Camber on 2017 Yamaha Quiet Tech cart

[tedquick]

The camber on the front tires of my 2017 EFI Yamaha golf cart is uneven. The top sidewall on the driver side is ¼ - 3/8 from perpendicular while the passenger side is ¾ - 1 inch out of perpendicular. This is causing excessive wear on the inside of my tires. Has anyone else had this situation and what was done to correct it? It appears that no adjustment is available at least on the 17s and apparently also on the 18s. At this time I will not name names as I’m only interested in a resolution.

[villagetinker]

I have a general knowledge of GC, take a look at all of your bushings, rod ends, etc., for excessive wear, or loose nuts. etc. You may need a helper to turn the steering wheel back and forth while you are looking a front suspension components. If you do not see anything obvious you may need professional help.

Also, check your tire pressure, just had a neighbor bring a cart up to check tire pressure, and only one tire was at correct pressure, and 2 of the 3 remaining tires showed very excessive wear.

If you can you want to check camber from the steel (or aluminum) wheel, and NOT from the tire side walls, as tire pressure will change the measurement.

Hope this helps.

[biker1]

Have you taken it back to where you bought it from? I assume it is still under warranty?? Did you check the "toe-in" ?

How to Align a Yamaha G29 Drive | Alignment on Golf Cart - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqK1cu_gBQA)


The camber on the front tires of my 2017 EFI Yamaha golf cart is uneven. The top sidewall on the driver side is ¼ - 3/8 from perpendicular while the passenger side is ¾ - 1 inch out of perpendicular. This is causing excessive wear on the inside of my tires. Has anyone else had this situation and what was done to correct it? It appears that no adjustment is available at least on the 17s and apparently also on the 18s. At this time I will not name names as I’m only interested in a resolution.

[TechGC]

Biggest thing to check is toe. That will more than likely cure the issue, simple fix.
Yamaha did have an issue with some front shock welded incorrectly, but haven't seen that in any new cars.

[bill50]

The camber on the front tires of my 2017 EFI Yamaha golf cart is uneven. The top sidewall on the driver side is ¼ - 3/8 from perpendicular while the passenger side is ¾ - 1 inch out of perpendicular. This is causing excessive wear on the inside of my tires. Has anyone else had this situation and what was done to correct it? It appears that no adjustment is available at least on the 17s and apparently also on the 18s. At this time I will not name names as I’m only interested in a resolution.

My 2018 Yamaha has 3/4 inch negative camber on both front tires. I have radials and they seem to conform to the negative camber to a point but they are defiantly wearing more on the inside. The toe is set to 1/8 inch toe in. There doesn’t seem to be any adjustment for camber.

[tophcfa]

An example of the reason we are waiting to upgrade to the 2017/2018 quiet-tech cart. Lots of changes to the older model will take a couple of years to work out the bugs. Yamaha makes a quality product and I would expect that they will work out the new design flaws by 2019. Hope you can solve the alignment problem, I can't imagine there isn't a way to make some kind of adjustment?

[new peeps]

After we bought our 2017 Yamaha I noticed the same issue about a month after we bought it. I took it in under warranty and asked if they would fix it. The fix was to replace both front shocks and it solved the issue. Apparently the shock absorber and spring is a non adjustable assembly. I did not see any camber adjustment to correct the issue. When the spring sags the negative camber now becomes a replacement part.

[biker1]

I did a quick check on the camber on my 2014 Yamaha. It is about 1/4" negative on both sides. My tires have been wearing evenly. I haven't checked the toe (yet) but I assume it is OK because of the even tire wear.

My 2018 Yamaha has 3/4 inch negative camber on both front tires. I have radials and they seem to conform to the negative camber to a point but they are defiantly wearing more on the inside. The toe is set to 1/8 inch toe in. There doesn’t seem to be any adjustment for camber.

[MorTech]

Check your toe but camber on Yamaha is controlled by shock spring rate...Unfortunately.

[bill50]

Check your toe but camber on Yamaha is controlled by shock spring rate...Unfortunately.

I set the toe to 1/8 inch toe in but that has no effect on camber. I made an appointment to have it checked. Likely needs new shocks and springs.

[PaulDenise]

Inside tire wear is usually caused by toe alignment. The yamahas are delivered with a great deal of toe out because it is more stable at high speeds. If you simply sight along the sides from 12 feet behind you will see the toe out. Adjust it with the tie rods. If steering becomes unstable at high speed when heavily loaded, then you have gone too far in.

[PaulDenise]

Straight ahead works best for my cart. Any toe in caused instability.

[biker1]

On my 2014 Yamaha, as it came from the dealer, I measured 1/16" toe-in. I would optimistically estimate the precision of my measurement at +/- 1/16". Therefore, the actual toe-in is probably between 0" and 1/8". This is apparently a little bit outside the recommended range of 1/8" to 1/4" toe-in. The tires are wearing evenly so I don't plan on adjusting it.

Inside tire wear is usually caused by toe alignment. The yamahas are delivered with a great deal of toe out because it is more stable at high speeds. If you simply sight along the sides from 12 feet behind you will see the toe out. Adjust it with the tie rods. If steering becomes unstable at high speed when heavily loaded, then you have gone too far in.

[bill50]

On my 2014 Yamaha, as it came from the dealer, I measured 1/16" toe-in. I would optimistically estimate the precision of my measurement at +/- 1/16". Therefore, the actual toe-in is probably between 0" and 1/8". This is apparently a little bit outside the recommended range of 1/8" to 1/4" toe-in. The tires are wearing evenly so I don't plan on adjusting it.

