So I'm standing in front of my lifted 85 wagon, and staring at that negative camber, and I'm thinking to myself, "jeez, I bet that's gonna eat those front tires!"

 

Will it?

Pyro

Mine has never eaten any tires. But, I dont have any negative camber either.

 

-Brian

Mine has never eaten any tires. But, I dont have any negative camber either.

 

-Brian

 

Is your lack of negative camber because your PK lifted Soob is EA81? I see it's 1984, that's EA81 I think?

 

The negative camber on mine is not extreme, but visably noticable when sitting on level pavement. Maybe it was there before the lift, and I just didn't see it.

 

Pyro

Yes, i have a EA81... but even EA82's shouldnt have any negative camber.

 

If you have adjustable front struts, make sure they are adjusted down all the way. If you have your struts extended you will get negative camber.

 

-Brian

Brian's correct, there shouldn't be neg. camber with a pk/byb kit. I've not had any wear issues on either wagon.

I think you guys mean to say positive camber, most older soobs come stock with about 1 degree of positive camber (top of the tire leaning out). I think the top strut blocks need to be installed in the correct position, mine has an arrow on it, that might change the camber?

Wouldn't an allignment take care of the camber even if you had a lift and had the front adjusted up.

nO YOU CAN'T ADJUST THE CAMBER ON EARLY SOOBS

Yes, it's true, I don't know negative from positive. But from the front it looks a bit like this \ /

 

 

 

Not bad, and I've read they all do somewhat anyway.

 

 

 

Strut extentions are installed correctly.

 

 

 

I was just wondering.

 

Pyro

I have no lift but my car had the V on the front and was eating tires.. now they are mostly staight but when i back up they go the other way / \ not too much but it bothers me as well .. I haven't noticed any changes in tire wear or anything and I have been keeping an eye on them.

Yes, it's true, I don't know negative from positive. But from the front it looks a bit like this \ /

 

 

 

Not bad, and I've read they all do somewhat anyway.

 

 

 

Strut extentions are installed correctly.

 

 

 

I was just wondering.

 

Pyro

 

because there's less surface area on the road the rubber will wear quicker, being that a smaller amount is support the weight of the vehicle. if you have the V in the front, then obviously you're going to have outer edge wear and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

i don't know much about 80's subarus but i do know that if it can be adjusted, the problem most likely won't be able to be completely fixed if it's that visible. the adjustments have limitations.

 

also, you may not be able to take it to any old repair shop for a front end alignment because they won't have the specs for it. They'll have the specs for the car, but not for the modifications, which make the specs of your car meaningless.

 

 

you're on your own.

 

good luck

Did you get the 4/4 lift? My loyale has the same stance in the front, \ / I wondered if i screwed up, but others said it always ended up like that. I've got my doubts, but there's not a heck of a lot you can do.

Did you get the 4/4 lift? My loyale has the same stance in the front, \ / I wondered if i screwed up, but others said it always ended up like that. I've got my doubts, but there's not a heck of a lot you can do.

 

No, 3x3. I'm not gonna let it bug me. I'll run cheap tires till I find out how long they last.

My AA lift looked like it had some strange camber stuff going on, but now that I've put about 600 miles on it, including a couple muddin trips, they look pretty straight.

 

As said before, older soobs have no camber adjustment, and are supposed to have some positive camber from the factory. so don't sweat it too much, a lift and oversized tires make it look worse than it is, especially right after you set it on the ground.

As has been said, apparently there some of this camber issue from the factory. Also, the more I drive it, the less noticeable it became. It is still visable. My tires are 24", so I guess thats a small amount taller than stock.

 

The physics of the situation would seem to indicate that there will indeed be some premature tire edge wear.

 

We shall see. No biggie.

 

I got these Goodyears for like 28 bucks a piece from Schwab. There single ply on the sidewalls and handle like crap. Can't wait to get Allied Armament 15s!!

 

Then comes the what will be the hard part for me, deciding what tires to put on the 15s. I could keep the little Goodyears for the road, put big meats on for coyote, deer and elk. Or maybe try 26'x15 for everything. Sure wish I could drive sombodys lifted rig a few miles to know first hand how our gearing handles bigger tires.

 

I'm still running stock (de-emmisioned) hitache, so she's no power house. Trying to get a weber at this time. Losing the clutch fan helped a little, as did makeing her breath better. We'll see.

 

 

 

Pyro

because there's less surface area on the road the rubber will wear quicker, being that a smaller amount is support the weight of the vehicle. if you have the V in the front, then obviously you're going to have outer edge wear and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

 

i don't know much about 80's subarus but i do know that if it can be adjusted, the problem most likely won't be able to be completely fixed if it's that visible. the adjustments have limitations.

 

also, you may not be able to take it to any old repair shop for a front end alignment because they won't have the specs for it. They'll have the specs for the car, but not for the modifications, which make the specs of your car meaningless.

 

 

you're on your own.

 

good luck

 

Well, I am familiar with '80's Subaru's. I have had a few lifted ones as well. There are not any factory adjustments for camber or caster in the front. It will settle in some after a few miles(100 miles or so). The first thing that people tell you is that having your tires like that is going to destroy your tires. What the uninformed fail to recognize is that people generally put an all-terrain truck tire on after lifting. Or at the very least a larger tire/wheel combo. These tires are designed to support alot more weight than they will be on a Subaru. Hence, these tires are also usually stiffer as well. Any tire wear you experience will be from hard cornering that you used to be able to do that you shouldn't do now.

 

You may experience a small amount of tire wear. But, they shouldn't wear out in a couple hundred miles either. I replaced a set of Cooper Discoverers after about 30K miles and they still had wear left. As a matter of fact I know that they got another couple of years out of them as they were still on the lifted Brat in Texas that got rearended.

 

You should alter your driving style somewhat because you didn't build a street racer you are building an off-road rig.

Front tires are wearing normaly and evenly. EA82 BYB 3" lift. Thousands of miles on lift and tires now; offroad, street, and interstate.

 

Actually my tires are hardly worn at all. They still look new really. I bought tires rated for a truck twice the weight

I replaced a set of Cooper Discoverers after about 30K miles and they still had wear left. As a matter of fact I know that they got another couple of years out of them as they were still on the lifted Brat in Texas that got rearended.

 

 

Just to add to that, I had that brat apart for a new axle and tie rod end less than a year ago and there was STILL no camber wear apparent.

 

OTOH, my lowered soob still has positive camber.. It has always eaten tires.. I was hoping lowering it would help, but if it did, it wasn't much

Really great information guys, much appreciated!!

 

 

 

Pyro

I just finnished My 4/3 lift and took her for the first spin. I think the comment about the over size making it more apperent is right on as well as

Qman in that you are building an off road rig and they just drive different. I fit 15x6 yota wheels w/215/75/15 hankook mudders on. just under 28".

I now have a clean 12" clearance front to back under the rear dif.

Although it's maybe because I installed newer coilovers and strutts when I installed the lift, my girl actualy drives better than before the lift.

Pyro

 

I just finnished My 4/3 lift and took her for the first spin. I think the comment about the over size making it more apperent is right on as well as

Qman in that you are building an off road rig and they just drive different. I fit 15x6 yota wheels w/215/75/15 hankook mudders on. just under 28".

I now have a clean 12" clearance front to back under the rear dif.