Has anyone lowered without using a camber kit?
 

Has anyone lowered their car with the Eibach springs and NOT need a rear camber kit (tires still wear evenly).

It seems like if you want to lower your car, you have no choice but to fork over another couple hundred of dollars for the camber kit.

I was thinking of using the Eibach lowering springs on my 86 300E w/15X7 wheels. I'd hate to get a rear camber kit if I don't need it. On the other hand if it needs it, I'd rather get it and do it all one time to keep the installation cost down.

I've had 2 300CEs that were lowered with no kit and they do wear the tires faster. About 20K is all I get on the Continental CH95s. I swap the insides to the outsides of the rims at around 10K. Its pay now or pay latter. Craig

Some people seem to do okay and others don't. I needed the kit on my car and also find that the front is still marginal and I need to rotate the tires every 10k to get 20k out of them.

Matt.

You will find much more information on this subject and get more responses by posting in the Performance Paddock forum.

That said, I have found the rear geometry on the 124 to be really critical as far as tire wear goes. When you lower with adjustable arms, you are going to add negative camber, period. Additonally, it will throw off the toe adjustment. Incorrect toe causes more tire wear issues than does incorrect camber. Good news is that toe is indeed adjustable on this rear suspension. I think by adjusting it properly and seeing that the thrust angle is correct, you could get by with some negative camber. For handling reasons, a little negative camber on an IRS rear is a good thing. As the car sways, the negative camber allows the wheels to come up into a position that is more perpendicular to the road.

I think that you will find, after posting in Performance Paddock, that the most important issue is properly adjusting toe.

Good luck,

Well it looks like if I want to lower, I'll have no choice but to use a camber kit.

O.K. did a little research....it basically comes down to this
1. Speedybenz's camber arms
2. Kmac bushings

I have not read anything negative about speedybenz's camber arms until I read Larry's response. Larry are you against the camber arms because of the negative camber it produces and because it throws off the toe adjustment. Would you go with the Kmac bushings instead? I've read a lot of complaints about the Kmac - noisy, expensive, more work involved in installment.

Looking for anyone who is using speedybenz camber arms to give a first hand opinion.

Maybe I was not clear. The adjustable camber arms would allow you to minimize or eliminate the negative camber. Leaving the original members in place would produce negative camber which is not all bad.

It could very well be that if you will properly adjust rear toe and ensure an accurate thrust angle while doing so, you may not have tire wear problems.

Have you posted on Performance Paddock. There are many there who have been there, done that. I can only theorize.

Good luck,

Thanks Larry,

I'll post in the performance section. I read a lot of your post and I respect you opinions.

jrmd01@yahoo.com