What Causes the Negative Camber After Installing Coilovers?
2 Answers
After installing coilovers, the negative camber (slight outward tilt) occurs because the vehicle's ride height is lowered, which is a normal phenomenon. Advantages of Coilovers: The main advantage of coilovers lies in their high adjustability. Coilovers allow for adjustments in spring height, suspension stiffness, and damping speed, offering both playability and practicality. They can balance daily driving comfort and performance, making them an excellent choice for enthusiasts with a higher budget. Disadvantages of Coilovers: The drawbacks of coilovers include the complexity of the adjustment process. Without sufficient technical knowledge, it can be challenging to properly tune the chassis. Additionally, coilovers tend to be more expensive.
I installed coilovers to make my car handle more stably, especially for quicker response when cornering. After installation, the front wheels have a bit of negative camber, meaning they tilt inward, which is quite common. The main reason is that lowering the suspension height naturally changes the angle between the chassis and the tires, similar to how a person's knees bend when squatting. If the installation isn't calibrated properly, or if the new suspension doesn't match the original car parts, the negative camber can become more pronounced. I recommend getting a four-wheel alignment service immediately after modification to adjust the angles within a reasonable range. Otherwise, tire wear accelerates, especially on the inner edges, leading to higher costs for replacements and increased danger due to unstable steering. I didn’t pay attention to this issue before and later found the inner edges of my tires almost completely worn out, costing me thousands to replace them. Now, after every modification, I have the mechanic check the camber parameters and keep them within the manufacturer's recommended range to balance performance and safety. Regular maintenance can save a lot of trouble.
