.

No, you will set it to the maximum you can get on each side. Yall are making this a lot harder than you have to. Assuming the car hasn't been crashed already, it will be pretty square, so doing the same thing on each side will give results that are adequate.

If it makes you feel better, pay $80 for an alignment, maybe more if you actually want a custom alignment. I'll laugh when they use those camber bolts to give exactly 0 degrees on each side, rather than the most you can get.

If the car had double a-arms up front, with 4 adjusters per side, I'd be all about going to a shop for an alignment. There are too many variables to do it easily at home, but on these cars, there isn't enough to adjust to make that worth while.