01formula6

iTrader: (7)

I just finished installing SLP Bilsteins with stock springs, as well as dropping the k member to replace the oil pan gasket. The car now has heavy steering and feels darty on the road, like it doesn't want to track straight while at speed.

My understanding is that the alignment shouldn't be affected unless lowering the car, so I'm not sure what's causing my problem. Is the k member possibly not aligned correctly? I'm thinking about taking the car to get aligned, but want to make sure my problem isn't due to a mistake on my end.

01formula6

iTrader: (7)

Since no one has any ideas so far, I'll throw something out there, though I doubt it's the cause. Is it possible that these symptoms could be from the sway bar endlinks being too tight? Now that I think about it, I did probably overtighten them.

jmilz28

iTrader: (13)

Sway bar endlinks are probably too tight, it's natural to want to do for most folks. As far as alignment after shocks, you don't automatically need it, but probably you do. Unless you made some reference marks and installed the new shocks accordingly, I would recommend an alignment. Why chew up tires and/or not enjoy driving the car?

gun4hire

iTrader: (17)

I've been given the impression that an alignment is recommended after ANY suspension work, its just a bigger issue if the ride height has been changed.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

Very true!

01formula6

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for the opinions. I'll loosen the endlinks, get an alignment and then see how things feel.

JamRWS6

It depends on the suspension work. If you stay at the same ride height and don't touch anything that affects alignment (ie a shock replacement and staying w/ the same springs) its a waste of money to get an alignment.

Arctic2002ss

No, the shock change should not affect the steering. If I remember right, the end links are supposed to be torqued to 16ftlbs, which is not much.

01formula6

iTrader: (7)

This is what I thought, and I did reuse the stock springs. However, the car has 100K on it, has never had an alignment and the steering feels a little off. I found a local shop to do it for $90 that uses a Hunter Hawkeye. I'll report back Tuesday with the results.

2002ssls1

iTrader: (3)

I just had shocks and springs installed about a week ago and didn't get an alignment. The car drives straight as hell, steering wheel is straight, car doesn't pull in either direction.

spy2520

iTrader: (3)

Shocks usually don't affect alignment but it could have been a combination of all the work that was done.

leadfoot4

iTrader: (1)

I agree, however, on a 4th gen car, a lot of disassembly/reassembly is done to get the shocks swapped out. Secondly, you're assuming that the alignment was "OK" before you took it apart.

A lot of people simply assume that because "it drives straight" the alignment is right on. Not necessarily.....

Racin'Z28

iTrader: (7)

Remember, he said he dropped the K member and did suspension work. Now it's darty and nose heavy like the toe in is off or it's got a sh*tload of negative camber, which I doubt. Not tracking at speed is usually the Toe. Seems pretty damn reasonable and common sense to get it aligned. What is going to be diffferent if he doesn't? I doubt very much the sway bar is going to make it "nose heavy". It will really only affect what happens as he turns, not how he turns. If he dropped the K member and R&R a bunch of stuff, (whether same parts or new parts) something is not lined up right. Maybe he put it back together right and the prior alignment was set up for a bad assembly? Who knows? It's worth the money to get it aligned anyways, even to max out the negative camber to make it handle good anyways. Seems like an easy question...get it aligned.
And report back what they find. We all learn that way.

01formula6

iTrader: (7)

Just picked the car up and in the 1 mile drive back from the shop I can already tell it drives 10x better. Passenger outer tie rod had play and needed to be replaced. I'm sure that was part of my problem, alignment was also off. I'm guessing the alignment was off before I worked on it and just became more noticeable after the install. Here is the printout I received.

RsSean

iTrader: (27)

I would have had the chamber set in a little more just for road handling situations. But if you remove trhe K memeber 99.9% of the time the k member will be sitting kock eye'd when re installing. Yes there are dowel pins but the alignment will be effected. I am glad you had it aligned it was very smart.

Racin'Z28

iTrader: (7)

I would agree with RsSean that a little more negative camber would be okay. May a total of -1 degree, maybe -1.5 if you don't do a lot of highway driving.
But, that's a excellent amount of Caster you got out of it. Congrats. Toe in seems right on the money too.

It's gotta feel like a new car.