Camber kit??

[Tron2004]

Does anyone know the cost of a VY rear camber kit and where they can be purchased??

[cyal8r]

I think they cost between about $400 and $600 depending on where you buy it or the brand. Any suspention place like pedders will sell and fit that kind of stuff but I was told when I lowered my ute it wasn't worth gettiing one.

[vy clubbie]

K Mac have a good one Tru track in Melbourne or CSV have them

Mark

[COOKIE!]

I got mine (nolteck i think) off eBay for $90 and got it fitted for $110. It was half the price of what others were quoting.

[Tron2004]

I think they cost between about $400 and $600 depending on where you buy it or the brand. Any suspention place like pedders will sell and fit that kind of stuff but I was told when I lowered my ute it wasn't worth gettiing one.
The negative camber on the rear wheels looks neato BUT... it's causing the inside edge of the tyres to wear slightly more than anywhere else.
And I suppose the all important traction would be losing out somewhat too.

[downbylaw]

The negative camber on the rear wheels looks neato BUT... it's causing the inside edge of the tyres to wear slightly more than anywhere else.
And I suppose the all important traction would be losing out somewhat too.

I would have thought the neg camber is better for traction especially around corners. Im no einstein but wouldnt the wheels being on the angle help to grip and get more tyre on the road compared to something straight??

[EpOcH]

I was quoted for around the 400$ mark for a rear camber kit for my car.

The problem Downbylaw, is that only an inch of the tyre actually contacts and wears, do a search for "Camber issue" it would probably throw you that much information you think reading the bible would be less. The end result being inside edge of tyres are canvas/steel belt with the rest of the tyre looking like it could do another 50,000km's but ofcourse cant.

[Ryzz]

I would have thought the neg camber is better for traction especially around corners. Im no einstein but wouldnt the wheels being on the angle help to grip and get more tyre on the road compared to something straight??
Around a corner, yes, in a straight line, taking off from the traffic lights, at the drag strip, etc NO as you have LESS rubber on the road as only 1/4 to 1/2 your tyre is actually connecting to the road.

[SuddenImpact]

Whiteline part# KCA384 cost $170 NZ + fitting

[REVY]

I have a VY Berlina wagon gen3 fitted with FE2, I had a Kmac Rear camber kit fitted to my car by Holden under warranty due to uneven tyre wear. It was actually wearing the outside edge as well, It was not a easy job to get it done under warranty, I was told at first, "You must be not carrying any load in the back (Indicating may be i should drive around with a few bags of cement in the back) just take it to Bob Jane ect. for a wheel alignment, adjustment are not covered under warranty". NOT HAPPY JAN.
Got alignment report done finaly thru Holden after talking with Holden Australia and the dealer again (Several times)
Left- camber -0.8, toe +1.9, Right- camber -2.0, toe +0.9
It took almost 3 months Dealing with Holden Australia and my local dealer before it got done. Now car sits very nice with 0 toe and -0.4 camber, tyre wear under control. Try your luck at a warranty job (Long hard fight) If not I think the the Kmac kits are about $200+ Instal. (Let Kmac do it, big job worth every cent you will pay them).

[bassplayer]

im gettin a rear camber kit fitted next week. ive been quoted $250 incl. fitting. pedders ones are for sale on ebay for $125 if that helps.
the above is for a vt wagon.

[Fixel]

Oh and don't forget to ask if it's a 'two point' or 'four point' kit.

Personaly I chose a four point kit.

[Swordie]

Interesting comments on VY tyre wear. My wagon with FE2 and 16 inch wheels has done 60,000 on the current set of tyres so far with probably another 10,000 left.

[exwrx]

Interesting comments on VY tyre wear. My wagon with FE2 and 16 inch wheels has done 60,000 on the current set of tyres so far with probably another 10,000 left.

Swordie, LS1 wagons squat a lot more under acceleration than your V6. That's where a lot of the wear occurs. ;)

[antvt]

fulcrum also make a pretty god camber kit. i just had one of theirs fitted to my VT sedan, after it was lowered with superlows. cant think of exact price, but it was 500 - 600 fitted. seems to be ok so far, just looks better than it did before.

[mal007]

I'm a bit confused, (though i'll admit it's not hard to do)

anyway, I had a VT that had very bad tyre wear issues if I towed or put a lot of load in) it really needed a camber kit but sold the car before getting around to it.

