Quick alignment question

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
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Aug 16, 2004
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South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Right. That will move the control arm towards the center of the car, reducing negative camber.
 

Matt-98AHU

Loose Nut Behind the Wheel Vendor
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Location
Gresham, OR
TDI
2001 Golf TDI, 2005 Passat wagon, 2004 Touareg V10.
Just like IBW said. Move towards the passenger side to increase camber (reduce negative camber? however you want to think of it) on the left front. This of course does mean that the right front will get more negative camber. So, depending on how close that side is to spec you may be limited in how far you can move to correct the left side before the right goes out of spec.

Though, in my experience, a couple tenths of camber are not going to be noticeable for tire wear or handling. Getting toe 100% correct and replacing worn/loose suspension components is going to take care of any tire wear concern.

Used to love that about Mk3s, I could adjust the camber from the factory on those, I'd put them near -2.0 degrees so I could drive like an even bigger idiot around corners and I still didn't notice any excessive inner tire wear because I drove it harder in corners and I made sure nothing was loose and the toe setting was spot on.

Toe is a far bigger concern when it comes to tire wear than camber.
 

leafs

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2018
Location
canada
TDI
alh
Right. That will move the control arm towards the center of the car, reducing negative camber.
but then if you're camber on the other side is on point it will end up causing that side to go negative??

my camber is -1 on the left side (which seems to within spec according to the alignment paper they gave me which indicates -1 to 0) and +1.4 on the right. I think the previous owner hit something on the right side. The newer different brand tire that was there seems to indicate something happened and when I was installing and removing the struts that side was a real PITA getting them in an out of the hole/slot... I'm thinking bent knuckle. probably going to leave it for now and dirty old man winter is starting to rear his ugly head.
 
Last edited:

leafs

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2018
Location
canada
TDI
alh
Just like IBW said. Move towards the passenger side to increase camber (reduce negative camber? however you want to think of it) on the left front. This of course does mean that the right front will get more negative camber. So, depending on how close that side is to spec you may be limited in how far you can move to correct the left side before the right goes out of spec.
Though, in my experience, a couple tenths of camber are not going to be noticeable for tire wear or handling. Getting toe 100% correct and replacing worn/loose suspension components is going to take care of any tire wear concern.
Used to love that about Mk3s, I could adjust the camber from the factory on those, I'd put them near -2.0 degrees so I could drive like an even bigger idiot around corners and I still didn't notice any excessive inner tire wear because I drove it harder in corners and I made sure nothing was loose and the toe setting was spot on.
Toe is a far bigger concern when it comes to tire wear than camber.
did you notice any issues steering when it was wet?
 

Matt-98AHU

Loose Nut Behind the Wheel Vendor
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Location
Gresham, OR
TDI
2001 Golf TDI, 2005 Passat wagon, 2004 Touareg V10.
but then if you're camber on the other side is on point it will end up causing that side to go negative??

my camber is -1 on the left side (which seems to within spec according to the alignment paper they gave me which indicates -1 to 0) and +1.4 on the right. I think the previous owner hit something on the right side. The newer different brand tire that was there seems to indicate something happened and when I was installing and removing the struts that side was a real PITA getting them in an out of the hole/slot... I'm thinking bent knuckle. probably going to leave it for now and dirty old man winter is starting to rear his ugly head.
Positive camber to that degree is far more likely to be a bent control arm than anything else. Possibly a little bit of a tweaked subframe, too, but mostly in that control arm.
 

leafs

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2018
Location
canada
TDI
alh
Positive camber to that degree is far more likely to be a bent control arm than anything else. Possibly a little bit of a tweaked subframe, too, but mostly in that control arm.
I did take a real good look at the subframe and control arm and dindnt notice anything obvious. The positive camber is visually detectable however. thank god for the parts car I guess. :)
 

dirtride

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 30, 2013
Location
GROK-west coast, USA
TDI
2003 Golf
Very good, thank you very much! That is what I thought, my left is a few tenths out (neg) and the right is few tenths green. Figured I would try to even it out before I buy new tires.
 
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