Alignment Settings
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Joined: Sep 2006
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Alignment Settings
Hey, all...
I remember seeing a thread somewhere that had the stock alignment settings for our car, I'm sure I can dig it up eventually....
What I was wondering is about the alignment settings for a moderately lowered TSX. I realize that lowering the car even slightly is going to change the geometry a little bit, so that might impact the settings needed for proper alignment.
What I am considering is Tein S-tech springs and Tokico HP shocks...nothing really 'out-there', just a nice upgrade to improve handling, reduce body roll (and especially brake-dive!) and not impact ride too terribly. According to what I have read, the S-techs will lower the front 1.7" and the rear 1.3"...again, not incredibly aggressive but probably enough to impact alignment.
I also realize that what I am asking is a question that will most likely garner responses of "it depends". Well, to narrow down the variables a little more, I am mostly looking for a suspension that provides excellent control for spirited driving, and the occasional corner-carving...but does not compromise high speed stability in any way. My car will most likely never see a racetrack, so I am not interesed in camber up the wazoo or anything extreme. I do enjoy backroads, but the bulk of my driving is on the highway, and this car feels a little too squirrelly at 100+mph for my taste, so I'd like to rectify that.
I'm sure somebody out there has experimented with different toe and alignment settings...that is the kind of stuff I'm looking for here. I want to be able to go to my installer and hand him a sheet along with my springs and shocks and say, "Install these and set the alignment to THESE specs...and give me the printout from the Hunter to prove it."
One other question...I'm not really sure if a wheel/tire swap is going to change this in any way. I do not intend to go extreme there, either...probably 18x8 wheels with 235/40's. If sanity reigns and I stick with 17's (gotta love Jersey potholes!), then it will be 235/45's. Would these sizes effect the settings at all?
Thanks in advance!
Os.
I remember seeing a thread somewhere that had the stock alignment settings for our car, I'm sure I can dig it up eventually....
What I was wondering is about the alignment settings for a moderately lowered TSX. I realize that lowering the car even slightly is going to change the geometry a little bit, so that might impact the settings needed for proper alignment.
What I am considering is Tein S-tech springs and Tokico HP shocks...nothing really 'out-there', just a nice upgrade to improve handling, reduce body roll (and especially brake-dive!) and not impact ride too terribly. According to what I have read, the S-techs will lower the front 1.7" and the rear 1.3"...again, not incredibly aggressive but probably enough to impact alignment.
I also realize that what I am asking is a question that will most likely garner responses of "it depends". Well, to narrow down the variables a little more, I am mostly looking for a suspension that provides excellent control for spirited driving, and the occasional corner-carving...but does not compromise high speed stability in any way. My car will most likely never see a racetrack, so I am not interesed in camber up the wazoo or anything extreme. I do enjoy backroads, but the bulk of my driving is on the highway, and this car feels a little too squirrelly at 100+mph for my taste, so I'd like to rectify that.
I'm sure somebody out there has experimented with different toe and alignment settings...that is the kind of stuff I'm looking for here. I want to be able to go to my installer and hand him a sheet along with my springs and shocks and say, "Install these and set the alignment to THESE specs...and give me the printout from the Hunter to prove it."
One other question...I'm not really sure if a wheel/tire swap is going to change this in any way. I do not intend to go extreme there, either...probably 18x8 wheels with 235/40's. If sanity reigns and I stick with 17's (gotta love Jersey potholes!), then it will be 235/45's. Would these sizes effect the settings at all?
Thanks in advance!
Os.
boost owns
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,367
Likes: 3
From: CT
Honestly, what I did is lower my car, then go to my alignment shop and have them dial it in to spec and to set rear camber to -1.0 (I have Ingalls adjustable rear camber kit). I have no real science to back up that figure, just that from some surface-level reading I gathered that a little negative camber aids in handling due to increased contact patch on the pavement. It's worked great for me for a year now. <shrug>
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