1/8 to 1/4 toe in is the correct setting

[drpepper]

Both the 2015 Yamaha carts that we have were unstable and darted at speed with clubs and 2 adults. I reset the toe to 1/8 and it greatly helped one of them. My cart was still a little unstable after setting the toe so I changed the front spindles out to 2017 spindles and it fixed the problem. I believe that Yamaha started offering factory high speed gears in 2017 and the added camber was to help with the wandering or darting at higher speeds. JMHO

[biker1]

What was the original toe-in (or toe-out)? What is different about the 2017 spindles? Thanks.

Both the 2015 Yamaha carts that we have were unstable and darted at speed with clubs and 2 adults. I reset the toe to 1/8 and it greatly helped one of them. My cart was still a little unstable after setting the toe so I changed the front spindles out to 2017 spindles and it fixed the problem. I believe that Yamaha started offering factory high speed gears in 2017 and the added camber was to help with the wandering or darting at higher speeds. JMHO

[drpepper]

The added camber is built into the 2017 spindles. I don't remember what the original toe was but in about 250 hours of use the front tires were over 1/2 worn. I rotated them to the rear and see very little wear on the fronts now after another 200 hours of service which tells me the toe was excessive whether the toe was in or out.

[tophcfa]

On my 2014 Yamaha, as it came from the dealer, I measured 1/16" toe-in. I would optimistically estimate the precision of my measurement at +/- 1/16". Therefore, the actual toe-in is probably between 0" and 1/8". This is apparently a little bit outside the recommended range of 1/8" to 1/4" toe-in. The tires are wearing evenly so I don't plan on adjusting it.

biker1, how do you measure the toe-in with such precision? I would like to be able to check that on our carts. Is there a special tool?

[TechGC]

What is different about the 2017 spindles? Thanks.


There is none.

[biker1]

Take a look at the video in post #3. There will be a bit of slop in the measurements ;-). It will be easier with 2 people.

biker1, how do you measure the toe-in with such precision? I would like to be able to check that on our carts. Is there a special tool?

[drpepper]

There is none.

You are correct. I replaced the and strut mount as an assembly (which the spindle attaches to) and the camber difference is in the bracket or mount not the spindle itself. Sorry for the confusion.

[tedquick]

I appreciate all of your responses. For some strange reason I was unable to get to TOTV until I sent them my IP address which I did. As of today I am back. :) To date I have been told that there is nothing that can be done but I'm not done as of yet. I suggested new shocks to no avail. I am taking it to a different dealer this Thursday and I'll see what happens there. Even if my cart was built this way it is a Yamaha problem (well, actually it is currently my problem :( ) as no owner should have to accept a situation that wears out their tires excessively fast. I'll update ASA I have any additional information.

[zummy]

I appreciate all of your responses. For some strange reason I was unable to get to TOTV until I sent them my IP address which I did. As of today I am back. :) To date I have been told that there is nothing that can be done but I'm not done as of yet. I suggested new shocks to no avail. I am taking it to a different dealer this Thursday and I'll see what happens there. Even if my cart was built this way it is a Yamaha problem (well, actually it is currently my problem :( ) as no owner should have to accept a situation that wears out their tires excessively fast. I'll update ASA I have any additional information.
I had a 2008 Yamaha with the same problem. After no cure from Yamaha, the villages used a sledge hammer to straighten the camber and the cart is still running strong and straight today.

[TechGC]

As I stated before, some of the front shocks were welded incorrectly. Yamaha knows this and they should just change them out, no questions asked, its common knowledge in the industry

[tedquick]

My situation has been satisfactorily resolved. Yamaha had me take it to two dealers. In the end Carts and Clubs, where I purchased the cart, replaced my shocks with 2015 shocks, which has been done with many other carts at The Villages Carts. I paid nothing. I understand that Yamaha pays for the shocks and the dealer eats the labor. In any case, it was handled professionally and I am quite happy. Thanks for all of your thoughts and ideas.

[bill50]

[QUOTE=tedquick;1520935]My situation has been satisfactorily resolved. Yamaha had me take it to two dealers. In the end Carts and Clubs, where I purchased the cart, replaced my shocks with 2015 shocks, which has been done with many other carts at The Villages Carts. I paid nothing. I understand that Yamaha pays for the shocks and the dealer eats the labor. In any case, it was handled professionally and I am quite happy. Thanks for all of your thoughts and ideas.[/QUOTE

Did the replacement shocks make the ride significantly stiffer?

[tedquick]

[QUOTE=tedquick;1520935]My situation has been satisfactorily resolved. Yamaha had me take it to two dealers. In the end Carts and Clubs, where I purchased the cart, replaced my shocks with 2015 shocks, which has been done with many other carts at The Villages Carts. I paid nothing. I understand that Yamaha pays for the shocks and the dealer eats the labor. In any case, it was handled professionally and I am quite happy. Thanks for all of your thoughts and ideas.[/QUOTE

Did the replacement shocks make the ride significantly stiffer?

They did not!

[Flatlander]

How long ago did they replace your struts Ted? I've had the same problem. Went through a set of radials in 6000 miles on my 2017, when they should last 15 to 20. They are scheduled to replace the struts with 2016 struts next week. Hope that fixes the problem.

[bobthegolfer]

I have a 2008 with the camber problem. In the posts, several different model year shocks are mentioned. Also, I understand there is a difference between shocks for gas models and those for electrical models.
Would appreciate it if some of the 'posters' would provide the part numbers listed on their repair orders.
This would be very helpful. I am not looking for anything free from dealer or Yamaha. After-all, the golf cart is 10 years old. THANKS!