Negative Camber Question (kinda' long)
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Joined: Jul 2003
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2006 SL65 ///AMG - GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: 2005 E55; 2002 ML55; 2001 CLK55; 1992 BMW 850i; 1991 M5
Negative Camber Question (kinda' long)
How much negative camber is too much? I drive an 01 CLK55. When I got it, it had #04 spring pads all the way around and looked like a 4-wheel drive. Additionally, the outer edges of the front tires were practically bald with only 12K miles. I swapped the #04 pads out for #01 pads and got some, but not much lowering. I then installed H&R springs (with the #01 pads) and it was WAY too low. "Visible" negative camber. I then replaced the #01 pads with #02 front and #03 rear. Ride height looked great ... no rubbing or clearance issues. Also, my factory tech checked the alignment and said it was dead on. Maybe the springs have "settled" a little since install, or maybe its just my eyes, but sometimes the wheels look great with barely perceptible negative camber and other times (from other angles) the wheels appear to have distinctly more negative camber. Last week I installed a new exhaust and checked the tires while the car was up on the rack to find no discernable "feathering" on the insides at all. I wonder if I should go through the hassle and expense of swapping the spring pads out for #04's all the way around just to relieve a bit more negative camber front and rear? Is negative camber hard on any suspension components, or just tires? What is deemed "acceptable" negative camber by factory tolerance? Any guidance before I spend any more money is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
PDC
Thanks!
PDC
Last edited by PDC; Oct 18, 2005 at 12:03 PM.
TR Moderator & Tire God
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 3,545
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From: SouthBend, IN USA
depends on the weather
Originally Posted by x15jq
if you dont see any apreciable wear on the insides of your tires just leave it alone, when your driving the wheels look different then when the car is standing still, the suspension motion is constantly moving.
