Alignment right away or wait
I personally would never install geometry-changing suspension parts unless
I had the ability to check corner weights, ride height, and alignment as I
was doing it. Sure, maybe some alignment values may shift after some road
time, whether it is 'settling (?)' or insufficiently tightened fasteners or just
the result of heavy bumps etc, so if I suspected any of those, I'd recheck
the alignment after a little running, but I personally wouldn't leave the shop
without knowing the camber, toe, and that my corner balance was good at
the load I drive with. You're certainly going to be judging your new parts and
workmanship the second you drive out the door. What if something is bad,
or different and you don't know if you should just get used to it, or whether
it is just an artifact of an unintentionally way-different alignment or imbalance
in your corner weights?
Good luck. I'd get the corner balance and alignment right now, today. Make sure
you get before and after numbers, so if you feel a difference when/if they change
anything, you will know why. And even if they don't the car will feel better, just
like a car runs smoother just after it's been waxed, or had an oil change, or had it's
tire pressures checked...
Regards,
Joe
I had the ability to check corner weights, ride height, and alignment as I
was doing it. Sure, maybe some alignment values may shift after some road
time, whether it is 'settling (?)' or insufficiently tightened fasteners or just
the result of heavy bumps etc, so if I suspected any of those, I'd recheck
the alignment after a little running, but I personally wouldn't leave the shop
without knowing the camber, toe, and that my corner balance was good at
the load I drive with. You're certainly going to be judging your new parts and
workmanship the second you drive out the door. What if something is bad,
or different and you don't know if you should just get used to it, or whether
it is just an artifact of an unintentionally way-different alignment or imbalance
in your corner weights?
Good luck. I'd get the corner balance and alignment right now, today. Make sure
you get before and after numbers, so if you feel a difference when/if they change
anything, you will know why. And even if they don't the car will feel better, just
like a car runs smoother just after it's been waxed, or had an oil change, or had it's
tire pressures checked...
Regards,
Joe
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,439
Rep Power: 87
You're very welcome. Yes, if you haven't installed more adjustability you won't be
immediately able to do anything if something is wrong (unlikely). If they won't
charge you anything to weight the corners, I'd do it, just for curiosity. Make sure
they disconnect one end of each swaybar while they're doing it. And yes, if
you can get the alignment you want with fewer adjustable parts, that's the way
to go: less to go wrong later.
immediately able to do anything if something is wrong (unlikely). If they won't
charge you anything to weight the corners, I'd do it, just for curiosity. Make sure
they disconnect one end of each swaybar while they're doing it. And yes, if
you can get the alignment you want with fewer adjustable parts, that's the way
to go: less to go wrong later.
Got my alignment done at TC Design on monday and so far I'm pretty impressed with these Techart springs and the feel with the alignment I got. Ride comfort does not seem to be much different from stock. Performance wise, these springs are not exhibiting the bouncy floaty feel that others have described with some other lowering springs. Here are my alignment specs I got. I asked for a good street alignment for a car that is used for spririted drives throug the hills but won't be too aggressive that it will be darty at speed on the freeway. Not sure how the tires will last with these specs. Let me know what you think. Here are my alignment specs.
Edit: Corrected alignment specs
Front Camber -1.5 (max that could be achieved)
Front Toe: 1/32 toe in
Rear Camber: -2.0
Rear Toe: 3/16 toe in
The looks department is definitely better now that I am out of 4X4 territory. Here is a pic you can compare to my avatar photo.
Edit: Corrected alignment specs
Front Camber -1.5 (max that could be achieved)
Front Toe: 1/32 toe in
Rear Camber: -2.0
Rear Toe: 3/16 toe in
The looks department is definitely better now that I am out of 4X4 territory. Here is a pic you can compare to my avatar photo.
Last edited by Nor Cal Turbo; Jul 13, 2011 at 11:20 PM. Reason: corrected alignment specs
After I installed the springs I dove the car probably about 100 miles to get a feel for things. I was not impressed with the overall handling before alignment. Tended to wander when hitting any bumps in the road and felt a little darty at speed. I'm no driving expert so its hard to describe but things did not feel right to me. After the alignment the car feels totally planted and handling feels real crisp. I'm wondering if the car was in need of an alignment before ever installing the springs. I still need to do a bit more driving to get a really shape my opinion but I could tell immediately that things felt better and was great in the twisties. I'll be going for a much longer drive this weekend so I can really feel it out.
I'm trying to remember off the top of my head the before alignment specs since my alignment sheet is at home right now but the main thing was the toe was off the most. I'll update the numbers when I get home with the exact ones but this is what I remember.
