Getting alignment next week. NEED HELP!!!
02-21-2009, 05:23 AM
#1
Getting alignment next week. NEED HELP!!! I just got the car back on the ground after getting new k-member, upper lower a-arms, tie rod end....etc. I scheduled a 4 wheel alignment next week, and need to know what to tell the guys for specs. I seen on here that a lot of people have different combos on their setup. The car is a head cam car that will be pushing high-mid 10's this year, and street driven with a lot of track time as well. I didn't know if a stock alignment would do or there is some kind of special way I need to tell them how to do it.
02-21-2009, 10:21 AM
#3
I took mine in last week to have an alignment done (new Spohn tubular K).
The shop complained that the elongated holes actually made it more complicated to align.
I was fortunate that the shop owner happened to be an old hotrodder and calmed the alignment guy down LOL
They finished it, but it took about 3 man-hours to reach optimal specs.
Cost me $112 total.
What I am trying to say is; call ahead and make sure they understand what you are bringing to them.
If they have an issue with it ... go somewhere with a reputation for aligning "customized" cars.
The shop complained that the elongated holes actually made it more complicated to align.
I was fortunate that the shop owner happened to be an old hotrodder and calmed the alignment guy down LOL
They finished it, but it took about 3 man-hours to reach optimal specs.
Cost me $112 total.
What I am trying to say is; call ahead and make sure they understand what you are bringing to them.
If they have an issue with it ... go somewhere with a reputation for aligning "customized" cars.
02-21-2009, 11:48 AM
#4
I took mine in last week to have an alignment done (new Spohn tubular K).
The shop complained that the elongated holes actually made it more complicated to align.
I was fortunate that the shop owner happened to be an old hotrodder and calmed the alignment guy down LOL
They finished it, but it took about 3 man-hours to reach optimal specs.
Cost me $112 total.
What I am trying to say is; call ahead and make sure they understand what you are bringing to them.
If they have an issue with it ... go somewhere with a reputation for aligning "customized" cars.
The shop complained that the elongated holes actually made it more complicated to align.
I was fortunate that the shop owner happened to be an old hotrodder and calmed the alignment guy down LOL
They finished it, but it took about 3 man-hours to reach optimal specs.
Cost me $112 total.
What I am trying to say is; call ahead and make sure they understand what you are bringing to them.
If they have an issue with it ... go somewhere with a reputation for aligning "customized" cars.
Agreed, call ahead... a lot of shops don't like non stock stuff... some will just charge a little more.
02-21-2009, 02:23 PM
#6
Yea that shouldnt be a problem at all. And no the car wont be running, not even close. The guy said as long as we can get it on the ramps then it should be fine. I did a few searches on here looking for specs, but nobody specified what there cars were build for, or how they drive them. I dont want to get a ******* gay *** autocross alignment done on my drag car. Would a stock alignment do fine?
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02-22-2009, 02:53 AM
#8
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stock alignments get the wheels perfectly straight so you can let go of the wheel and it goes straight, so if your just drag racing the car get the stock alignment done, autocross you want more/less caster/camber. drag alignments are easy on stock style suspension cars.
02-22-2009, 03:06 AM
#9
stock alignments get the wheels perfectly straight so you can let go of the wheel and it goes straight, so if your just drag racing the car get the stock alignment done, autocross you want more/less caster/camber. drag alignments are easy on stock style suspension cars.
02-22-2009, 03:16 AM
#11
Thats exactly what I was thinking. The tires should stay perfectly straight even with no load. Not a whole lot of weight on those tires when your making a pass.
One more question: Does it matter how low I have the front coilovers adjusted to right know? I have them set low(see sig). And they asked me if the car was lowered, I said yes, but didnt know what they meant by asking. I could raise it a few inchs if need be. Should it matter?
One more question: Does it matter how low I have the front coilovers adjusted to right know? I have them set low(see sig). And they asked me if the car was lowered, I said yes, but didnt know what they meant by asking. I could raise it a few inchs if need be. Should it matter?
