EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Car: 1993 Honda Civic Coupe
Suspension: Eibach Sportline w/ KYG AGX

I just came back from Firestone and the tech explained to me that I have reached the max thread for TOE adjustment for my front suspension. He recommended that I should either get, a) inner tie rods w/ more threading then OEM spec, or b) shorter outer tie rods.

Any clue on why it can't be adjusted to proper spec? I have seen ppl w/ slammed cars and their toes got zeroed in!

Let me know and thanks in advance!

P.S. WE FINALLY GOT RAIN IN SO CAL WOOOOO!

Ej2-fluffy

Bejita

Get a second opinion. I've never heard of this. Go somewhere else besides **** hole firestone.

B18C5-EH2

Only thing I can think of is that someone might have had the steering wheel off the car one time and put it back on 90 degrees off, and then had some **** shop align it without first taking the wheel off and trying to get it straight there first.

Do you have the specs?

I am doubtful that the toe couldn't be properly adjusted, but my scenario could explain why.

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C5-EH2 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Only thing I can think of is that someone might have had the steering wheel off the car one time and put it back on 90 degrees off, and then had some **** shop align it without first taking the wheel off and trying to get it straight there first.

Do you have the specs?

I am doubtful that the toe couldn't be properly adjusted, but my scenario could explain why.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I did take the steering off and put it in a odd 45 degree angle. It tilted off 45 degrees to the right.

Here's the alignment chart.

*NOTE* Left = Before, Right = After. All numbers are in degrees.

<u>SPECIFIED RANGES </u>
Camber ------------------( -1.0 to 1.0)
Caster -------------------(0.2 to 2.2)
Toe -----------------------(-0.12 to 0.12)


<u>Front Left</u>

Camber ------------------( -0.1 / -0.1 )
Caster -------------------(0.6 / 0.6)
Toe -----------------------(-0.07 / -0.02)
SAI------------------------(11.0 / 11.0)
Included Angle-----------(10.9 / 10.9)

<u>Front Right</u>

Camber ------------------( -0.8 / -0.8 )
Caster -------------------(0.1* / 0.1*)
Toe -----------------------(-0.01 / -0.27)
SAI------------------------(11.4 / 11.4)
Included Angle-----------(10.6 / 10.6)

<u>Front Total</u>

Cross Camber ------------------( -0.1 / -0.1 )
Cross Caster -------------------(0.5/ 0.5)
Total Toe -----------------------(-0.35* / -0.01)
Cross SAI------------------------(-0.3 / -0.3)

NOTE: I might take the steering wheel off again perhaps and make it rotate the other way around. Now my steering wheel is almost straight on center (leans to the right by about 5degrees). Previously, when I put the steering wheel back on it leaned 45 degrees to the right.

Any help is appreciated.

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Bejita &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Get a second opinion. I've never heard of this. Go somewhere else besides **** hole firestone.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Thanks, but your post wasn't very constructive at all. I purchased lifetime alignment and have had previous lowered cars aligned at the firestone shop near my place and they do a good job. Maybe the firestone near you does a crap job, but this one has been around for a while.

Yeah, you should also recommend another shop around the area if you knew any. I could name a few, knowing West End Alignment is great. However, Im pretty sure hes booked up all the time =P

mortificationrock

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EJ2-Fluffy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

P.S. WE FINALLY GOT RAIN IN SO CAL WOOOOO!

Ej2-fluffy
</TD></TR></TABLE> um thats bad for our CAI's !Sorry i cant help its just i was reading and im in So Cal 2,and yes WE FINALLY GOT RAIN.Time to make the CAI's into SRI's

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by mortificationrock &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> um thats bad for our CAI's !Sorry i cant help its just i was reading and im in So Cal 2,and yes WE FINALLY GOT RAIN.Time to make the CAI's into SRI's </TD></TR></TABLE>

Ahh u shouldnt have CAI in so cal, SRI or turbo ftw =P

mortificationrock

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EJ2-Fluffy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Ahh u shouldnt have CAI in so cal, SRI or turbo ftw =P</TD></TR></TABLE> I dont have a CAI i have a BIG *** Autotechnic revolution intake! About 6" in diameter FTW

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

so anyone else can chime in on my toe adjustment problem?

