Rear camber adjustment seized

[StewMang]

Hi

I've got a 2003 2.0 TDI Sport to which the previous owner has fitted 18" wheels and had the car lowered slightly (think he said 10mm). The camber was adjusted when the work was done but it's a few years later and I'm guessing the suspension has bedded in further as I've noticed that the rear wheels are wearing more on the inside. I took the car to a 4 wheel laser alignment place and they confirmed that the camber was slightly out on the rear wheels but even before he got the car on the ramp he told me they often find that the rear camber adjustment bolts are seized on A3s of my car's age. That turned out to be exactly the case as he couldn't shift the bolts and told me I'd have to take it to a garage before they could adjust it.

I wondered whether anyone else with a similar aged car had come across this issue, I've no idea what would need to be replaced whether they could just do the bushes or I'd need completely new lower arms. I'm just trying to work out whether I'm better off getting it fixed or if I should just accept that I'm going to have to replace the rear tyres more frequently. The price of the tyres doesn't make that a particularly appealing prospect though :-\

Cheers

 

[TimG]

Hi

I've got a 2003 2.0 TDI Sport to which the previous owner has fitted 18" wheels and had the car lowered slightly (think he said 10mm). The camber was adjusted when the work was done but it's a few years later and I'm guessing the suspension has bedded in further as I've noticed that the rear wheels are wearing more on the inside. I took the car to a 4 wheel laser alignment place and they confirmed that the camber was slightly out on the rear wheels but even before he got the car on the ramp he told me they often find that the rear camber adjustment bolts are seized on A3s of my car's age. That turned out to be exactly the case as he couldn't shift the bolts and told me I'd have to take it to a garage before they could adjust it.

I wondered whether anyone else with a similar aged car had come across this issue, I've no idea what would need to be replaced whether they could just do the bushes or I'd need completely new lower arms. I'm just trying to work out whether I'm better off getting it fixed or if I should just accept that I'm going to have to replace the rear tyres more frequently. The price of the tyres doesn't make that a particularly appealing prospect though :-\

Cheers

10mm is virtually nothing in terms of lowering and the effect it would have on camber. Unless your doing mega miles I would just leave it and if needed rotate the rear tyres to even up the wear on the edges.

Have you actually tried lubricating the bolts with something like plus gas, wd or liquid wrench? Can work wonders.

 

[StewMang]

10mm is virtually nothing in terms of lowering and the effect it would have on camber. Unless your doing mega miles I would just leave it and if needed rotate the rear tyres to even up the wear on the edges.

Have you actually tried lubricating the bolts with something like plus gas, wd or liquid wrench? Can work wonders.

It may have been more then 10mm but he said it was within the range the S3 is lowered to. Whether it's the lowering or something else that's caused it, the camber is definitely out (by equal amounts on each side) and while I could rotate the tyres the inside wear is pronounced enough that I'd rather get it sorted.

I haven't tried lubricating the bolts, hadn't considered it to be honest, they looked well and truly corroded so I assumed the only option would be to replace them. I'll buy some of the stuff you mentioned though and see if it makes a difference, thanks for the advice/