View Poll Results: Need a camber kit for your GS?
Yes, I really need one!!
351
81.82%
No, I dont plan on lowering my car.
13
3.03%
No, I like eating the inside of my tires in 15K - 20K miles.
26
6.06%
What's a camber kit?
39
9.09%
Voters: 429. You may not vote on this poll
Need a Camber Kit for your GS?
#166
Lexus Champion
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hey do u guys think that the front upper control arm for the ls400 is the same as the one for the GS400??? just a thought.... n wow these prices r nuts...i'll have to wait for used ones it looks like..
#168
Ok, one last time......
Does anyone know FOR A FACT that it is their camber causing the problem? I have said it SO SO SO many times and it's like nobody is listening, so this truly is the final inquisition on this.
Do you KNOW FOR A FACT that you need additional camber adjustment? If yes, then what are your current alignment specs?
This is the starting point.
********************************
Also:
Are you aware that most (if not all) additional camber adjustment will REDUCE tire to fender clearance? Meaning that your tires WILL rub if they are close to rubbing now.
If your camber is around 1.25 (or even 1.5) degrees or less, it is probably your TOE setting that is causing the problem. This is caused either by bad toe settings, or worn bushings or something similar.
It is amazing how people have irregular tire wear, then immediately point to and blame the camber. "I need a camber kit! My tires are wearing out!" When in fact, these people have NO idea what their alignment specs are, what it would need to be to cause this problem, what the consequences of additional camber adjustment are, what actually causes certain types of tire wear, etc.
Oftentimes it's their not-so-knowing mechanic that tells them this, so unfortunately it just gets the misinformation domino effect started.
One more time, THESE CARS HAVE CHRONIC PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUT ROD/CASTER ARM BUSHINGS which is usually the cause of tire wear problems. Put a new arm, different bushings, whatever. That will more often than not fix it.
After I say this, people say, "my mechanic looked at it, the arms/bushings are ok." NOT! They might look ok, but they are not ok. This is just the nature of the beast with these cars. If someone doesn't know the intricacies of these cars, they will be fooled. Bottom line.
Also, the rear virtually ALWAYS has more camber issue than the front, but the requests for "I need a camber kit" are almost always for the front of the car. I always then ask, how are your rear tires? Then they get mad and say, "I didnt' say that! I don't need one in the rear, my rear tires are fine! I need one for the front I told you!" By virtue of logic, what does this tell you??
In any case, I can do something custom on the rear, but I have yet to find someone who can furnish some TRULY accurate current rear settings as a starting point, which would be the first step. From there, I actually have something I can do, but nobody has stepped up to the plate yet. Figure around $400 for this, but I'm not going to bother to get an exact figure until someone actually commits to it. $400 is probably pretty close though. Even if it's more I'll probably just stick to that price on the first one out of courtesy.
Funny how you put something real on the table and everyone scatters. Let's see what happens from here. Hopefully someone does this as I'm very interested to see how it works out in actual use.
Does anyone know FOR A FACT that it is their camber causing the problem? I have said it SO SO SO many times and it's like nobody is listening, so this truly is the final inquisition on this.
Do you KNOW FOR A FACT that you need additional camber adjustment? If yes, then what are your current alignment specs?
This is the starting point.
********************************
Also:
Are you aware that most (if not all) additional camber adjustment will REDUCE tire to fender clearance? Meaning that your tires WILL rub if they are close to rubbing now.
If your camber is around 1.25 (or even 1.5) degrees or less, it is probably your TOE setting that is causing the problem. This is caused either by bad toe settings, or worn bushings or something similar.
It is amazing how people have irregular tire wear, then immediately point to and blame the camber. "I need a camber kit! My tires are wearing out!" When in fact, these people have NO idea what their alignment specs are, what it would need to be to cause this problem, what the consequences of additional camber adjustment are, what actually causes certain types of tire wear, etc.
Oftentimes it's their not-so-knowing mechanic that tells them this, so unfortunately it just gets the misinformation domino effect started.
One more time, THESE CARS HAVE CHRONIC PROBLEMS WITH THE STRUT ROD/CASTER ARM BUSHINGS which is usually the cause of tire wear problems. Put a new arm, different bushings, whatever. That will more often than not fix it.
After I say this, people say, "my mechanic looked at it, the arms/bushings are ok." NOT! They might look ok, but they are not ok. This is just the nature of the beast with these cars. If someone doesn't know the intricacies of these cars, they will be fooled. Bottom line.
Also, the rear virtually ALWAYS has more camber issue than the front, but the requests for "I need a camber kit" are almost always for the front of the car. I always then ask, how are your rear tires? Then they get mad and say, "I didnt' say that! I don't need one in the rear, my rear tires are fine! I need one for the front I told you!" By virtue of logic, what does this tell you??
In any case, I can do something custom on the rear, but I have yet to find someone who can furnish some TRULY accurate current rear settings as a starting point, which would be the first step. From there, I actually have something I can do, but nobody has stepped up to the plate yet. Figure around $400 for this, but I'm not going to bother to get an exact figure until someone actually commits to it. $400 is probably pretty close though. Even if it's more I'll probably just stick to that price on the first one out of courtesy.
