I just installed my Sportlines today and have not yet had an alignment done. I've noticed the front wheels have a small pitch inwards, is this related to a toe/camber issue? The car drives nice and straight, also has no vibrations. Any ideas?
Thanks

 

you got a little bit of camber going on. It will wear your tires out quicker. Get ya a camber correction kit. I gotta get one too

 

lower springs will only affect your toe angel. the only way for camber to be out is if you damaged the car.

 

This has been a confusing lowering project after reading various posts throughout the forums. I hear things like camber kits are not necessary, a little negative camber is ok, negative camber is related to suspension damage(post above?), camber cannot be adjusted on our cars(SS/SC). I just want to eliminate any potential unnormal tire wear..that is my main goal. Maybe once I get my alignment...the tech will have more info. on this situation.

 

the camber can be ajusted at the stearing nuckle like all front drivers

 

this is why this site sucks sometimes. so many people talk and dont really know. you DO NOT need a camber kit for a daily driver. get an alignment, they adjsut your toe a little and your set. thats the only thing out of wack. camber kits are only needed if you auto-x to teh extreme.

/rant!@!

 

camber kits would only be in good use if you were autoxing like road course racing daily driving probly wont affect it as much. take it to the dealer say its under warrenty and needs alined.

ryan.

 

thanks guys for the help...... Gotta get this car in for an alignment after the install yesterday...too bad it's a holiday today here in Ontario and the garages are closed.

 

Make sure to call first some places wont align lowered cars.

 

I have the Sportlines and the Toe was out just a touch. Had an alignment done and all is perfect. No camber kit needed.

 

still a little confused....with my front tires slightly tilted inwards, is this considered negative camber or toe. Will an alignment correct that fact that my tire have this slight lean to the inside?

Do I need to have the alignement done at a GM dealership to get back within factory specs. or will any garage have access to factory specs?

 

Does it look like the car is slightly turning a corner? Like you are starting to make a left or right? If so that is toe.

If it is like you have your tire off and leaning against a wall, then that is camber.

A good garage will have the specs for the alignment or they can easily find out.

 

dealer did mine with the 30k service. They made a point to tell me they made a note on my service report in the comp that i have lowering springs tho the ********.

 

the ground side of my tire is out a bit farther than the opposite. That is after an alignment so you "geniuses" tell me WTF is the prob now?!?!

 

usually thats true, but the cobalts do not have any adjustment built into them what so ever. the holes are perfectly round, not elongated like most cars.


You say your tire is sticking out on the lower side? as you are looking at the car the tires are doing this / \ ? Do I understand you correctly? what are the numbers you got from the alignment shop?

A little bit of negative camber ( / \ ) is going to happen with a lowered car. the reason is simple geometry. as the wheel travels up the lower control arm remains fixed. the angle of the wheel, relative to the strut remains fixed. without making this sound like a math lesson look at what happens. your front suspension forms a triangle. one corner where the lower control arm mounts to the frame. one corner where the lower control arm mounts to the strut. and one where the strut mounts to the body (which is connected to the frame, completing the triangle) as the wheel moves up (which it did when you lowered your car) one length is shortened and two of the angles must change. I will draw a picture if you would like me to, I had to draw one for myself.

lowering your car will give you some negative camber. the key is some. if you have a lot of negative camber then its probably a result of damage or something going wrong then everything was put back together. I would want to see pictures or a print out of the exact alignment before I would say you have a real problem.