Help with my Xmas List

[Barn]

guys, looking at getting my car generally minter than it is @ the mo, over the winter period, and just need a little bit of advice....

looking to get the camber sorted on my car as to the best on my knowledge (which is admittedly limited) I think the lowering springs that have been put on it by the guy before me, have c*cked it up abit. - tyres are wearing on inside edge badly (front both sides). how much is this likely to cost? where can I get it done?

also, I'm sure I heard of a Bilstein kit for the nova (dampers and springs) for about ?130? I can't remember tho. Anyone got any gen on this kit? Or has my mind just made this up, lol, :? :lol:

lastly, my front bumper is not sitting right at all and my grill doesn't fit properly. If you can imagine, the bumper has 'come away' from the car abit so the bottom pegs of the grill (that go into the bumper) are clearly visible. If I push the bottom of the bumper up it sits much better but then obviously when I let it go it goes back :?. And the grill doesn't 'click in' properly as it seems too wide so is scrapin the painted area by the headlights. I wish I could get pics up but I aint got a digi cam so I hope u can invision what it looks like!

Sorry bout the essay but I just trying to describe it best I can!

cheers :+:

[Neil.]

My grill does exactly the same where u say it's wearing at the paint, the bumper just need highering and somehow fixing there... not sure about that one, check that both bolts where the fixing goes into the wings are tight coz if one is lose(the back one) it would cause the bumper to sit lower.

[Mark]

I am probably wrong and will probably be shot down in flames, but I thought that after fitting a lowering kit you are supposed to pop around to the local garage and get your tracking re-set which stops the edges wearing off...

[epo]

I am probably wrong and will probably be shot down in flames, but I thought that after fitting a lowering kit you are supposed to pop around to the local garage and get your tracking re-set which stops the edges wearing off...

no i recon ur right mate i had 2 have me gte 4 wheel aligned as it was wearin tyers down

[Dicko]

well, no they are wearing due to the camber being out!! the only way to fix this is to get ecentric top mounts (?150) or get do the camber mod which i can give detials for. id recomend a 5mm move for -30mm drtop, or 7-9mm for a 60mm drop.
basically this moves the top of the suspension strut over by the suggested amount and changes the angle of the tyre back to how it was before the car was lowered!!
after doing this you would then get the tracking done!! makes quite a difference!!

all you need is a small round file (or dremel tool) and some touchup paint!

[Mark]

Not wishing to start an arguement, but are you saying that every nova owner that has fitted lowered suspension and then had the tracking done and had no probs with edge run off is wrong....Now, chose your answer carefully Mike, bearing in mind that when I fitted my coilovers kit, I wiped out the side of my front tyres in 600 miles, fitted the new tyres and had the tracking done and have done another 1000 without a single hint of the sides wearing fast...

[novaexplod]

i was recomended by a garage that u shud just get it tracked like every 6 months to be safe n it only costs a tenner

[Ste_Nova]

i get free 4 wheel alignment when i buy 4 tyres (about every 6 months)

[Dicko]

yes tracking is more important as the wheels push together/apart whic hcuases heavy wear but..............
having the camber wrong puts more pressure on some parts of the tyre than others. the more evenly spread the more grip and less wear.

tracking off usualy gives a thin 1 inch section. camber off wears like an angle across the tyre!

[Barn]

Cheers for the advice lads...

pain in the arse with the tyres wearing init! i didnt think it would make much of a difference to the tyre wear, only lowering it 35-40mm!

is the camber mod hard to do Dicko mate?

any ideas about the bumper/grill thing? its making my car look abit dodgy like :(

[Mark]

Try undoing your mounting bolts and the re-tightening them after you have adjusted it into position.

[Dicko]

its very easy, long as u have the right file/tool

[Will]

this "camber mod" has always confused me, i mean say u have the original hole and u make a new one only 7mm away, for example.......

the gap between the 2 holes will be weakened loads and wont take the pressure.....? unless u fill/weld up the old hole, sorry if i sound dumb just seems a bit :?

[Aragorn]

those 2 bolts aint really load bearing

they do take some load but think about it 2x13mm nuts aint gonna take anythin like the load being applied to that strut

all the bolts do is hold the top half in the correct place

and yes u really should weld a washer overit to strengthen up a bit - plus the holes can overlap depending on the amount of spacing giving a figure 8 style hole which aint much use as the bolts could move over

[Gunzi]

I had a similar prob with the front bumper, I took it off and found that the black bar that bolts it on to the car was on upside down, when turned round and put it back on the gap had vanished - give this a try
gunzi

[Paul]

Epo, ur right mate. My wheels and lowering resulted in my tracking being 18mm out:D :lol: