Subaru camber bolt question

[B-R-Z]

I installed a set of Eibach Pro-Kit springs a few weeks ago and I bought a set of these bolts on Friday. I am due for an alignment once I have time for an appointment. My question is, what is the optimal front camber numbers for a DD? I do want better performance but at the same time, I drive about 100 miles\day commuting to work and am concerned about even tire wear.

I watched a DIY install video that someone posted, as well as reading other topics, and they say to push the hub all the way up when tightening the camber bolt to give max negative camber. This is where I am confused. You are already getting negative camber by lowering the car, and camber 'kits' are supposed to correct this, right? So why are people saying to make the camber issue even worse when installing these bolts? Doing the opposite of what I thought camber kits are supposed to correct? Is this aimed at people who only track their cars and\or don't care about tire wear?

[Gunman]

Also the "stance" and "fitment" crowd, that adds negative camber to bring the top of the tire/wheel under the fender to be "flush".

[Racecomp Engineering]

From the factory, these cars have very very little camber up front.

When you lower the car you do get a little more but not much.

These bolts get you a little more camber...enough to make a solid difference in handling, but not enough to worry about tire wear even when maxed out. Some will expect better and more even tire wear with the bolts maxed out.

- Andy

[B-R-Z]

So are these bolts useless for me since I would like a stock equivalent camber for good tire wear? Or can they be used to correct whatever my suspension and wheel upgrade did to my original camber?

[finch1750]

Originally Posted by B-R-Z

So are these bolts useless for me since I would like a stock equivalent camber for good tire wear? Or can they be used to correct whatever my suspension and wheel upgrade did to my original camber?

They can adjust + or - in terms of camber, so if you really want 0 camber yes it could do that. Most people buy them to increase camber because it really doesn't change much in front just from lowering. Instead of pushing, just pull the top of the hub out. An alignment shop should know how to do this and should be the ones doing this as positive camber is even worse. However, anything less than -1.5/-2 really won't give you excess tire wear. It is toe that kills tires.

[B-R-Z]

Ok, so I might not even bother with these bolts. I will give them to the shop to use only if needed.

[vroom4]

Put them on and slam full negative. You already have them might as well

[B-R-Z]

Originally Posted by vroom4

Put them on and slam full negative. You already have them might as well

I'm not going for the slammed look, I'm for the functional clean look.

[solidONE]

Another member runs these and he got less than -0.5 using these. the SPC's will get you a solid -1.0* out front. Maybe more. But, they're also not quite as beefy as the Subaru camber bolts.

[ayau]

Originally Posted by solidONE

Another member runs these and he got less than -0.5 using these. the SPC's will get you a solid -1.0* out front. Maybe more. But, they're also not quite as beefy as the Subaru camber bolts.

Depends on how your alignment guy installed them. Mine was able to get me -1.5 on stock suspension.

Back to the original question. If you're concerned with retaining the OEM alignment specs, you should be more concerned about the rear camber. As you lower the car, the rear will gain more camber at a faster rate than the front. On Eibach Pro Kit springs, I'm guessing you'll get about -1.5 +/- 0.5 degrees in the rear. The front will most likely be around -0.5 +/- 0.5 degrees.

The car will tend to understeer more at the limit because the rear has more negative camber/grip. You can add some grip back to the front by adding more negative camber at the front.

[wparsons]

Ask yourself a couple questions (or go to a proper performance alignment shop).

1) Have you done any, or do you plan to do any track or autoslalom?
2) How is the wear on the outside of the tire? If you're wearing onto the shoulder too much and you've already bumped up the tire pressure then you'll want more negative camber for sure.

If it is strictly a DD and/or you're not wearing onto the should of the front tires, then fall back on the OEM settings.

Mine up front with sticky tires and not enough camber (at 38psi cold):

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by ayau

Depends on how your alignment guy installed them. Mine was able to get me -1.5 on stock suspension.

I think I got about 1.2-1.3 with one set of bolts iirc. That's with the adjustment done with the car raised. My alignment guy *points to self* does not have ramps so 'he' cannot do adjustments with the wheels loaded. Maybe I'll talk his cheap ass in to getting some ramps soon.

[wparsons]

^^ You could always just use jack stands supporting the suspension, but you want to be VERY careful when setting the car down on them that the suspension movement isn't trying to slide or tip the jack stands.

It's probably not ideal, but that's how I torqued my LCA pivot bolts after installing springs. I did keep the floor jack supporting the subframe (either front or back depending on which end) enough that if a stand did slide out the car wasn't going anywhere at all.

[solidONE]

I actually loaded the knuckles using a wood block and floor jack when I tried to max out the adjustment. I think with the wheel fully loaded while raised on some ramps and a couple of 'heavy set' people sitting in the car is likely the best way to get maximum adjustment.