Now I have a VY and have put Pedders springs in to drop 15-20mm. Pedders didn't put the springs in but for convenience I took it to them for camber check. They said they adjusted it and was ok, they went on further to explain the vy's are mostly fixed and anyway have adjustable camber.

they might have been pulling my leg but fact is I don't have tyre wear problems.?

[Ryzz]

I'm a bit confused, (though i'll admit it's not hard to do)

anyway, I had a VT that had very bad tyre wear issues if I towed or put a lot of load in) it really needed a camber kit but sold the car before getting around to it.

Now I have a VY and have put Pedders springs in to drop 15-20mm. Pedders didn't put the springs in but for convenience I took it to them for camber check. They said they adjusted it and was ok, they went on further to explain the vy's are mostly fixed and anyway have adjustable camber.

they might have been pulling my leg but fact is I don't have tyre wear problems.?
The VY's came with an adjustable rear end meaning they could dial camber in and out without aftermarket kits. Legs not being pulled here.

[mal007]

Well thats what I thought, so why are so many people fitting camber kits to VY's?

[Ryzz]

Well thats what I thought, so why are so many people fitting camber kits to VY's?
Taking a wild guess (read: i dont know the answer) maybe the aftermarket kits have more adjustment in them? otherwise i really dont know

[SuddenImpact]

Because my very lowered ute is chewing out the inside of my 19" rubber and I need more adjustment. :rolleyes:

[alexcs]

i am to understand the vy and vz utes dont have adjustable camber in the rear, is this correct? i heard something about them having adjustable toe, which would in turn assist with camber, but this is probably bs.

anyone know for sure? in VZ especially.

[exwrx]

i am to understand the vy and vz utes dont have adjustable camber in the rear, is this correct? i heard something about them having adjustable toe, which would in turn assist with camber, but this is probably bs.

anyone know for sure? in VZ especially.

VZ is the first ute to have the toe links which were introduced in sedans/wagons/coupes with VXII.

Strange but true.

[alexcs]

ok so does this mean i can have my toe in, and therefore camber adjusted? i have jsut had the ute lowered, quite substantially at the back, and there is at least 1.5 degrees of neg camber.

if i can tell them exactly what to do, ill get penrith wholesale to align the rear when i go in for the 1000km align.

[HOTSV8]

My VY is pretty low and i am having major tyre wear on the insides also . I will be looking to get a camber kit fitted soon .

[cheffy]

The main issue with the tyre wear comes from the toe out settings not the camber.. I use the noltec kits because they have a knurled section in them which keeps the grease in the bush for longer...

[Tron2004]

The VY's came with an adjustable rear end meaning they could dial camber in and out without aftermarket kits. Legs not being pulled here.
Interesting!!
Might have to look into this before purchasing an aftermarket kit.

[seldo]

I was talking to a diff specialist today who told me that lately he is doing a roaring trade in fixing diffs where they have fitted a camber kit and the camber kit removes the required end-float in the cv joints and they destroy the retainers and bearings on the output shafts and then the diff gears. I think from memory he said when the camber kit pulled the bottom of the cv in, it meant that under bump, the cvs ran out of travel and so all the lateral suspension loads were fed into the diff side bearings which undid the retainers and then destroyed the bearings.... Just be careful...

[Ryzz]

I was talking to a diff specialist today who told me that lately he is doing a roaring trade in fixing diffs where they have fitted a camber kit and the camber kit removes the required end-float in the cv joints and they destroy the retainers and bearings on the output shafts and then the diff gears. I think from memory he said when the camber kit pulled the bottom of the cv in, it meant that under bump, the cvs ran out of travel and so all the lateral suspension loads were fed into the diff side bearings which undid the retainers and then destroyed the bearings.... Just be careful...
Yikes, first ive ever heard about that. Sound rather nasty!!

[seldo]

Yikes, first ive ever heard about that. Sound rather nasty!!
Yeah. But when you think about it, it certainly makes sense. He thought they were the best things for business...;)

[Ryzz]

Yeah. But when you think about it, it certainly makes sense. He thought they were the best things for business...;)
Yeah i guess when you think of the physics of it it all fits in place. Suprised more people havnt spoken of this

[alexcs]

ok guys, my 04 VZ ute doesnt have the toe adjustment on the sedans, contrary to what someone said in here. it would be good if someone with an 05 VZ ute could get theirs up on a hoist and look if theirs has it, its apparently quite an apparatus. dont go by what dealers etc have told you, either you or somone whos knows what theyre looking for, have a look.

perhaps they changed the design since sept 04 build vz utes, but i strongly doubt it.