Kegan

Front Right

Camber ------------------( -0.8 / -0.8 )
Caster -------------------(0.1* / 0.1*)
Toe -----------------------(-0.01 / -0.27 )
SAI------------------------(11.4 / 11.4)
Included Angle-----------(10.6 / 10.6)

Your before toe (in bold) was fine. Why the hell they pushed it all the way to -0.27 I will never know.

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

LOL good observation - it was -.27 before and -0.01 after

AutoXer

Either something got bent and used the toe adjustment to compensate or like said before, adjusted with the steering wheel off. To check if that's the case, look under the car and see the relative threads on each side of the car on the tie ros. If there is a lot of thread on the one side and out of adjustment on the other, I'd suspect it's the latter.

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

there is no more thread left on either side - they are both maxed out.

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Could taking my steering wheel off and making it go all the way to the left make more room for more adjustment on the tie rods?

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Guess I will have to bite it the hard way since no one else has had the problem. Time to retake them tie rods off and put new ones on

B18C5-EH2

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EJ2-Fluffy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Guess I will have to bite it the hard way since no one else has had the problem. Time to retake them tie rods off and put new ones on </TD></TR></TABLE>

The new rods are not going to have any more or less threads on them, unless your current ones are from the wrong car.

If the new tie rods are exactly the same length, and have the same amount of threads as your current ones then you won't be fixing the problem.

You say both sides are maxed out - are they both maxed out in the same, or opposite directions?

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Hmm, they seems to be opposite last time i checked.

Also, could these things cause the car to be pulling as well:

- a worn out CV axle (particularly the passenger side, starting to click)
- radial pull from the tire

Jon

fdavie

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EJ2-Fluffy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmm, they seems to be opposite last time i checked.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yup, it's the steering wheel off to one side . Adjust the wheel, balance how far each side is screwed in, and you'll be fine.

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Wow what a mixup. I told the tech guy that I had previously taped (electrical tape to mark where the last suspension alignment was) my inner tie rod to mark it. The tech guy @ firestone said that he removed it.

To my surprise, it was still taped with the same marks, like it was never moved. I am guessing that he had so many other cars to work on that he was BS'ing me. That's okay, lifetime alignment and watching them while they do it is good enough for me!

This will be my 3rd time (1st and 2nd were for different setups, this third one will be re aligning from the 2nd time) and will easily go over how much I paid for the lifetime alignment!

*cheers*

AutoXer

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by EJ2-Fluffy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Hmm, they seems to be opposite last time i checked.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

Well that would be an indication that it is the steering wheel. If they were both maxed out the same way, then you would have something else going on.

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Yeah thanks for the help. I originally had the steering set off to ths side last time I put it back on.

Then I got an alignment and magically the steering wheel was back to the normal position.

Im assumign then adjusted the tie rods so that it would straighten out the steering wheel

instrument

didn't you answer your question here?


"I did take the steering off and put it in a odd 45 degree angle. It tilted off 45 degrees to the right."

?

EJ2-Fluffy

iTrader: (1)

Sure did, just answering the other guy's question from before.

Also, on the 45 degree on my steering wheel. I was also wondering why they compensated the tie rod adjustment to straighten it out.

They should've let me known that they straightened it out (this was not @ firestone, but at Tom's tire performance over on Willow St, down the street from Price Costco).

If I told them the steering wheel didnt matter, i hope they can readjust it back to normal.

If my suspension goes back to where it was originally aligned and its still pulling, I am going to have to guess its either my tire causing radial pulling or a bad axle.

Thanks for the help guys! I will let ya know what happens