stewie20068

Short story: I went in for an alignment and the shop told me that my camber kit has no more adjustment and my rear camber is still out of spec.

Long story: 2 years ago I installed the A-SPEC suspension and Ingalls rear camber kit. After an alignment my camber in the rear finally was in spec after being out of spec ever since I bought the car.

Now two years later, I replaced my tires with the exact same model and the rear camber is again out of spec. I took it in for an alignment, and the shop told me that they had adjusted the camber as much as possible with the Ingalls kit, but that there was no more adjustment capacity. I took a peek under the car today, and it does appear that the central Ingalls SmartArm is tightened all the way down.

Can anyone tell me why I was in spec 2 years ago, and now I can't be in spec? Should I care? I feel like the car is a bit twitchier on the highway than it was 2 years ago, but it may just be that it's is older now.

Winnipeg Aspec

Have you hit anything such as curbs potholes speedbumps at a speed that may have bent something?

stewie20068

I live in Atlanta (pot holes), but I haven't hit anything big. Both rear wheels are out of spec; -1.4 degrees on the left and -2.0 degrees on the right.

npolite

It could be possible that just from age and wear and tear that the car won't be in spec without a major overhaul.

On our 99 Accord the spec is off in the rear as well. I asked the dealer what we could do and he said without replacing a ton of stuff it won't be in spec again.

Sorry to throw you the bad news but it's old age. Can you get any other camber kits that have more movement?

stewie20068

Well if my TSX is finally starting to show some age after 9 years of fun, I suppose that's a reason to move forward with the plan I've been mulling over in my head: BRZ...hopefully an STi model if they release it by summer.

Miamicarfan

The right rear upper arm is defective. Acura has a service bulletin for this. You can see it at the link below. I hope this helps.

http://photos.imageevent.com/astrobo...sb/B06-007.pdf

Simba91102

OK, so the present rear camber setting is -1.4 on the left and -2 on the right? If that's the case, then actually, the left is within spec (spec is -.5 to -1.5) and the right isn't that far off. From I've read here over the years, it seems that many 04 and 05 TSX's were manufactured with the rear camber out of spec (irregardless of the right trailing arm TSB). And since the OE rear suspension does not allow for a camber adjustment, you live with it (unless someone does what you did and installs a kit to provide adjustment).

I installed an Ingalls kit when I went to Koni Yellow Sport Shocks under the OE springs on my 05. The drop wasn't dramatic; probably a bit more than the A-spec kit provides. But I didn't like the way the extra negative camber looked, so that's what prompted the camber kit. The Ingalls kit provides a wide rang of adjustment (camber and toe) and I was confused when I read your original post. The A-spec kit shouldn't throw the rear camber out of spec that badly; it doesn't lower the car (and therefore exaggerate rear camber) that much. I don't understand why (or how) an alignment would use up all of the adjustment range; the adjustment should be less than one degree, and the Ingalls rear trailing arms allow for over 3 degrees of adjustment. Are you sure you installed the right kit?

All that said, as long as your shop can get the toe at or near spec (it's out of spec toe that wears tires by the way), don't worry about the camber. It won't effect tire wear, and you won't feel it.

npolite

It's going to be tough to get a dealership to do this free of charge 7 years after the TSB was published on a 9 year old car (and with aftermarket kits). Hell I couldn't get a dealership to replace a belt that they never replaced. As I said without hauling expensive parts it is something that the OP will need to live with.