Alright, a brief history:

January 2004: Car is on alignment rack and I have 2.8* caster according to a laser alignment machine.

May 2004: I hit a curb with the LF wheel and replaced a bent LCA and knuckle (replaced the radius rod too, although the old one appeared to be ok), I end up having 1.5*L/2.5*R caster (I later find that there was still a 0.6* shim on the both sides, so we pulled it up to 2.1*L by deleting the left shim).

November 2004: I take the car into a frame shop hoping regain my lost caster (limited to 2.1* on the left side while the right side could go up to 3.1* based on what I saw back in May).

After 4 hrs on the frame rack, I get the car back, throw on some Ingalls camber adjustable UCAs, and head off to the alignment shop.

I now have -0.7* of negative camber on the front of my stock ride height 2002 Accord (excellent!), but I now have 1.8*L/1.9*R caster, with no shim on the left, and one -0.6* shim on the right. This is lower than what I had in May, and much worse than what I had in January. Somehow the right side caster decreased all by itself

The body shop will pull the frame again for me for free, but I'm trying to figure out what they are actually going to do since it was "within the factory specs" when they gave it back to me last time.

After flipping thru my helms service manual, I find that the front part of the subframe (crossbeam), can actually move quite a bit when all of the bolts are loosened.

Should I bring this up when I take the car back in on Tuesday? Think they can pull the crossbeam forward some more? That would involve loosening all of the crossbeam bolts down below, and loosening the front engine mount bolts up above, correct?

I know that nothing else besides the frame is causing my loss in caster, since I've already replaced the radius rod, LCA, knuckle, and the UCA on the left side, and the UCA on the right side!

 

I've seen some of your posts on this subject before, and honestly... and please do not take it in a bad way... I think you should stop worrying too much about your alignment and just go out and keep driving the car the way it is and have fun while learning as much as you can. Then one day, when you jump in to a really competitive autox car, you wont believe how fast you will go.

 

I understand, but this car has never been the same ever since I hit the curb. I also paid the shop $200 to get that frame sorted out once and for all, and they will next week...

As you can see I have all the camber I want, now I just have this one issue to resolve...


Modified by LX4CYL at 2:22 AM 11/6/2004

 

Are all these measurements onthe same rack? Different ones are going to read differently.......This from experience.......

 

pretty much. I went to the same rack in May as I did now. The one in January was completely different type of machine.

Anyways, when bleeding the brakes today, I looked under and noticed the index marks for the crossbeam. They should be able to slide it forward, no problem

 

I also have the same problem, I hit a curb about 1/2 a year ago and since then I replced all bent components and had an alignment but it still just doenst' seem as fun/ balanced as it was.

I'm starting to think it's all physcological, like maybe since the crash I just don't have the nerve/stupidity to drive like i used to?

 

It all depends on what your last alignment sheet shows. You may just need to take it into a body/frame shop and have htem fix it (depending on what is wrong with your alignment)

I for one can't wait until tommorrow! I just installed a bigger rear sway, and now have -0.7* camber instead of the +0.2* I had last time!!!