93z383

iTrader: (-1)

I did a lot of searching and couldn't get a solid answer or just out right specs or anything so here goes. I put on brand new Bilsteins & BMR lowering springs on all 4 corners, and redid the whole front end. Inner/outer tie rods, upper/lower ball joints. Brand new rims/tires and just about every piece on the car is now UMI/BMR .

I didn't match up the threads on the tie rods or anything when replacing them because I had planned to just take it in for an alignment right away after finishing, so it's way far off. I talked to Firestone and they basically told me all they could adjust was the toe and nothing else because they only can do "factory specs" and gave me every excuse why they couldn't do it since the car is lowered now, liabilities yada yada.

What am I supposed to do? Should the factory alignment specs still be used on the lowered stance, are there new specs I should run that someone could help me with, or what should I do? Someone please help, I did all this work with all these upgrades and I really want to make sure my car is going to be at it's full potential with all the new upgrades and I'm not going to get screwed because of the damned alignment.

1 more question - will having the swaybars disconnected off the car affect the alignment at all? should I put them on the car when I take it in for the alignment?

Pleeeeease help. Thank you!

JD_AMG

Their full of crap, go somewhere else. There are a TON of alignment thread in here you can search. I watched the guy do my alignment, took all of 15 min to get where I wanted it, very simple.
You can run stock alignment specs if you want, but I prefer a little more negative camber than stock (which is 0).

Should affect alignment but I don't know why you would want to drive around without them...

99zee

iTrader: (4)

I would go somewhere else. Some places will only align to factory specs. I run a little more negative camber myself, stock toe and caster.

tc3

iTrader: (2)

Where are you located?

93z383

iTrader: (-1)

The only reason the swaybars are off is because I was in the process of upgrading. Just wanted to know if they would effect the alignment, I'll make sure and install them before I go again!

Should I basically be able to tell them what I want and they should do it? Like if I go in and tell them to get everything straightened out, and I would like it to be geared towards handling they should know what to do? Or do I need to know the numbers...

tc3

iTrader: (2)

sway bars when installed correctly will not effect alignment. Any place that can do alignments shouldnt have a problem doing it, however with lowering springs and factory control arms and kmember you may not be able to get factory specs but regardless an alignment can be done without issue... the people that turned you down just didnt want to get involved. When i worked for firestone i aligned modified cars plenty of times. take it somewhere else... again if your near orlando fl let me know

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

good answer tc3, I agree
Johnny

JD_AMG

Tell them numbers you want, it will make it a hell of a lot easier, other wise they will just get it in the "green" and let it go.
For some alignment specs check out this site:
http://www.angelfire.com/my/fastcar/suspension.html

93z383

iTrader: (-1)

Thanks for the link but I don't have an LS1..

So what am I telling these losers when I go in? Can anyone give me a number that will get everything properly aligned and be slightly geared toward handling?

JD_AMG

What does that matter? You have a 4th gen Fbody right?
Did you not read the alignment specs on the link?
-1 camber, 4 to 5* caster, and 0 toe.

93z383

iTrader: (-1)

Dude I read the link, but the specs were for an LS1. I didn't know the same specs applied to the 93-97's, thanks

I spoke to a shop who actually knows what they're doing and they told me they could take care of it no problem. the first shop I went to was so shitty they couldn't even get the tie rod nuts broken loose. On BRAND NEW tie rods -_- . I took it home and turned them loose with a 4 inch stubby 7/8 wrench with like 10% effort. Oh and they also had never heard of using a torch to heat/loosen tough parts... seriously. This is a Firestone service center I'm talking about here. I will never bring my car there for anything and I hope nobody ever does.

The new shop I talked to knows exactly what to do, and even cut the price down from $90 to $60 since they couldn't get me in today. An alignment takes all of 10 minutes anyway, but I'm happy with that

tc3

iTrader: (2)

10 minutes on a prius or something if they have a newer machine... im stuck with old equipment that requires individual wheel compensation so for a car with all new front end parts itll be more like 45 mins...

SS SLP2

iTrader: (8)

day in -day out on none mod autos my office quote 45 min on each align, which = a good round day , about 10 units per day x 5 1/2 days per x 51 weeks per year x 30 years = a good round #
enough of this rambleing
Johnny

ps: yes with the New Hunter Hackeye Elite , from drive on untill handing a print out to driver 1 1/2 min then the setting of the align depends upone how fast you want to work and which setting must be moved to reach a total align

93z383

iTrader: (-1)

lol the funny thing is I worked in a shop for a few years and have done a ton of alignments.. I never had to align a modified car and my POS shop wouldn't do it cuz all we had was the factory specs on a program that wouldn't allow us to make changes. It wouldn't let us complete the alignment if anything was out of factory range.

I used to bang out alignments in 15-20 minutes... raise car, chock wheel/steering wheel, load program, connect sensors, bust tie rod nuts loose, turn here, turn there, tighten, remove sensors, and done.

tc3

iTrader: (2)

When i was at firestone there was a guy working there that had an alignment on a c5 vette.... well knowing him i was watching over him... aure enough he told the service advisers that camber and caster wasnt adjustable.... hah....

93z383

iTrader: (-1)

lol! The things these guys will say when they're either just lazy or don't know what to do..

got the alignment done today at a F&F where my bud works... they did a fantastic job and got it dead nuts on, with (don't quote me) 1.5 degrees negative camber I think it was for handling.

colospgsTA

I am installing my SLP Bilsteins and Stranos this weekend, but right after I put them in I have to drive ~400 miles round trip to visit my parents. Is it okay to drive this long before getting an alignment? I have lifetime alignment with firestone but i doubt they would work fast enough to get them done on the same day... and this is my DD.

Daniel Richards

iTrader: (1)

Depending on the drop amount I wouldn't drive that much without an alignment I once replaced the shocks on my old honda with some Koni sports that have the 2 locations for the spring seat on the front shocks and 3 on the rears and did this (see picture) in 1k miles on my Nitto Neogens