Hi,
When I recently did a 4-wheel alignment on my XC90 the left rear camber was -1.7 degrees (specs. are 0.6 to -1.4 degrees). I had the dealer check again and the LR camber was now -1.5 degrees. This could cause some excessive wear on the inside threads. The shop said there was really nothing they could do to adjust the rear camber - short of replacing the control arm. Not sure how this could have happened since I never had any accidents or hit any major pot holes. Is this "normal" for the XC90's? Are there any other alternatives to adjusting the rear camber?

 

I recently went through a similar experience with a Ford Escape. I was told the camber (on the front) was out of spec. It should be noted I went to have the car aligned because the tires were wearing a little more on the inside than the outside Just as you are experiencing. The alignment tech told me there were two different things he could do. One was to "elongate" the hole for the upper attachment point. This would allow the camber to be correctly adjusted since there wasn't any factory adjustment available. Cost to do this was $140. OR, I could just add a little toe-in to get the tires to wear correctly. $35. My choice. Since the car was being sold, I chose the latter. If I was going keep it I would have opted for the "more correct" and more expensive way.

Early in my driving career I had an MGB. The tires were wearing on the inside. The dealer told me there was no adjustment. My local alignment shop chained the outside of the main support frame down on both sides and jacked up the center; a little more each time until the alignment was correct after the load was removed.


I know these examples were not with a Volvo, but the issue is the same. So... there is a way to correct your rear tire alignment and a good alignment shop can do what it takes to make it right. Remember because of the crown in the road, a good shop will usually set the inside tire a little differently than the outside tire. That's true for both front and rear. It depends upon the vehicle but a good shop will note it to you.

 

Thanks for you suggestions. I'll be looking for agood alignmentshop. Another related concern: Even if my front wheel alignment is within specs., the vehicle pulls to the left. The Volvo dealer said the only thing they could think of would be the tires. Could the rear left camber being off like this cause the steering wheel topull to the left?

 

It could be the tires, but probably is not. Try moving the fronts side to side. I had an Audi 4000 Quattro that pulled hard to one side and switched the fronts... end of problem.

I've recently noted on another Volvo forum the best way to find an alignment shop is to contract the local Porsche/MB club/dealer and ask where they take their vehicles for alignment. Being the fussy lot they are (I know since I recently sold my Carrera) they know the best place. Personally I'd much rather trust my alignment to a specialty shop than a dealer that only does alignment as a part of his over-all service business. Keep in mind you don't need a fancy $10K machine to do it. From outward appearances the best alignment shop here in San Diego looks pretty low-rent in terms of equipment. They do the best alignment around.

 

what about 45K machine? I also prefer my mech to my dealer when it comes to alignment.

I think rear wheel could be out of alignment if a wheel bearing is bad or not installed properly

 

Regarding the left pulling, I took my XC90 back to Goodyear. When they swapped the front tiresit pulled to the right, so they determined it was a "bad tire" and ordered me a new replacementtire (GoodYear Eagle ResponsEdge) under warranty . In the mean time they moved the bad tire to the rear and the pulling is gone. They also recommended a couple of Frame & Alignment specilists that likely can fix therear left camber issue.

 

Wanted to give you my latest updates on this. Took my XC90 to an "old fashioned" axle and alignment specilist (Merill Axle & Wheel Service) in Denver, CO. They shimed rear left 0.5 degrees for camber.Rear Lwas -1.5 and is now -1.0 (specs are -1.4 to 0.6 degrees). Theywere also able toadjust Rear Rso both sides's cambersare identical! Total cost incl. 4 wheel alignment was $179.15 which should be worth it in terms of reduced tire wear (inside feathering). Thanks for your recommendations

 

Here's a trick when you replace your tires. All new tires have excess rubber on the face of the tread. Usually these are in the form of rubber "strings" (no pun intended but I call them ****) all over the tire face. No two people drive the same, even in the same vehicle. Inflate to mfgr's recommendation and watch CLOSELY how these "****" wear. Check soon and often - every 10-20 miles. Very quickly you'll see how they are wearing. Wearing in the middle, deflate a little. Wearing on the outside, inflate a little. These **** will soon disappear but if you rub your hand across the face of the tire you'll see the remainder, the nubs. These take somewhat longer to wear off. With a little tweaking right at first, you'll get the tire pressure exact for you and won't have to wait until abnormal wear is visible before adjusting the pressure to compensate. It will make a huge difference in your ability to get longest life possible from your tires.