pontifex4

So I dropped my car off at an alignment shop this morning and we have a problem:

I have WAY too much negative camber and toe-out!
- Roughly -5 degrees on the driver side camber, -3.5 on the passenger side.
- Toe-out on the order of two or three degrees.
- The car also still pulls to the right.

The car has 944S M474 struts, and has just had '87 or '88 951 spindles/calipers/rotors added. He got all the movement he could from the camber eccentric, but thinks we may have to try a different camber bolt. Is there a turbo-specific camber bolt?

Any ideas?

DanR

-5 degrees, how? I struggle to get much beyond -3 for my track car.

pontifex4

Believe me, I don't know! It looks ridiculous, and it's not even equal. The car turns in like crazy (obviously) but I certainly can't leave it this way.

Do I understand correctly that more negative camber means the wheels will tend to toe out? If so, I guess that explains my toe out.

Could there be something wrong with the struts? What if they're actually early offset struts? Would that cause this?

krystar

it's prob not the struts but the control arms or ball joint that are faulty...if anything's faulty.

are the tie rods maxed out on the thread? cause...there's alot of thread on those things

pontifex4

What would you say would most likely have affected both sides during the change of spindles and struts?

Good question. As I understand it, more negative camber means more toe out, but does less toe out (i.e. adjusting the tie rods) make for less negative camber?

pontifex4

What if I somehow had massively excessive caster? Could that cause what I'm seeing here?

b5audia4

I had my 944S aligned by Mantis Racing out in Oakville this spring after installing Welt lowering springs. They used a camber kit to fix the front - try giving them a call as they are 944 specialists.

Bri Bro

The struts. You really need to bring it to the shop that knows the 944 setup. Something is way out and you need someone who has setup aftermarket parts which sometimes don't align well. I am not sure what is on your car but the point you need a pro. It will be money well spend.

944Ross

Are you saying this is as close to spec as the shop can get your alignment?

knfeparty

dude don't worry about it that's how I roll.

But yeah check your strut mounts, ball joints, and control arm bushings? caster blocks too.

eman930

Time to go to a new shop, and have everything looked over

pontifex4

Hi, Joe: any idea how much "fixing" the front needed? Was the problem too much negative camber?

Thanks.

pontifex4

Update:
I took some pictures. Something doesn't look right at the top of the struts. I still have my old ones -- can I scavenge whatever piece appears to be missing from them and put it on without taking the whole strut off?

knfeparty

okay well for one .... your pass. strut mount is WAY separated. Believe it or not the metal is supposed to touch the rubber...I am looking for some too don't feel bad.

And what happened to your driver's side mount?

Time for some KLA monoballs or some camber plates.

m73m95

WOW yeah .... those strut mounts are toast. Both are completely broken.

I can't believe the top of the tire doesn't get into the spring.