[seldo]

Yeah i guess when you think of the physics of it it all fits in place. Suprised more people havnt spoken of this
Maybe nobody has put 2 & 2 together before...
I was there again today getting my diff checked and he was showing me on the hoist what the problem was. Said that it applied particularly to cars that were very low because the lowering also had the effect of straightening the CVs which in turn had the effect of lengthening them..(they normally run in a slight droop towards the outside). Also, the cars that are very low also have the most problem with camber, so they have the camber mods at max... First thing this morning he had just come from a Holden dealer after advising them on a problem with the very same thing, and was a little puzzled that the problem was only recent... He said that at normal running ride-height that there should be about 4-8mm of slack in the CVs. He then checked mine (only lowered about an inch) and said that even they were only marginal even though it is just the standard HSV set-up..... He showed me what happens, and that is the inner end of the CV gets forced in towards the diff under suspension bump and in extreme situations it grabs the bearing retainer and rips it from the retaining-lug-plate and basically unscrews it. This of course allows the output shaft bearings to move out which takes the crown-wheel away from the pinion mesh and it rips the teeth off the cw&p.... It also only happens under max load so the damage is pretty complete....Ermmm...how much for a new diff Mista..? Also suggested that the manufacturer of one of the most commonly used camber kits was aware of the problem but seemed to be taking a shrug-the-shoulders attitude...

[Fixel]

This all is sounding a bit conspiracy theoryish to me?

People keeping silent about known apparently common problems and the like?

I'm not saying that it couldn't happen, just how likely is it?

Is it me or hasn't anyone else thought of how much noise and vibration/shudder would happen if a CV was hitting the diff housing?

I mean, are we talking about one hit, off the retainer pops and bye bye diff? Or would this be a gradual thing?

A loose retainer on a destroyed diff would be an obvious thing, are other people seeing them?

Lowered Commys with IRS arses have been around since 1992. Has anyone else seen these self-distructed diffs?

He could be adding a bit of exaggeration to his stories maybe?

[VX2VESS]

I was talking to a diff specialist today who told me that lately he is doing a roaring trade in fixing diffs where they have fitted a camber kit and the camber kit removes the required end-float in the cv joints and they destroy the retainers and bearings on the output shafts and then the diff gears. I think from memory he said when the camber kit pulled the bottom of the cv in, it meant that under bump, the cvs ran out of travel and so all the lateral suspension loads were fed into the diff side bearings which undid the retainers and then destroyed the bearings.... Just be careful...

this has been known for a good 3-4 years. the early fitters of camber kits found out the hard way on VTs, stuffed diffs.

if they are adjusted right leaving enough play on the shaft they are ok. mines been on 2-3 years.

now as for the later cars having adjustable camber, not true they don't. they have adjustable toe links only.

camber kits have some camber adjustment but mostly move toe. too much camber correction on a low car will punch the diff out. really need shorter cv shafts to get more camber correction with the kits for low cars. this is why the kits never get rid of it all, they can, but they can't due to the cv shafts, some knob head fitters may still go to far on some cars. so to correct camber you have to move the bottom of the wheel in, which takes up the free play in the cv shaft.if corrected to far (no much play) as the wheel move back to center the shaft takes up the slack has no where else to go and the shaft punches into the diff center.

vx2 and after had better camber built into the trailing arm itself, so do utes. made them with a better angle on them.

so when fitting camber kits they should take the springs out after to check the cv shaft free play. lower the car so the cv shafts are dead level and make sure they still have not reached the end of there free play slide.

[exwrx]

ok guys, my 04 VZ ute doesnt have the toe adjustment on the sedans, contrary to what someone said in here. it would be good if someone with an 05 VZ ute could get theirs up on a hoist and look if theirs has it, its apparently quite an apparatus. dont go by what dealers etc have told you, either you or somone whos knows what theyre looking for, have a look.

perhaps they changed the design since sept 04 build vz utes, but i strongly doubt it.

