STR.T struts and shocks are installed...and now my camber is -1.6?
11-12-2011, 12:09 PM
#1
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: OR
Posts: 312
STR.T struts and shocks are installed...and now my camber is -1.6?
I got my Koni STR.T s installed yesterday (had a shop install the struts, did the shock install myself) and all I can say is WOW! It was a big improvement in handling but an even bigger improvement in ride quality. In other words my car rides WAY smoother while being more predictable and stable in turns and at high speed I haven't gotten to test it at the limit yet (wet pavement yesterday) but am looking forward to testing the handling on dry pavement.
So....here's my 'problem'. About a year ago I had my car aligned (with bone-stock suspension) and the final specs were Left -0.85 camber, Right -0.60 camber.
Flash forward to this month. I replaced my wheels/tires with the FRPP track pack brembo wheels and Hankook V12 tires (245/45-19) followed by the shocks and struts (Koni STR.T). I used the stock springs and upper strut mounts and the dust boot (and I'm assuming) bump stop was transferred from the stock strut. Sam said I didn't need an alignment...but...my last set of tires wore a little quick on the left side inner tread and looking at the numbers, my toe was out of spec from the last alignment so I decided to have it done anyway.
They corrected the toe but my camber measurements are now -1.6 deg for both Left and Right wheels!! I guess my question is, what could have accounted for the difference (same mount and spring and the guy at the shop swears he installed them correctly with the right mount orientation -the line toward outside)?? Could the new struts have caused my camber to become twice as negative and now be slightly out of spec? Secondly, do I need to worry about inside tire wear with such aggressive camber for a daily driven car? -Just wondering if I need to buy adjustable strut mounts or just forget about it and move on....because the car DOES DRIVE GREAT!
So....here's my 'problem'. About a year ago I had my car aligned (with bone-stock suspension) and the final specs were Left -0.85 camber, Right -0.60 camber.
Flash forward to this month. I replaced my wheels/tires with the FRPP track pack brembo wheels and Hankook V12 tires (245/45-19) followed by the shocks and struts (Koni STR.T). I used the stock springs and upper strut mounts and the dust boot (and I'm assuming) bump stop was transferred from the stock strut. Sam said I didn't need an alignment...but...my last set of tires wore a little quick on the left side inner tread and looking at the numbers, my toe was out of spec from the last alignment so I decided to have it done anyway.
They corrected the toe but my camber measurements are now -1.6 deg for both Left and Right wheels!! I guess my question is, what could have accounted for the difference (same mount and spring and the guy at the shop swears he installed them correctly with the right mount orientation -the line toward outside)?? Could the new struts have caused my camber to become twice as negative and now be slightly out of spec? Secondly, do I need to worry about inside tire wear with such aggressive camber for a daily driven car? -Just wondering if I need to buy adjustable strut mounts or just forget about it and move on....because the car DOES DRIVE GREAT!
11-12-2011, 12:17 PM
#2
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BC
Posts: 244
All I can offer is a wild guess: the hole that the strut rod goes through (with the big nut on it) in the upper mount is off-center, so it's possible that yours are installed with the positioning notch (that's supposed to face out from the center of the car) facing inward.
Otherwise Sam's right - they should have gone back together and been in alignment.
Otherwise Sam's right - they should have gone back together and been in alignment.
I got my Koni STR.T s installed yesterday (had a shop install the struts, did the shock install myself) and all I can say is WOW! It was a big improvement in handling but an even bigger improvement in ride quality. In other words my car rides WAY smoother while being more predictable and stable in turns and at high speed I haven't gotten to test it at the limit yet (wet pavement yesterday) but am looking forward to testing the handling on dry pavement.
So....here's my 'problem'. About a year ago I had my car aligned (with bone-stock suspension) and the final specs were Left -0.85 camber, Right -0.60 camber.