EDITED alignemnt specs. had them wrong earlier
Front Camber -1.3 Left, -1.5 Right
Front Toe: 3/4 total toe out
Rear Camber: -1.9 Left, -2.0 Right
Rear Toe: 1/4 total rear toe in
I'm trying to remember off the top of my head the before alignment specs since my alignment sheet is at home right now but the main thing was the toe was off the most. I'll update the numbers when I get home with the exact ones but this is what I remember.
EDITED alignemnt specs. had them wrong earlier
Front Camber -1.3 Left, -1.5 Right
Front Toe: 3/4 total toe out
Rear Camber: -1.9 Left, -2.0 Right
Rear Toe: 1/4 total rear toe in
Last edited by Nor Cal Turbo; Jul 13, 2011 at 11:18 PM. Reason: corrected alignment specs
Registered User
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,190
From: Benton County, AR
Rep Power: 147
I just finished installing a set of Techart springs in my tt last weekend and obviously need to get an alignment done but was wondering if I should allow some time for the springs to settle in before getting an alignment? Seems to me it would be bad to drive around without an alignment but also bad if I get an alignment before the springs settle and end up out of alignment later on after the springs settle. Do I need to drive on them for a bit to get them to settle in or are they settling in just sitting with the weight of the car on them in my garage? Thanks for your advice.
Typically the springs will settle about the same so the alignment will not go **** up.
Drive the car a few thousand miles or more -- watch the tire wear -- and if the tire wear remains good/even and the car doesn't exhibit any signs of alignment issues continue to drive the car.
If the tire wear becomes uneven, excessive, etc. or the car develops a pull or some other sign the alignment may be getting off then have the car aligned again.
Sincerely,
Macster.
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 346
From: San Jose, CA
Rep Power: 31
I'd get the alignment done right away. The springs will settle some but you have some time. They're not going to settle that much in a short time. They are after all "springs" and should be able to resist this to some extent if they're worthy of the name.
Typically the springs will settle about the same so the alignment will not go **** up.
Drive the car a few thousand miles or more -- watch the tire wear -- and if the tire wear remains good/even and the car doesn't exhibit any signs of alignment issues continue to drive the car.
If the tire wear becomes uneven, excessive, etc. or the car develops a pull or some other sign the alignment may be getting off then have the car aligned again.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Typically the springs will settle about the same so the alignment will not go **** up.
Drive the car a few thousand miles or more -- watch the tire wear -- and if the tire wear remains good/even and the car doesn't exhibit any signs of alignment issues continue to drive the car.
If the tire wear becomes uneven, excessive, etc. or the car develops a pull or some other sign the alignment may be getting off then have the car aligned again.
Sincerely,
Macster.
Was a little confused at first, so I brought it to the alignment shop again and the specs were a little off. But once another alignment was done, everything felt fine and is still fine to this day.
Is it better to get an alignment right away? Sure. But I would also get another one not too long after.
I just thought it will be more cost effective to only do one alignment couple hundred miles after. I never had problems with my tires burning up from the alignment being out of spec after a new suspension installation (assuming everything was put back together correctly).
The reason why I suggested waiting a few hundred miles for an alignment was that I did an alignment on my BMW and Porsche right away after I installed a new suspension set up (did not go too much lower than stock) and felt that both cars were a little loose feeling when driving after a few hundred miles.
Was a little confused at first, so I brought it to the alignment shop again and the specs were a little off. But once another alignment was done, everything felt fine and is still fine to this day.
Is it better to get an alignment right away? Sure. But I would also get another one not too long after.
I just thought it will be more cost effective to only do one alignment couple hundred miles after. I never had problems with my tires burning up from the alignment being out of spec after a new suspension installation (assuming everything was put back together correctly).
Was a little confused at first, so I brought it to the alignment shop again and the specs were a little off. But once another alignment was done, everything felt fine and is still fine to this day.
Is it better to get an alignment right away? Sure. But I would also get another one not too long after.
I just thought it will be more cost effective to only do one alignment couple hundred miles after. I never had problems with my tires burning up from the alignment being out of spec after a new suspension installation (assuming everything was put back together correctly).
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Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 47
From: Bay Area, CA
Rep Power: 17
I decided to keep my KW V3s based on advice from the board. I too just took it to TC Design this morning to get the ride height raised and alignment/corner balanced.
The ride is awesome. Handling is like night and day compared to before and as an added bonus, I think the intermittent PCM/ABS error that I was getting has gone away (knock on wood).
Phenomenal.
The ride is awesome. Handling is like night and day compared to before and as an added bonus, I think the intermittent PCM/ABS error that I was getting has gone away (knock on wood).
Phenomenal.
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