Funny how you put something real on the table and everyone scatters. Let's see what happens from here. Hopefully someone does this as I'm very interested to see how it works out in actual use.
Last edited by Ex996; 05-08-07 at 01:06 PM. Reason: more info
#170
Rookie
iTrader: (15)
But it is not recommended because you have no way of telling what your readings are unless you have a mechanical gauge to measure your toe and camber. I was fortunate that all I needed was minor adjustments.
You're going to have to drive a bit further. Bring it to a shop because you can easily mess up your alignment and your tires will be eating away quicker than it is right now.
#171
Lexus Connoisseur
I did my own alignment. The actual work isn't hard. What's hard is finding out how much toe/camber you need. I did my alignment by trial and error () and now I have no uneven tire wear at all.
But it is not recommended because you have no way of telling what your readings are unless you have a mechanical gauge to measure your toe and camber. I was fortunate that all I needed was minor adjustments.
You're going to have to drive a bit further. Bring it to a shop because you can easily mess up your alignment and your tires will be eating away quicker than it is right now.
But it is not recommended because you have no way of telling what your readings are unless you have a mechanical gauge to measure your toe and camber. I was fortunate that all I needed was minor adjustments.
You're going to have to drive a bit further. Bring it to a shop because you can easily mess up your alignment and your tires will be eating away quicker than it is right now.
#172
Pole Position
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I did my own alignment. The actual work isn't hard. What's hard is finding out how much toe/camber you need. I did my alignment by trial and error () and now I have no uneven tire wear at all.
But it is not recommended because you have no way of telling what your readings are unless you have a mechanical gauge to measure your toe and camber. I was fortunate that all I needed was minor adjustments.
You're going to have to drive a bit further. Bring it to a shop because you can easily mess up your alignment and your tires will be eating away quicker than it is right now.
But it is not recommended because you have no way of telling what your readings are unless you have a mechanical gauge to measure your toe and camber. I was fortunate that all I needed was minor adjustments.
You're going to have to drive a bit further. Bring it to a shop because you can easily mess up your alignment and your tires will be eating away quicker than it is right now.
#173
Lexus Test Driver
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: South Walton County, FL
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I got a sheet back with mine as well. I'm on Tein CS and 20" staggered. The shop was able to get the front near perfect, but the rear is -1.5 and -2.4 [rear-left & rear-right]---why does this not make sense? It seems like if they could get the front in spec.. the rear could be done as well. I called them back because the camber actually got worst in the rear while they had the car... and they tried to explain to me that adjusting the toe in spec on the rear made the camber go farther out of spec. Can anyone make sense on this? Or tell me if the shop is bs'ing. I'm at about 500 miles on my MRR GT1's/Falken Fk452's........ trying not to eat these bad boys up!
#174
Northern California Regional Officer
iTrader: (5)
I got a sheet back with mine as well. I'm on Tein CS and 20" staggered. The shop was able to get the front near perfect, but the rear is -1.5 and -2.4 [rear-left & rear-right]---why does this not make sense? It seems like if they could get the front in spec.. the rear could be done as well. I called them back because the camber actually got worst in the rear while they had the car... and they tried to explain to me that adjusting the toe in spec on the rear made the camber go farther out of spec. Can anyone make sense on this? Or tell me if the shop is bs'ing. I'm at about 500 miles on my MRR GT1's/Falken Fk452's........ trying not to eat these bad boys up!
#175
Lexus Test Driver
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Rear toe is adjusted only through the A-arms, while front toe is adjusted through the steering linkage, which is an independent toe adjustment from the A-arms, so you can adjust camber independently from the toe in the front, but in the rear adjusting toe can affect camber adjustments and vice versa.
#176
Northern California Regional Officer
iTrader: (5)
You really have to find a shop you trust with the balance of the specs. Just because one spec is out and the other in doesn't necessarily constitute a bad alignment. If your car is lowered, than just achieving stock specs aren't necessarily the ideal setting anyway. That would be no different than trying to tune your engine A/F to stock spec when you have aftermarket headers and intake. Stock specs will work, but it's not necessarily ideal.
#177
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Dec 2005
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There is no need for a camber kit for a LExus GS. I recommend Bear Alignment in Monterey Park, CA on Garvey. These use the old school method-gauges. If your car is lowered, they can align it. Give them a call. That is where I am headed in about 2 weeks once I put my shocks/lowering springs.
#178
There is no need for a camber kit for a LExus GS. I recommend Bear Alignment in Monterey Park, CA on Garvey. These use the old school method-gauges. If your car is lowered, they can align it. Give them a call. That is where I am headed in about 2 weeks once I put my shocks/lowering springs.
I think this is a problem that is just now coming home to roost with the GS. So many folks have lowered their 3rd Gen GS's and soon they will find out that there is no way to avoid abnormal tire wear. In fact, I would be that most don't even know what camber is! First comes the howling, then the tread bars appear on the inside edges. I've already gone thru two sets of tires, been to three shops and have given up. I will never lower a car again that doesn't have adjustable camber.
The only consolation is that my car looks SO GOOD lowered- I get a huge amount of compliments on it. But, this tire problem has diminished my ownership satisfaction significantly.
#180