Flash forward to this month. I replaced my wheels/tires with the FRPP track pack brembo wheels and Hankook V12 tires (245/45-19) followed by the shocks and struts (Koni STR.T). I used the stock springs and upper strut mounts and the dust boot (and I'm assuming) bump stop was transferred from the stock strut. Sam said I didn't need an alignment...but...my last set of tires wore a little quick on the left side inner tread and looking at the numbers, my toe was out of spec from the last alignment so I decided to have it done anyway.
They corrected the toe but my camber measurements are now -1.6 deg for both Left and Right wheels!! I guess my question is, what could have accounted for the difference (same mount and spring and the guy at the shop swears he installed them correctly with the right mount orientation -the line toward outside)?? Could the new struts have caused my camber to become twice as negative and now be slightly out of spec? Secondly, do I need to worry about inside tire wear with such aggressive camber for a daily driven car? -Just wondering if I need to buy adjustable strut mounts or just forget about it and move on....because the car DOES DRIVE GREAT!
So....here's my 'problem'. About a year ago I had my car aligned (with bone-stock suspension) and the final specs were Left -0.85 camber, Right -0.60 camber.
Flash forward to this month. I replaced my wheels/tires with the FRPP track pack brembo wheels and Hankook V12 tires (245/45-19) followed by the shocks and struts (Koni STR.T). I used the stock springs and upper strut mounts and the dust boot (and I'm assuming) bump stop was transferred from the stock strut. Sam said I didn't need an alignment...but...my last set of tires wore a little quick on the left side inner tread and looking at the numbers, my toe was out of spec from the last alignment so I decided to have it done anyway.
They corrected the toe but my camber measurements are now -1.6 deg for both Left and Right wheels!! I guess my question is, what could have accounted for the difference (same mount and spring and the guy at the shop swears he installed them correctly with the right mount orientation -the line toward outside)?? Could the new struts have caused my camber to become twice as negative and now be slightly out of spec? Secondly, do I need to worry about inside tire wear with such aggressive camber for a daily driven car? -Just wondering if I need to buy adjustable strut mounts or just forget about it and move on....because the car DOES DRIVE GREAT!
11-12-2011, 02:24 PM
#3
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: OR
Posts: 312
That was my guess too. I went back to the shop and asked them (and talked to the guy that did the install) about it and he swore the notch was to the outside of the car.
I'm so paranoid that I even supplied them with a printout of the instructions from the Ford service manual with all the torque specs and assembly/disassembly procedure...including the part that described strut mount orientation.
The tech said he just pulls off the old strut and puts on the new one so there's no way for him to get them backwards. From what he described I was under the impression that they have one of those wall mounted spring compressors. It sounded like he just removed that strut rod nut, dropped the strut, transferred the boot (and hopefully bump stop) and put the new strut in then tightened the nut.
I REALLY don't want to pay to have them pulled so I can check it...and I don't want to have to buy new adjustable strut mounts if not needed.
Can you tell by the way the strut rod is centered when looking under the hood?
I'm so paranoid that I even supplied them with a printout of the instructions from the Ford service manual with all the torque specs and assembly/disassembly procedure...including the part that described strut mount orientation.
The tech said he just pulls off the old strut and puts on the new one so there's no way for him to get them backwards. From what he described I was under the impression that they have one of those wall mounted spring compressors. It sounded like he just removed that strut rod nut, dropped the strut, transferred the boot (and hopefully bump stop) and put the new strut in then tightened the nut.
I REALLY don't want to pay to have them pulled so I can check it...and I don't want to have to buy new adjustable strut mounts if not needed.
Can you tell by the way the strut rod is centered when looking under the hood?
11-12-2011, 02:56 PM
#4
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Alpharetta, GA
Posts: 321
Toe kills tires much faster than camber. Running -1.6 isn't that bad as long as you don't drive dead straight highways for hundreds of miles per week. I run -2.8 on purpose because the corner turn in is pretty amazing. I have zero wear on the inside shoulder, but I also keep the tires rotated on a regular basis.
