Alignment Specs

Lanny, Leon, et al. --

I just put the FM Springs and a set of AGXs on my '97.

Afterward, I went to a local garage that was willing to allow me to "ride" while I had the car aligned. Unfortunately, they were unable to match Lanny's Alignment Specs.

Here is what I wound up with:

Front: L R Combined Camber: -1.0 -1.1 Caster: 0.1 Toe In: 0.08 0.08 Total Toe: 0.16

Rear:

Camber -1.7 -1.6 Toe In: 0.10 0.08 Total Toe: 0.18

Thoughts, concerns, guidance ???

TIA

- L

'97 STO, "Chouki"

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Reply to
L Bader
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You won't be happy with only 0.1 degree of caster--the wheel probably stays where you leave it instead of returning to center, with very little feel. With a lowered car, it's not surprising they couldn't get enough caster without sacrificing camber. Looks like they tried commendably hard, though.

I would prefer to give up enough front camber to get 4 degrees of caster, then set the rear 0.5-0.7 degrees more negative than the front. Your camber might end up at -1.3F / -1.9R, more or less, but that's the price of lowering, and with such small amounts of toe you shouldn't expect too much extra tire wear if you drive fairly aggressively.

It's worth doing over, Maybe they'll give you a break on a realignment.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

Lanny -

Took your advise and took it back to the shop. Steve and his guys worked at it and got me the following numbers:

L R Combined Front:

Camber -1.0 -1.1 Total Camber 0.1 Caster 4.0 4.0 Toe 0.09 0.07 Total Toe 0.16

Rear:

Camber -1.6 -1.6 Toe 0.07 0.08 Total Toe 0.15

Thanks for the help! (Any last minute thoughts or comments?)

- L

'97 STO, "Chouki"

// Change TEJAS to TX to reply via eMail //

Reply to
L Bader

I would guess tires may not last that long with all that toe. Is front toe out and rear toe in?

Happy new year, :) Leon

Reply to
Leon van Dommelen

Leon -

Toe IN at both ends...

I expect I will see faster wear than "norm", but it is worth it if the car continues to stick like it did on the test run today!

(Lanny, your "rudder-kicks" worked... I sailed through one of my "headache" roads without incident or concern!)

- L

'97 STO, "Chouki"

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Reply to
L Bader

Those are excellent numbers, L, especially for a lowered car. If that shop does general maintenance too, I'd give them all your business. They obviously cared about doing it right, and had the talent to pull it off.

Hope your New Year's weather doesn't make you wait too long to try it out!

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

Yeah, but Norm doesn't drive like you. ;-)

You mean steering with your right foot? Yup, you now have a new toy. Just so you train yourself to remember that backing off has at least as much effect as adding throttle. It takes a lot of discipline to manage an oversteering car through a corner that was entered 5 mph too hot. But it's more fun--and faster--than in an understeering car, once you learn how it works.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

Lanny -

Steve and his crew already do the work I can't (either due to time, tools or technique) and they get my first referral to anyone that asks me, "do you know a mechanic?"

In that I am in South Texas, I was pouring through some Hill Country twisties with the top down after sunset. -- Truly God's Country...

Thanks again for all the help.

Zoom-Zoom!

- L

'97 STO, "Chouki"

// Change TEJAS to TX to reply via eMail //

Reply to
L Bader

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