I like a lot of people are wearing the inside edges of my rear tires. In 4K miles I am down to 3/32 at the edge. The rest of the tire is good. I just had them flipped on the rim. I am considering installing installing thicker spring pads to raise the rear up from 0.5-1 inch to reduce the camber. I have a stock '97 2.8. I have tried to measure the stock spring pads and they seem to be 10mm. Pads in 5, 7.5, 10 and 15mm are available. I am considering installing an additional 10mm pad.
Will this make enough of a camber difference?
Will this effect my handling much?
I have ruled out other options such as adjustable bushings due to cost.
Should I just forget about it and keep bying tires?
Thanks,
Mike
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| Reply » Spring Pads To Improve Rear Tire Wear? |
I'm guessing that spring pads aren't going to help that much. What are your current alignment numbers and ride height? How many miles on your springs and shocks?
One tire costs more than the Ireland toe and camber kits if you can do the labor yourself. The grunt work there is removing the subframe, so if you can just do that part, a local shop shouldn't charge you too much to install them. Some minor grinding and welding.
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| Reply » Spring Pads To Improve Rear Tire Wear? |
Problem tends to be incorret toe along with teh camber. Camber alone doesn't do that much wear.
Other option, drive harder.  Actually if you drive harder, the negative camber does its job and the runs flat under cornering loads, and wears more evenly. Of course, you may just wear out the entire tire in not many miles.
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| Reply » Spring Pads To Improve Rear Tire Wear? |
I have ~66K miles with original springs and shocks. I don't have alignment numbers or ride height numbers on hand now. A while back I measured ride height without anyone in the car and just a full tank of gas. All corners seemed about equal. I do have the specs and weight loading that BMW recommends.
Based on wear I was rulling out toe. (might be a bad assumption) I see no feathering across the tire just wear at the edge. Also I felt that both tires having a toe problem is less likely. I can understand one tire having a toe problem due to suspension damage.
Thanks
Mike
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| Reply » Spring Pads To Improve Rear Tire Wear? |
On other cars with IRS, they find that the problem is the excessive tow-out generated during the ordinary movement of the rear suspension, IF the camber starts too negative. This transient tow-out is not measured during an ordinary alignment, and the effect is magnified by saggy springs and shocks allowing greater movement through the suspension's travel.
I vote for using pads to help you sagging rear springs back to near-stock ride height -- as a cheap first try. Or some good used springs from someone who has upgraded their car.
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| Reply » Spring Pads To Improve Rear Tire Wear? |
No evidence the ride height is not stock.
Funny thing, there are those with lowered cars, that don't have this problem.
Anyway, a swing axle should toe IN on bump, toe out on droop (to a point). The swing axis is angled, for the left rear, from left front to right rear.
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Spring Pads To Improve Rear Tire Wear?