jwood_06TSX

Ok guys, I am semi new to the alignment process so I need so help here. As my other post, I just put on the Tein Basics Saturday and went to get an alignment today. (Moderators, if you feel this can be combined with the other post, feel free to merge them) Anyway, I went to NTB (National Tire and Battery) for an alignment and here are the problems they ran into in which I went into the shop to try and help...

They use hunter computer system, which is pretty good but first off they said that I need a camber plate for the front cause my left front was out of spec. The left was -.2 and the right were -.9 and he said he couldn't adjust it any further. So we raised up the car to check the Tein height and it was a little off, so I used my wrenches and lowered the right side and it went to -.8. But it looked like I would have to move it way too much to get it to the left side. I just need an explanation as to what is going on with this. Am I lowered to much, I shouldn't be cause I’m like 1.25" up on the Tein's?

And then for the back, he couldn't even get the Ingalls rear camber kit loose. He said he needed a longer tool in order to break it loose. So he said he would bring his tool in on Thursday and told me to come back and he could take care of it. But this still won’t do anything for the front.

So, what is going on, and do I even go back there, or should I try and go somewhere else?

Any help would be helpful

jwood_06TSX

Where is moda at?.....he knows his alignment stuff really well! I am going to go to a different/better alignment shop to get the back done properly, but do i need a front camber kit to help out whatever is going on up front is what i guess i want to know?

xizor

my car is lowered 3 inches has the front camber is in spec. Caster is way out, but camber and toe are fine

jwood_06TSX

See, that is what i thought. You can go really low in the front without needing to make any camber or toe adjustments, so why is mine off that much? Is -.9 really off that much or could the guy just have put it on the wheel incorrectly too?

I was also going to try and adjust the Tein's cause the left side was -.2 and the right was -.9, but when i measured it, it looked ok.

Tire pressure?

joerockt

I think you need to get a second opinion. Go to a place that specializes in alignments. I took my wife's Accord to a place that only does alignments after lowering it 1.5" all around and they had no problem.

CGPTSX06

First of all get the drop and measure to your desire height before an alignment job. What NTB did you go to. I have my alignment done at NTB in Langhorne,PA by the guy name Jim he owned a black 05 Subaru WRX, he knows what he is doing. My front was lower 1.75" and everything was in spec, except I want him to adjust my front L/R toe to 0.0 you cannot adjust the front camber unless you have a camber kits for the front. As far as the rear Ingalls camber kits goes It can be done with ease, without all the hassle. I was there with the guy when the alignment was performed, I just don't trust any of them with the car.

jwood_06TSX

That is the exact shop i went to but had some young kid working on it and then this other guy from Trinidad said he could do it today with his tools that he was going to bring in. The measured drop is good to go last time i checked and i was standing right there too. The front camber wasn't within spec though and my drop wasn't that much i don't think. I measured up about 1.25" from where they tell you to measure it from, so what in drop is that? My front camber was -.2 on the left and -.9 on the right, does that mean i need to adjust the height of the Tein?

Do you have a copy or konw what your aligment measurements where off hand?

CGPTSX06

So you measure from the lower green perch to the lower part of the shock as in the tein manual that is 1.25" and the maximum drop for the Tein basic is 3.35"
so your drop is really 2.1" and your camber is actually what it is then unless you have a camber kit you can't do anything about it. How many finger gap you got in the front? 2" drop should give you atleast a finger gap, if that is what you got.

jwood_06TSX

yea, i have about one finger gap exactly, maybe a 1/16" or less higher. I think i am going to try and raise it up a little bit more before i got back there, or just ask them if i can do while its on their lift, which is what i did last time.

I don't have a front camber kit so maybe i will just jack it up a little bit more.....the measurement on the Tein's is the same at 1.25" but the left camber is only -.4 and the right is -.9 so if the measurement i the same how does that work with the camber being off?

CGPTSX06

If you want, you can raise the car and measure as in the tein manual to 1.6" that you should give you a 1.75" drop that is about 2 finger gap instead of the 2" drop maybe that will made the camber stay in specs.

jwood_06TSX

Yea i think i am going to try and do that! I probably should raise up the rear to match it too right, or doesn't that matter to much?......still new to the whole coilover business....

CGPTSX06

Yes you should raise the rear, cause if not your front is going to be lower than the back and the drop is not even.