What exactly does getting an alignment do?
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Joined: Feb 2001
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From: Lynnwood, WA, USA
What exactly does getting an alignment do?
i nevered bothered to get an alignment done on my car after i lowered it. however, next week im swithcing from skunk2 coilovers to h&r race springs w/ KYB AGX shocks and will get an alignment done. anyways, i wanted to know if getting an alignment corrects the camber problem that occurs with lowering cars. thanks
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2000
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From: In a toilet, bowl, USA
Re: What exactly does getting an alignment do? (CiViC dRaGsTaR)
Getting an alignment done will not correct your camber if you don't have a camber kit installed. On our Honda and Acura you can't adjust the camber without it. But even without the camber kit you still should get an alignment because whenever you mess with the suspension your toe in toe out and caster might be off. When your tires faces toward or away from each other too much (kind of like this / \ or \ / looking from a birds eyeview) ) your tires will wear out very fast.
Now if you are getting the H&R race springs you will have some negative camber which means your tires are tilted inward like this / \ (now looking from the ground level) . With negative camber you will have inner tire wear.
So what I am really saying is, you should also get a camber kit install while you are changing your shocks and springs. Then you can bring it to an alignment shop and have them bring everything into spec. Trust me you will need a camber kit for sure.
Now if you are getting the H&R race springs you will have some negative camber which means your tires are tilted inward like this / \ (now looking from the ground level) . With negative camber you will have inner tire wear.
So what I am really saying is, you should also get a camber kit install while you are changing your shocks and springs. Then you can bring it to an alignment shop and have them bring everything into spec. Trust me you will need a camber kit for sure.
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Joined: Jan 2000
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From: Chattanooga, TN, USA
Re: What exactly does getting an alignment do? (LostGsr)
If you plan to AUto-X at all 1.75-2 degrees of negative camber is actually a good thing. I have right at 2.0 on my Type-R. What you can do is actually make the handling properties ofd the car like you want them with an alignment.
Toe is the ONLY thing that can be adjusted on our cars. Camber is set by height and caster is predetermined.
To make the car turn in better (quickly) have them set the Toe in the FRONT OUT. A good setting would be about 1/8" total (1/16th" each side)
To make the rear come around (Oversteer) have them set the toe in the rear to Toe IN or have them set it to Zero. I have my rears set to Zero to get good street tires wear while helping the car rotate.
Setting these alignments will help even out tire wear while greatly affecting (improving) handling. If you havea good bit of camber just rotate your tires every 1000 miles or so.
Just my $0.02
Trey
Toe is the ONLY thing that can be adjusted on our cars. Camber is set by height and caster is predetermined.
To make the car turn in better (quickly) have them set the Toe in the FRONT OUT. A good setting would be about 1/8" total (1/16th" each side)
To make the rear come around (Oversteer) have them set the toe in the rear to Toe IN or have them set it to Zero. I have my rears set to Zero to get good street tires wear while helping the car rotate.
Setting these alignments will help even out tire wear while greatly affecting (improving) handling. If you havea good bit of camber just rotate your tires every 1000 miles or so.
Just my $0.02
Trey
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