02-22-2009, 10:35 AM
#12
Car has to be at running wt, and at desired ride hgt.
I had my GN done w/ me in it, race tires installed, fuel tank full, etc.
We checked the starting alignment, and printed it out.
We then raised the ft end 1", and repeated the above.
We then raised it further, in 1" increments, and repeated the above.
[Video indicated the car went thru the traps w/ the ft end up about 2".]
Final setting was minimum camber, and max caster.
Drove like it was on rails at 141+...
But, it was "only" a v-sicks.
I had my GN done w/ me in it, race tires installed, fuel tank full, etc.
We checked the starting alignment, and printed it out.
We then raised the ft end 1", and repeated the above.
We then raised it further, in 1" increments, and repeated the above.
[Video indicated the car went thru the traps w/ the ft end up about 2".]
Final setting was minimum camber, and max caster.
Drove like it was on rails at 141+...
But, it was "only" a v-sicks.
02-22-2009, 12:25 PM
#14
stock alignments get the wheels perfectly straight so you can let go of the wheel and it goes straight, so if your just drag racing the car get the stock alignment done, autocross you want more/less caster/camber. drag alignments are easy on stock style suspension cars.
Listen to Chuck (old geezer). And make sure the car never goes TOE OUT Kyle, not toe in. Get all the caster you can. Make sure it stays toe'd in throughout the range of travel and yes, it has to be at running height and weight.
02-22-2009, 07:06 PM
#15
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yes of course i dont know what im talking about seeing as though ive probably done more alignments than you have ever done and you know having a car go straight doesnt matter, and a stock alignment gets the car to go perfectly straight, and i never said oldgeezer was wrong, so why dont get off your damn high horse and dont post up crap if you dont know what your talking about.
02-23-2009, 01:53 AM
#17
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I always check mine all the way thrue the lift of the front and we pull it down with a rachet strap to see what it looks like when it bottoms out . i have never seen anyhing in my car that looked crazy, but leave and get on the bumber it is going to bottom out when it comes down. also i try to set mine up 2 or 3 iches up because that is where your front will be most of the pass. i also on short tracks pull the chute and hit the brakes it will bottom out then ,and i have trapped at 177 so you nedd to to look and then look some more i have been useing a paint pen and marking where the bolts in the slots are so if you have a upset at the track you can jack it up and look and see if anything has moved just gives you a way to check. i always mark it while it is still on the machine just somthing to think a bought.
02-23-2009, 02:51 AM
#18
I always check mine all the way thrue the lift of the front and we pull it down with a rachet strap to see what it looks like when it bottoms out . i have never seen anyhing in my car that looked crazy, but leave and get on the bumber it is going to bottom out when it comes down. also i try to set mine up 2 or 3 iches up because that is where your front will be most of the pass. i also on short tracks pull the chute and hit the brakes it will bottom out then ,and i have trapped at 177 so you nedd to to look and then look some more i have been useing a paint pen and marking where the bolts in the slots are so if you have a upset at the track you can jack it up and look and see if anything has moved just gives you a way to check. i always mark it while it is still on the machine just somthing to think a bought.
02-23-2009, 03:11 AM
#19
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ya i forgot bout that he makes a good point, your gona be squatting in the rear and high in the front the whole run, i dont think that would make a huge difference but ya i would definetly do that have it aligned with the front jacked up a lil.just make sure your toe is dead on.
02-23-2009, 12:11 PM
#20
8 Second Club
Sorry for the confusion, but i raise the front up from ride height a couple of inches and that is where i align it. and before i take it off the rack we take it all the way up, do a sweep and all the way down ,do a sweep i pull it down with rachet straps. The reson i went to all this problem is i went to the santhuff spindles and i wainted to see how it changed the geomerty of the front end. The guy that did it says it looks better than stock. He does all of my drag set ups with very good results.