with s-techs do i need camber bolts?

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Apr 3, 2006 | 06:58 PM
  #1  
i am about to install s-techs and illumns on my gen 4 is it necc to get camber bolts the set came with them but i heard their aren't very reliable.

my biggest concern if its really necc to use the camber bolts or will i have decent even tread wear without them?
can any gen4 riding on s-tech tell me their experience with camber and uneven treadwear with this drop??

thanks
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Apr 4, 2006 | 07:10 AM
  #2  
bump can no one help me on this i find it hard to believe no rides on this setup??
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Apr 4, 2006 | 07:24 AM
  #3  
no you don't need camber bolts. I don't know where you'd put them.
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Apr 4, 2006 | 07:42 AM
  #4  
Quote: no you don't need camber bolts. I don't know where you'd put them.

all i know is it came with my preowned s-techs, hows the tread wear on the s-tech drop pretty even?
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Apr 4, 2006 | 07:46 AM
  #5  
My friend didn't need camber bolts with his S-tech's.. But then again I needed some for my Sprints, which are less of a drop
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Apr 4, 2006 | 08:05 AM
  #6  
i just put mine on this weekend and i didnt even see where you could adjust the camber and my wheels are sitting pretty even so i will go with no
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Apr 4, 2006 | 08:05 AM
  #7  
bump? i have the same concern.
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Apr 4, 2006 | 08:36 AM
  #8  
its hard to say untill you have the camber measured. most alignment shop dont even adjust it anyhow. if they do they may want to charge you more to fiddle with those bolts. it may not be worth it since toe in or out will cause more wear than camber. also the bolts can break under hard use. you could get the same adjustment by enlarging one of the strut holes and using the stock bolt.
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Apr 4, 2006 | 09:04 AM
  #9  
wow this is more coplicated than i firgured, i just want to be able to install this set up and not have too worry about uneven tread wear that my only concern
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Apr 4, 2006 | 10:18 AM
  #10  
I had to have them. I also had to have the holes on the struts ovaled a little to get it just right. I seem to be the oddball here though so maybe I have another problem.
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Apr 4, 2006 | 10:37 AM
  #11  
Quote: wow this is more coplicated than i firgured, i just want to be able to install this set up and not have too worry about uneven tread wear that my only concern
As JSutter said, just make sure your TOE is in spec. Plan your install so that the only driving you will have to do is to the alignment. That would insure minimum wear. Been there done that, ate up some pretty new tires in a very short amount of time. Since the alignment I rotated the rear to front and have not noticed ANY aggressive wear.
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Apr 4, 2006 | 11:31 AM
  #12  
Quote: As JSutter said, just make sure your TOE is in spec. Plan your install so that the only driving you will have to do is to the alignment. That would insure minimum wear. Been there done that, ate up some pretty new tires in a very short amount of time. Since the alignment I rotated the rear to front and have not noticed ANY aggressive wear.

did u mean get it aligned in terms of the specs for the oem height, bc i am dropping the car with s-techs?
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Apr 4, 2006 | 05:08 PM
  #13  
the camber bolts are a good idea with any drop more than 1.5". i had sprints and without the camber bolts it was impossible to come close to aligning the car. all you need to do is torque them to the spec in the instructions (mine were on the bag they came in), then have the car aligned.
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Apr 4, 2006 | 05:58 PM
  #14  
I have camber bolts with my Stechs and I would recommend them. They are cheap (at about $30 new) and are a nice insurance piece to have when getting an alignment done.

I would also recommend if you plan on keeping the car for atleast over a year, to get a lifetime alignment at Firestone or other shop that offers a lifetime alignment. My lifetime alignment was $130 dollars at Firestone and I have had around 5-6 alignments in the last few years.

Everytime you alter/work on the suspension (replacing shocks/springs, removing/replacing axles, wheel bearing, anything that requires you to remove the steering knuckle from the shock) you need a new alignment. By just getting 2 alignments, the lifetime has already paid itself off (they charge $70 per alignment). It is also recommended to have an alignment done once a year.

IIRC the Stechs are a 2.2" drop in front and a 1.8" in the rear. A good rule of thumb is that every 1" you lower your vehicle, you camber goes negative a 1/2 degree. With that being said I would definately get camber bolts at a minimum as well as a lifetime alignment (cheap investment when you think about it, $160). I am speaking from experience as I have had Ground Control coilovers as well as stechs and with the stechs I am barely within spec after adjusting the the camber bolts.

Take it for what its worth.

-Nick
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Apr 4, 2006 | 08:57 PM
  #15  
^^^ WORD

i've had the lifetime alignment for about three years and it's paid for itself fifty times over. i usually get an alignment every oil change, every tire change, when i swap my winter for summer tire/wheels and vice versa. hell I should start getting an alignment every tank

the only thing is that i had to talk the service manager into it when i had sprints cause the car was damn near slammed.
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Apr 4, 2006 | 09:28 PM
  #16  
i have s techs and didn't need camber bolts.
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Apr 6, 2006 | 05:40 PM
  #17  
Quote: the camber bolts are a good idea with any drop more than 1.5". i had sprints and without the camber bolts it was impossible to come close to aligning the car. all you need to do is torque them to the spec in the instructions (mine were on the bag they came in), then have the car aligned.
well i've got the bolt in a bag with the used tokico and s-techs however there are no instructions and torque specs, have any suggestios and where do u install them i have no clue where these bolts go?
thanks


Tim
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Apr 6, 2006 | 05:55 PM
  #18  
as long ur toe is in spec u shouldn't have any tire wear problem.

i have s-tech on tokico HP/kyb agx with eibach camber kit, i just wanna get everything done correctly. again, u won't need it unless u can't get your toe in spec.
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Apr 6, 2006 | 07:35 PM
  #19  
With these "lifetime alignments", can you basically get your car aligned whenever you want for a one time fee? I'm just curious cuz I've never heard of this. If that's how it works, i know where I'm going for my alignment after I lower my Max.
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Apr 27, 2006 | 08:06 PM
  #20  
how do i install these camber bolts anyone have and idea?
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May 22, 2006 | 03:23 PM
  #21  
the thinner bolt goes on the upper srtut bolt of the two-then get alignment and mention that you want camber sdjusted
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