Do I need camber bolts?

[winston856]

So I just purchased AGX dampers with Whiteline control springs thanks to Kraziken.

I want to set my camber to -1º F and -0.5º rear, I've read the BD's have camber bolts in the top hole up front and no camber bolts in the rear.

I also believe I read that the stock front camber bolts are good to about 1 degree of adjustment and that the rear will gain negative camber, though how much so I don't know.

Tirerack has camber bolts that will allow up to 2 degrees of adjustment for $20/bolt. I was planning to buy them for all 4 corners, do I need to?

I was thinking about it for the future so if I ever wanted to go past -1 degree of camber I could and not have to worry about getting the bolts later.

What do you all think?

[d1giPhux]

You should only need one set.. dont need 4 of them... at least to get it to 'close to factory spec'. If you get an alignment.. they will tell where your at.. and then you can adjust / buy camber bolts accordingly i suppose.

[jasonandliz]

You will not find out until you actually do the alignment. My 95 has all 4 corners dropped with cut springs (the worst) but still was able to get 0 degree toe in the front and -.02 degree toe in the rear and -.5 degree camber in the front and -.9 degree camber in the rear. This is all within the allowed factory spec and actually handle quite well although it does bounce a lot because the front struts are blown. I also have a 93 with new KYBs all the way around with cut factory springs (I know, I am researching in a different thread about affordable lowering springs) and the alignment was all within spec also without the aftermarket off set bolts. If you are looking for -1.0 in the front, you may need them, your rears are already -.5 to -1.5 from the factory from what I understand, so you may be ok there unless you want exactly -.5, then you will need the bolts. This has been my experience with the alignment side as my local alignment shop has the hawk-eye alignment rack which seems to be highly sought after for lowered or altered suspension cars. Again, this is just what I have experienced with my cars, but may be different for yours. What shape your suspension bushings, struts, bearings, etc. are in, will make a difference in what degree of adjustment in camber you will have along with caster and toe. I fell more negative camber in the rear help keep the rear planted and a little more negative camber on the front left than the right as freeway onramps are always looping to the right and most majority of nice bends in city main streets, turn towards the right also. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and this is how it is around here, but may be different in other areas. Hope this helps.

[winston856]

Well in that case I'm going to just buy a set for the fronts since the rear is going to gain some negative camber, probably not much.

Front negative camber is more important to me at this stage anyhow.

Just a quick price check with you all, $40 for 2 bolts + $10 shipping for the +/- 2º camber bolts or $20 for 2 bolts + $10 shipping for the +/- 1º camber bolts.

Since I'm only doing 1º in the front and this bolt goes in through the bottom hole, I think it's used in conjunction with the existing OEM camber bolt in the top hole.

It wouldn't make sense to get the more expensive bolts since I'm only going for 1 degree of negative camber would it?

[jasonandliz]

Check at the shop you are going to do the alignment at. Most specialty alignment shops have these off set bolts in stock. 2 of the shops that I use for my alignments carry them in stock. Not any specific brand, I believe they just have many different sizes to fit different applications. This may be better bet as you can tell them to what degree you would like to achieve and they can put in the corresponding bolt you need during the alignment. If you only want the -1.0 degree camber, then theoretically all you would need is the 1 degree bolt. But for some reason if the suspension will not allow for the original top bolt to be adjusted into the negative, then having the bottom to the full positive 1 degree might not be enough to get the over all camber to -1.0 degrees. My stock 92 with 288k miles on it has the camber bolts fully adjusted to the negative side and is just within the outer limits (closer to a positive camber). They told me that it is because of other worn suspension parts (bushings mostly).

[winston856]

Check at the shop you are going to do the alignment at. Most specialty alignment shops have these off set bolts in stock. 2 of the shops that I use for my alignments carry them in stock. Not any specific brand, I believe they just have many different sizes to fit different applications. This may be better bet as you can tell them to what degree you would like to achieve and they can put in the corresponding bolt you need during the alignment. If you only want the -1.0 degree camber, then theoretically all you would need is the 1 degree bolt. But for some reason if the suspension will not allow for the original top bolt to be adjusted into the negative, then having the bottom to the full positive 1 degree might not be enough to get the over all camber to -1.0 degrees. My stock 92 with 288k miles on it has the camber bolts fully adjusted to the negative side and is just within the outer limits (closer to a positive camber). They told me that it is because of other worn suspension parts (bushings mostly).


That's a good point. The work is getting done by my dad's friend who's been doing suspension work and alignments for over 20 years or something like that, long time. He's got the equipment at his home and doesn't run a shop so I have to bring all my own parts.

In that case I think I'm going to get the bolts 2 degree bolts just to play it safe. Though I could just chance it with the 1 degrees and if I don't get enough negative camber I could go back. However I don't want to buy another set of bolts as that would be the most expensive thing to do, so I should just buy the 2 degree bolts and be done with it.

[99gtlimited]

cutting your stock springs is such a bad idea!!! you must bottom out all the time

[d1giPhux]

yeah.. cut springs = no good.. haha.. if you ever want another set.. i got my LGT ones for sale.

[jasonandliz]

Yeah, it was a spur of the moment idea to lower the car. It worked wonderful on the 93, no bottoming out and a very decent ride, but with the 95, the front springs keep popping off of the lower perch. I have some 2000 Legacy springs that I am planning to put back in and recut so they do not pop out for now. Also I have been asking about if the 04 wrx sruts and springs will fit. I can get a hold of them for $75. Amy info would be appeciated.

[Huffer]

Yeah, it was a spur of the moment idea to lower the car. It worked wonderful on the 93, no bottoming out and a very decent ride, but with the 95, the front springs keep popping off of the lower perch. I have some 2000 Legacy springs that I am planning to put back in and recut so they do not pop out for now. Also I have been asking about if the 04 wrx sruts and springs will fit. I can get a hold of them for $75. Amy info would be appeciated.

Cutting springs is a no-no on any car.

I already told you about the 04 WRX stuff in your other thread.

[jasonandliz]

Just realized that as I was on this thread first. Thanks again Huffer, I will try to get the 04 WRX stuff first, if no luck, I will get the 05 front struts and use the 00 front and rear springs I have already to replace the cut ones.

[Huffer]

Just realized that as I was on this thread first. Thanks again Huffer, I will try to get the 04 WRX stuff first, if no luck, I will get the 05 front struts and use the 00 front and rear springs I have already to replace the cut ones.

The 00 rear springs will not work on a pre-2000 car...

[winston856]

Placed an order for (2) +/- 2 degree camber bolts, they should come in by thurs/fri. :grin:

Personally I would rather ride in a car with stock height springs than a car that's had it's springs cut to lower, that's a notch above heating them up to lower it lol. As you're finding out, cutting springs doesn't always work out that well.

Get some Tein lowering springs, or some H&R or something.

Tein S-techs LOL :lol: