Alignment, how important is front cross camber?

[Zenon]

I have done wheel alignment on my Subaru Outback since the toe out ate the rear's inner edges. The rear left wheel was most affected (with the largest toe out). The rear camber is not adjustable. The car was tracking OK, though.

The front total toe was OK; however, the front camber 0 Left, -0.5 Right were untouched.

Question: Would correcting the front camber to more even values (around zero cross camber) will make any benefit?

It looks like a -0.5 Right camber may help fight the road crown's slope. It could also contribute to tire wear…

 

[Jetronic]

I don't see the one value I'd like to see and that's axle offset. it looks like the subframe needs to be shifted towards the side with the lowest camber but is that worth the effort?

0.5° camber is nothing to worry about, it's even a bit lower than I'd like to see for my own car

 

[Zenon]

There are typical cam bolts in front for camber adjustment, so it is not that hard. However, it is another visit to the alignment shop. As you said, “Is that worth the effort?”

 

[Jetronic]

camber bolts add a weak link though, so if the problem is that the front subframe isn't sitting where it should, that would be the ideal solution, but definitely more work.

below -1 degree of camber I wouldn't worry especially if you rotate the wheels in any way.

 

[inquirer]

camber bolts add a weak link though, so if the problem is that the front subframe isn't sitting where it should, that would be the ideal solution, but definitely more work.

below -1 degree of camber I wouldn't worry especially if you rotate the wheels in any way.

Instead of using camber bolts, making the holes of the struts' brackets a little wider would give the desired adjustability, without compromising safety.

 

[CarlB]

-.4? Might as well be 0. Nothing to worry about.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I have done wheel alignment on my Subaru Outback since the toe out ate the rear's inner edges. The rear left wheel was most affected (with the largest toe out). The rear camber is not adjustable. The car was tracking OK, though.

The front total toe was OK; however, the front camber 0 Left, -0.5 Right were untouched.

Question: Would correcting the front camber to more even values (around zero cross camber) will make any benefit?

It looks like a -0.5 Right camber may help fight the road crown's slope. It could also contribute to tire wear…

View attachment 275264

These should really have a TSB by now. You are not the only one.
We got rid of our brand new outback base after a year and a couple months.

It ate the rear tires in 15K miles to the cord. Inner inch both rears!

SIA built these cars wrong. Toe out + neg camber is a no-no. Subaru would do nothing about the tires at first try. So gave up and dumped it.

Just monitor the RF Tire wear. Better a bit of neg camber RF for crown than toe in.

Good luck. These are smooth and soft highway cruisers. - Arco

 

[Zenon]

Thank you all for your help! I will leave the setup as it is.

 

[Gus_Mahn]

I’ve never heard of rear alignment use to offset for road crown, but if it was, wouldn’t it be opposite of the front end?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I’ve never heard of rear alignment use to offset for road crown, but if it was, wouldn’t it be opposite of the front end?

I think he was talking about the 0.5 neg camber on the passenger side front. You tip a tire its steers hard that direction.

His rear camber actual is still excessive. Wonder if Subaru mixed up some Legacy UCl with the outback parts or it's just a cam bolt adjustment set wrong. Or spring sag, but depending on geo, camber may go positive on compression since both UCL and LCL are angled on a "jacked up" car.