11-12-2011, 03:11 PM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: OR
Posts: 312
Update: I could stick my arm and hand up under the fender and feel the strut mount notch...it's located to the outside of the car. I don't get it???
The car rides good...and 1.6 is only 0.1 degree out of spec, right?
I'm tempted to leave it and see how the tires wear. I just wish I knew why the camber changed so much.
The car rides good...and 1.6 is only 0.1 degree out of spec, right?
I'm tempted to leave it and see how the tires wear. I just wish I knew why the camber changed so much.
11-12-2011, 05:00 PM
#6
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Goldsboro, NC
Posts: 663
So your only change this time around was the struts/shox and you kept the stock GT Springs!?
Just curious cause I have not talked to people who have done this without changing the springs. SO you saying it was a HUGE difference speaks wonders about the STR.t's over the stock dampeners.
Glad to hear!!
Hope you get the alignment issue worked out.....I knwo how frustrating that can be, we have been chasing a rut wander issue on our Saleen for over a yr now.
Just curious cause I have not talked to people who have done this without changing the springs. SO you saying it was a HUGE difference speaks wonders about the STR.t's over the stock dampeners.
Glad to hear!!
Hope you get the alignment issue worked out.....I knwo how frustrating that can be, we have been chasing a rut wander issue on our Saleen for over a yr now.
Last edited by uin2it; 11-12-2011 at 05:07 PM.
11-12-2011, 11:08 PM
#7
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BC
Posts: 244
You're right - 1.6 degrees isn't a terrible thing at all. Your tires will wear reasonably well so long as your toe is correct and you rotate them once in a while.
If you do want to change the camber, get some H&R camber bolts, not the Eibach bolts. The H&R bolts are much more robust and can be torqued to the full 166 ft-lbs called for.
If you do want to change the camber, get some H&R camber bolts, not the Eibach bolts. The H&R bolts are much more robust and can be torqued to the full 166 ft-lbs called for.
Update: I could stick my arm and hand up under the fender and feel the strut mount notch...it's located to the outside of the car. I don't get it???
The car rides good...and 1.6 is only 0.1 degree out of spec, right?
I'm tempted to leave it and see how the tires wear. I just wish I knew why the camber changed so much.
The car rides good...and 1.6 is only 0.1 degree out of spec, right?
I'm tempted to leave it and see how the tires wear. I just wish I knew why the camber changed so much.
11-12-2011, 11:53 PM
#8
2nd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2010
Location: OR
Posts: 312
So your only change this time around was the struts/shox and you kept the stock GT Springs!?
Just curious cause I have not talked to people who have done this without changing the springs. SO you saying it was a HUGE difference speaks wonders about the STR.t's over the stock dampeners.
Just curious cause I have not talked to people who have done this without changing the springs. SO you saying it was a HUGE difference speaks wonders about the STR.t's over the stock dampeners.
My car is like a luxury cruiser now...while at the same time feeling more in control and less 'floaty'. I'm not sure if this speaks to the quality of the Konis or to how horrible the factory shock/struts were at 20K miles!
As with anything, my car isn't perfect...but it's greatly improved over the factory setup. If I can reduce the body roll just a little bit more I'll be REALLY happy!
You know, there is a section of road I travel on everyday that is deeply rutted in the center lane. My car would wander to the point of being kind of scary if I was going a little bit fast and there were cars in the lanes beside me.
I drove on it today with the Konis and after the alignment had been done and I didn't even notice the rutted pavement. I'm thinking my alignment had more to do with the rut wander issue than the struts/shocks but either way I'm glad to have it mostly gone now!
11-13-2011, 12:11 PM
#9
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: BC
Posts: 244
Sounds like it's working very well, regardless of the unexplained change in camber. How did the shop mount the STR.T's to the upper mount? The top of the Koni strut is machined for the 2005-2010 struts, and the 2011 upper mounts are different. Did they put a spacer in or change the mounts?