Tire wear after lowering: Please help!

[BadBlack00Ga]

I recently lowered my car with SSC springs and was told by my mechanic to wait a few thousand miles before taking it for an alignment so the springs could settle. I watched my tires carefully for the first few days (~ 300 miles) for any indicatoion of uneven wear and didn't notice any. This was about 2 weeks ago.

Tonight while driving I noticed a bit of a squeek noise as the wheel was rotating at low speeds and when I got home I took a look. The inside of both tires are worn down so far that one is totally bald, and one is showing belts. The rest of the tire has about 40% tread left. Now if I'm not mistaken I believe this is a result of waaayy too much negative camber.

Is this infact a camber problem or is it simply an alignment issue?

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

[AMRAAM4]

camber is part of an alignment...so both.

And the genius who said wait a few THOUSAND miles is an idiot. If your car hasn't settled within 50 or so, it's never going to.

[coupe]

OMG that mechanic is an idiot. He just costed you your tires.

[pyro]

make the bastard pay for new tires! what a chode!

[coupe]

I cant believe you believed him, your better judgement should have told you to get an alignment right away.

[AMRAAM4]

"He just costed you"

:wtf :wtf

[Slim]

"He just costed you"

:wtf :wtf

lol... I agree.

But yeah. The springs should settle within a few days of installation.

[xxbackhillxx]

When you lower a Grand Am the camber hardly changes. Alignment all the way.

[Mendoza]

Damn i would <deleted> slap that mechanic!

[coupe]

When i lowered mine i went and got an alignment and they said it was perfect, they didnt need to do anything. But i still went just to make sure.

[AMRAAM4]

Damn i would <deleted> slap that mechanic!
Uhmm, not a smart reply.

[Shad0wguy]

How soon after installing the springs should you go for an aligment. I had just bought a set of eibachs from someone on the gaownersclub and don't want to screw anything up.

[pyro]

Uhmm, not a smart reply.
seriously :asshat

[pyro]

How soon after installing the springs should you go for an aligment. I had just bought a set of eibachs from someone on the gaownersclub and don't want to screw anything up.
did you even bother to read the thread?
lol... I agree.

But yeah. The springs should settle within a few days of installation.
I cant believe you believed him, your better judgement should have told you to get an alignment right away.

[BadBlack00Ga]

I believed my mechanic because he's always helped me out and steered me in the right direction (no pun intended). Guess I'll have to start getting second opinions on what he tells me.

Thanks for the help everyone, I'm going to get it aligned right now.

[Hodge]

holy crap, I drove my car about a week before I got it aligned... your supposed to get it aligned as soon as you make some changes to the suspension usually so you definitely should talk to that mechanic about some new tires.

[coupe]

I believed my mechanic because he's always helped me out and steered me in the right direction (no pun intended). Guess I'll have to start getting second opinions on what he tells me.

Thanks for the help everyone, I'm going to get it aligned right now.

If your gonna listen to your mechanic over us then why even be a member of a car forum? I mean every thread about lowering says to get an alignment right away. I can garantee (sp?) we know more about these cars than he ever will.

[BadBlack00Ga]

You mis-read my post, coupe.

I took his word without doing any further investigation of my own, because he's always taken care of me and I had no reason to second guess his opition. I did no research on this topic based on that fact.

You guys have obviously provided me with the correct information and help needed, and my tires are proof of it. As I stated I'll be double checking what he is telling me on these boards from now on.

GAGT ftw....

I just got back from 2 alignments places (Canadian Tire, Midas) and both tell me they can't do an alignment without damaging my rims. Are there places that can do alignments without any damage? or should I just put my chrometechs on the front and go have it aligned?

Again thanks for the help everyone.

[coupe]

Put your stockers back on and get it aligned.
I dont know how they would damage your rims, of course i dont know what kind of alignment rack they are using.

[ancona46]

i went to like 7 shops before i found one that would align my car they said it wouldnt fit on the ramps.......

[BadBlack00Ga]

I found a place that does laser alignments, I'm going to go there tomorrow, if for some reason that dosen't work out, I'll put the stockers on.

[coupe]

I found a place that does laser alignments, I'm going to go there tomorrow, if for some reason that dosen't work out, I'll put the stockers on.

The shop i go to has a rack like that, pretty high tech actually. They use it for lowered cars and super cars. They still have to use long steel planks for me to get my car up it.

[Mendoza]

Sorry about my comment i forget to think before i type.

[GaRedCoupe]

How soon after installing the springs should you go for an aligment. I had just bought a set of eibachs from someone on the gaownersclub and don't want to screw anything up.



If the springs were already used then they shouldn't have to settle and you should be able to get an alignment right away!

[lastyear4gt]

When I worked for GM, I did all the lowering at the dealer because I was the only one that was into modding. Anyways, I used to align at the same time I lowered, but I always suggested doing an alignment check within 5-10K just to be safe.