Rear Camber - 02 Outback - New Springs/Struts

[nickb21]

Got a bit of an odd one here. A few months back I replaced all 4 struts, springs, and top hats (both original passenger side springs were busted). I'm running some old tires due for replacement to give the suspension some time to settle in before getting an alignment. Now noticing inner edge wear on the back two tires, and I "visually" checked with an angle finder and there seems to be 1-2 degrees of negative camber. Fronts look ok, but they're adjustable anyway.

 

Nothing else in the back looks visually bent or broken, bushings are worn, but still intact. The only thing I can think is that in my desire to "match" the right struts and springs, I used the wrong spring part?

 

This 02 is the earlier model which KYB specs with different parts vs the later 02's (for fronts). From reading around, it didn't seem like there was a significant difference, and the later ones were cheaper. The dealer parts manager and I looked through the available spring part numbers (there are a lot!) to pick these.

 

Parts I used, reverse googling application is a bit fuzzy, but seems to match 2.5MT Outback:

 

Rear spring: 20380AE23A

Rear strut: KYB 341276

Front spring: 20330AE51A and 52A

Front strut: 334447/334448

 

Only other thing I can think of - i'm currently running slightly undersized (205/60(i think)/16) tires on old wrx wheels (I think 5mm offset difference). Would that really impact camber significantly though?

 

Thanks for any ideas!

 

[Subaru Scott]

1-2 degrees of camber is not going to give significant tire wear like that. Most likely they are toed out. You can check yourself and actually get very close with just a tape measure and some straight edges. I use a couple small pieces of angle iron about 30" long, and just tie them onto the outside of the wheels with string. Get them just low enough that you can get a tape under the body and measure front and back. Then adjust with the cam bolts on the transverse links. You'll want them just ever so slightly toed in to dead even. You can sight down the straightedges to keep them parallel to the fronts. That should cure the tire wear, and then if you like, of course, you can take it to an alignment shop to get it perfect.

 

Is there an iphone app for alignment yet? 

[idosubaru]

it's not the struts, wheels and springs unless your car is drastically slammed or lifted - like 2", which I can't imagine it is based on your level of detail right now.  your current set up has not drastically altered the height of the car - which means geometry and alignment weren't affected to any significant degree.

 

i'd get a quality alignment by someone who knows Subarus and ask them why and what was wrong. 

 

if you live in a rust prone area you probably won't get those rear upper linkage bolts to move.  the bolts/bushings will be seized and need torched off and replaced with new bolt, bushing and nut.  very, very common situation, you positively can google that and get hits and info on it it's so common.

 

+1 i do at home alignments as well.  you can google ways to measure toe and camber at home.