Hmmm, interesting :confused:

I have definitely seen a VZ maloo with the control links so maybe its a HSV thing? I assumed that holden would not be so petty and not introduce it across the ute range, but I suppose that proves I shoudnt make those sort of assumptions. :bash:

As for seldo and VT2VX's comments, that is consistent with what I was told recently in relation to my car. I had a 4 point camber kit installed a year ago, reducing camber from 4 degrees to 1.5 in my VTII. Now I want to lower it and I have been told I run the risk of damaging the diff via the driveshafts as per seldo's advice.

One option is to raise it with thicker spring pads (which I have done as a temporary measure),
or to install VS driveshafts which are smaller and hence weaker,
or to install stiffer rear springs to combat the squat under acceleration, which I will be trying soon.

[seldo]

As for seldo and VT2VX's comments, that is consistent with what I was told recently in relation to my car. I had a 4 point camber kit installed a year ago, reducing camber from 4 degrees to 1.5 in my VTII. Now I want to lower it and I have been told I run the risk of damaging the diff via the driveshafts as per seldo's advice.

One option is to raise it with thicker spring pads (which I have done as a temporary measure),
or to install VS driveshafts which are smaller and hence weaker,
or to install stiffer rear springs to combat the squat under acceleration, which I will be trying soon.

Or, as my diff man suggested, get the CV shafts shortened which he has apparently done with a few....
Fixel: as for your conspiracy theory - It doesn't affect me and so i don't give a toss. I pass the info on in the hope that it may help someone and save them a diff. If you don't want to consider it, that's your prerogative...

[Fixel]

Fixel: as for your conspiracy theory - It doesn't affect me and so i don't give a toss. I pass the info on in the hope that it may help someone and save them a diff. If you don't want to consider it, that's your prerogative...

Nothing against you, it just seemed to be a story of a huge, common problem that very few people were aware of and those that knew weren't telling?

It sounded a bit Urband Legdendish to me?

If I offened or upset you, I apologise.

If you posted it here, I'm sure you had good intentions, there are few BS artists around this forum and I can't recall you being ever being one? :) JK

Looking at the info posted in this thread, I think your diff guy was beating it up a bit, it seems that it was more of a problem in early cars and a possibility in later cars if you have lowered it to the max and give the car a flogging?

All good stuff to know and some thing to look out for?
Maybe time will show him to be correct?

[seldo]

The diff guy i use is a very dour, no b/s type guy who does really know his stuff and whose opinion I respect. I am sure he knows far more on the subject than some anonymous key-board jocky in Whoop Whoop... :stick: He isn't saying that if you you have a camber kit fitted that you will stuff your diff. All he/I am advising is that if you do have a camber kit installed, just make sure you check the car on a ramp-type hoist (so the wheels are carrying the weight of the car, not the body being jacked) and check that in the static position that you still have some free-play in the CVs. If you do...no problem. Also check to see how close the inner ends of the CVs come to the out-put shaft bearing retainers, because that is where the problem starts - should be at least 5-6 mm clearance minimum...

[VooDoo]

Seldo: i was also told this by a diff guy and hence didnt fit the camber kit. Instead i just wear the tyres out before the poor camber does :stick:

[solid]

I had a 2 point kit fitted two months ago. I have king super lows on the rear and it looked great afterwards with seemingly no camber. I have noticed now that the car is almost back to the camber it had before installing the kit (around 4 degrees id say) so I am not impressed at all and will be visiting the place which fitted the kit with a firm 'please explain'

[bassplayer]

apparently some of the cheaper kits can require more adjustment after a few months of fitting. this includes the pedders one & the re-badged pedders one(forget the name). still a good kit but it is suggested to keep an eye on it & have it checked when u have your car serviced.

[VX2VESS]

apparently some of the cheaper kits can require more adjustment after a few months of fitting. this includes the pedders one & the re-badged pedders one(forget the name). still a good kit but it is suggested to keep an eye on it & have it checked when u have your car serviced.

minea a 4 bush, is around 3 years old, had it checked a number of times, never changed since fitted

[blk vy ss ute]

can someone recommend a place in brisbane who fits the camber kit

[theVman]

very interesting reading . . i have heard about the diff problems in relation to the four point kits.

I am just about to get one fitted to the vt as tyre wear is shocking. Ive already written off four tyres and ts getting expensive.

I am worried about the diff issue . . i will make it very clear when the kit is installed i think.

[seldo]

can someone recommend a place in brisbane who fits the camber kit
If you want it done right (not necessarily just the cheapest), try GSA automotive at 7 Aranda St Slacks Creek 3808 4698.