OK, Im going to get my alignment done, after droping my car a bit more and addin my tokico shocks.... So what do i need to tell the guy who does my alignement to fix ???? TOE? CAMBER? please help me... 98 civic ex, 17in rims, falcon tires

 

the only thing he can do is adjust toe, unless you have camber/caster kits.

Tell him to set to factory specs with YOU in the car and how the car usually is loaded....ie- no big heavy TV in the trunk

No need to go with custom setup unless you know what more potive toe, etc will effect

 

w/out a kit toe and camber cant be fixed

edit- is it caster or toe, they cant fix?

 

I have a front ingals camber kit btw

 

well that helps. u shouldnt have to tell them anything, if theyre alligning cars they should know what theyre doing

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 93blkej1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">w/out a kit toe and camber cant be fixed

edit- is it caster or toe, they cant fix?</TD></TR></TABLE>

toe and camber can be fixed no prob. toe on all models, camber if you install a camber kit. caster is tricky. most cars you can't.. but on some of the models with radius rods, you can shim them for a *slight* increase or decrease in caster, depending on which side of the subframe you use the shims on. this applies to crx's, preludes and accords.
don't expect a lot of caster adjustment.. but at the same time, don't expect your caster to be THAT out of whack, unless you have bent suspension components.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by 93blkej1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well that helps. u shouldnt have to tell them anything, if theyre alligning cars they should know what theyre doing</TD></TR></TABLE>
Yep, just tell them you need a four-wheel alignment. They will have the factory specs for your car and should be able to figure out what to do from there.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Evs-One &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Tell him to set to factory specs with YOU in the car and how the car usually is loaded....ie- no big heavy TV in the trunk
</TD></TR></TABLE>
So technically, it would be a more dialed in alignment if you sat in the driver's seat while he was aligning it because that's actually how the car is driven?

 

bump !

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by sochvtec &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">bump !</TD></TR></TABLE>
For what? Emerika answered your question. Tell him to adjust the toe to factory specs, and the camber (if you have camber kits), if you don't, all he can do is the toe.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by litterbox &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
So technically, it would be a more dialed in alignment if you sat in the driver's seat while he was aligning it because that's actually how the car is driven?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know about where you get your wheels aligned, but my car was in the air when it was aligned, so being in the driver seat would not have affected the outcome. I even recieved a print out of before/after specs. The only one I installed that didn't need adjustment was the right rear. It's been six months and no sign of camber wear. I'm dropped 2.0/2.25 (F/R respectably) using skunk2 camber kits for the front, and Wicked Tuning camber kits for the rear.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Pioneer162 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I don't know about where you get your wheels aligned, but my car was in the air when it was aligned, so being in the driver seat would not have affected the outcome. I even recieved a print out of before/after specs. The only one I installed that didn't need adjustment was the right rear. It's been six months and no sign of camber wear. I'm dropped 2.0/2.25 (F/R respectably) using skunk2 camber kits for the front, and Wicked Tuning camber kits for the rear.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I'd seiously hope you're joking. If your car was in the air, the tires would be considerably lower than they would be normally, and your alignment would be completely messed up.

 

Get the toe adjusted on all sides closest to zero.

 

I took it to sears, maybe they had it in the air to make the adjustments...it was one of those lifts that had another lift on it....They were the only place around that had ramps long enough for me to get on.

And I'm very happy with the results...so are my tires...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Pioneer162 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
I don't know about where you get your wheels aligned, but my car was in the air when it was aligned, so being in the driver seat would not have affected the outcome. I even recieved a print out of before/after specs. The only one I installed that didn't need adjustment was the right rear. It's been six months and no sign of camber wear. I'm dropped 2.0/2.25 (F/R respectably) using skunk2 camber kits for the front, and Wicked Tuning camber kits for the rear.</TD></TR></TABLE>
What? The car is on ramps that are raised so that the technician can get under it and adjust the toe.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Pioneer162 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I don't know about where you get your wheels aligned, but my car was in the air when it was aligned, so being in the driver seat would not have affected the outcome. I even recieved a print out of before/after specs. The only one I installed that didn't need adjustment was the right rear. It's been six months and no sign of camber wear. I'm dropped 2.0/2.25 (F/R respectably) using skunk2 camber kits for the front, and Wicked Tuning camber kits for the rear.</TD></TR></TABLE>

the ONLY way I can see this happening is if they used the "raise up or lower axle" feature on heir Hunter machine. This allows you to raise the car and the computer compensates for readings. For instance....I want to adjust camber on, lets say an STI with coilovers. Well, I get the machine setup, find my before values, etc. Then I hit the "raise axle" feature, and this allows me to raise the front of the car off the ground, droop the wheels fully and make adjustments, but it will show readings as if the car was on the ground. If this makes sense...it's compensation.

But otherwise, for the other question....

depending on your weight and spring rates, etc, 90% of the time, your values WILL change with you in the drivers' seat. I always have a co worker sit in my driver seat, or throw some weight in there, because it DOES make a sgnificant difference. I mean, it's only logical to allign a car how it is driven, and thats ALWAYS with a driver

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Evs-One &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
depending on your weight and spring rates, etc, 90% of the time, your values WILL change with you in the drivers' seat. I always have a co worker sit in my driver seat, or throw some weight in there, because it DOES make a sgnificant difference. I mean, it's only logical to allign a car how it is driven, and thats ALWAYS with a driver </TD></TR></TABLE>
Cool thanks, I learn something new everyday. I wonder if Sears will let me sit in the car while they do the alignment. I need to get one done friday after my rear disc swap. Worth a shot.

 

If they dont, tell them to put a couple buckets of wheel weights on the driver side floor board. May not be exactly your weight, but will be better than nothing! You'd be suprised at the difference in values, especially if you weigh 2 bills