Camber Kit Needed?

[Lindsaysarah]

I have a 2014 civic si sedan. I got H&R springs for Christmas. They're supposed to be a 1.5" drop but I've read they can settle up to 2". I'm just curious if I will need a camber kit to prevent funny wear on my tires. I can't seem to find a straight answer. Thanks in advance!

 

[Nix]

It depends.... hence why you can't get a straight answer. Toe is the setting that eats tires more than anything. Try and get it to factory spec when you get an alignment, or as close to 0 as possible.

Factory camber, specs are -0.6 to 0.4 for the front and -1.4 to -0.4 for the rear. More negative front camber will help the car corner better but if you aren't doing any performance driving, close to -0.5 all the way around is probably pretty good.

Toe is the only adjustable setting from the factory. If you want to be able to adjust the rear camber you will need a set of camber arms. To adjust the front you need a set of camber bolts. Bolts are cheap, around $30.
Camber arms are around $300 for a good set, either SPC or Buddy Club, most others have had design issues. A set of camber arms is a lot cheaper than a new set of tires.

If you are thinking about having your alignment done, see if the place you are going to is willing to put your car on the rack and just give you a readout first. If the rear camber falls within factory spec then you probably don't need camber arms. That said, generally if the car is lowered 1.5" or more you will need a camber kit. Most people with just over an inch drop end up close to or over -2 degrees in the rear. It won't kill your tires but it will wear them prematurely. This is where it depends. Some people want less camber, factory spec, or they are fine with lots and lots of camber. It depends because it is personal preference.

If you are just DDing your car, get a set of arms and have them dial the camber out to something around -0.5 degrees. It's in the factory range and is at the lesser end.



So..... go get an alignment read out if you can. Call ahead and say you need an alignment but you would like to just get numbers first. Most places will probably charge you anyway. I ended up buying a package through Sears and told them what I was up to. Get numbers and decide if you need arms. If you do, install arms and have the alignment re-done.

 

[Lindsaysarah]

Thank you very much. So helpful!!!