How do I adjust the caster on my MacPherson?

One way to adjust caster is with an adjustable arm. In the case of a MacPherson strut system this can be in the form of an adjustable tension rod that holds the lower arm forwards or backwards in the wheel arch. The screw can be adjusted to move the wheel forwards or backwards adjusting the caster angle.

Can camber be adjusted?

There are several methods to adjust camber, depending on the vehicle and its suspension. Stock suspensions may feature cam bolts, eccentric washer bolts, turn-buckle joints, or shim adjustments.

Can you adjust camber without camber kit?

No a camber kit is not mandatory. Most of your tire wear comes from incorrect toe settings. When you lower your car it causes you to gain negative camber. When camber changes your toe settings also change.

Do you adjust caster or camber first?

It doesn’t matter which you do first for caster or camber. I usually start with camber as it’s the much easier measurement to check with my alignment tool setup than caster is.

What is the best camber angle?

For a normal car you typically want to maintain a slight amount of negative camber (0.5 – 1°) to have a good balance of cornering grip, braking grip, and tire wear. On most vehicles it’s common to have slightly more negative camber (0.8 – 1.3°) in the rear to reduce the chances of oversteer (loss of grip in rear).

Are camber kits necessary?

When you lower the car, the camber will go out and you need a camber kit to fix it. However, I find it is not necessary to correct the camber in most cases. Most people think they need a camber kit because of a tire-wear concern. The reality is, TOE ANGLE kills tires WAY faster than camber ever will.

Are camber bolts universal?

Camber Bolt, 12mm Universal Vehicles Steel Four Wheel Alignment Adjustable Cam Bolt Camber Kit Army Green (5 pcs)

Does adjusting camber affect caster?

The greater the amount of positive caster, the more self-centering and responsive the vehicle will be. Also, increasing positive caster will have the effect of increasing negative camber on the outside front wheel of the vehicle in a turn.

Will adjusting camber affect toe?

Registered. Yes, camber change will change toe. If you go with more negative camber, your toe-in will increase. More positive camber will increase toe-out.

What are the disadvantages of MacPherson struts on a car?

The major downfall of MacPherson struts on a passenger car in a racing application is that the strut geometry dynamically loses negative camber under load. So, a generous helping of static negative camber is necessary to maximize cornering performance.

How do I change the camber of my strut bolts?

Begin by measuring the distance between your strut bolts and determining the desired change in camber. The distance between the strut bolts becomes one leg of a right triangle, with the amount you slot as the other leg. Using b = distance between camber bolts, theta = the change in camber you desire, and x = the slotting distance,

How do I adjust the camber on my front tires?

Use the upper camber bolts to adjust the camber. Typically after drastic changes to camber, the toe will be out. You must align the car now to prevent excess tire wear.

Can a shop adjust the camber of the hub bearings?

Remember that if a shop adjusts camber as well, they must again apply an upward load to the outside of the hubs prior to tightening the bolts. It may be a good idea to learn to align the car yourself (many guides and techniques are available online) to get it close, so that a shop only needs to dial in the toe.