UW RL

i know it's highly recommanded to get aligned after lowering the car, but I was wondering if it's ok to drive about 600-700 miles to get alingment. The whole purpose of alignment is so the tire wear occur evently. I think 600-700 miles should be fine, right? I still have about 600 miles to go before my first oil change (3750) so i can do alignment at the same time. what u guys think? Thanks!

------------------


Comptech springs
Polarg M-12 Side signals
Pikkachu on the back window

AcuraTL

Do the alignment ASAP. When you lower your TL, it not only affect the camber, it also affect the toe in/out. It usually take them less than an hour to do an alignment.

------------------
Honda-Acura.net TL Forum Moderator.

1999 Silver with factory body kit, spoiler and burlwood instrument cluster and shift knob. Joshua Tree Wood dash kit. Hella air horns. Tint all around. Razo competition pedals. MOMO Sport 18"X7.5" with 225/40ZR Pirelli P7000SS. Weapon-R intake. Comptech springs, exhaust and headers. Inspire Tailights, homemade ram-air and Polarg M-12 front turn signals. Comptech front and rear sway bar. Axxis Metal Master front and rear pads.

My AcuraTL Homepage

NEW: '01 Acura MDX Silver Premium

Acura-MDX.com Forum Moderator

Lawaia

It's okay to drive 600-700 miles before getting your alignment. In fact I think it would be better to wait. This period will allow for your new springs to settle in. You may find yourself having to re-align if done too early...IMHO I would wait..others may object.

UW RL

anyone else would like to offer his opinion? according to shoofin' Comptech springs will settle down more after some time. If that's true then it might not be a good idea to align it right away. I don't know...

------------------


Comptech springs
Polarg M-12 Side signals
Pikkachu on the back window

MikeS

Is this correct? Settling should be minimal, the springs are pre-stressed according to Comptech. This means any additional drop would be minimal to none if my understanding is correct.

------------------
2000 TL - Laguna Green, Navi, Rear Spoiler. Soon to have 18" wheels. Comptech Suspension & Comptech Axle back Exhaust.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by MikeS on 11-23-2000 @ ]</font>

[VTEC]TL

How much does a wheel alignment usually cost???


------------------
2000 TL Satin Silver
-Acura Wing
-Top Speed intake w/Ractive Heatshield Filter
-Ractive Carbon Fiber Shift handle
-Custom Headlight Finishers
-Pilot MS 3.5" resonated tips
-Carbon/aluminum pedals
-Type S Badge
-Passport 7500 Radar system
________________________
Mugen grill and Skunk2 coilovers soon

Mike

My springs have settled some and it's been 300 miles. Getting the alignment done next tuesday for $61. It'll be more if/when they have to adjust the camber. I'm a bit paranoid about the alignment so I'll probably have it checked a few months from now. Make sure you rotate your tires at regular intervals too.

Shoofin

I aligned my car and waited 1000 miles.. The car steered stick straight after the drop, so there was no urge to get an alignment so fast.. I would say it takes up to a year for the spring to settle...My car is lowered already, we changed the springs on Mafioso's car that day..Look at this picture for comparison...

That was before the drop(mine is NY plates)..My car was lower from the airdam even with Mafioso's(NJ) body kit and look at the side view mirror..here is after the drop...(I had my springs on for about 9 months at that time)......

Now his car is lower from the airdam because of the body kit, but look at the side view mirrors..Mine is still a LOT lower than his.... after some time, they will drop a little more...
My proof with pics is better than anything... I recommend to drive the car a little to let the spring settle before aligning it...
Ed

------------------
'99 TL Satin Silver/Ebony, Non/Nav, Comptech lowered, Comptech Air Filter Element, Inspire Tails, AEM Brake Pads all around

Pics of my TL
Pics of my Miata! Wadya think?

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Shoofin'TL on 11-23-2000 @ ]</font>

Shoofin

How can you drive a car looking like this?


Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh that's betta!


------------------
'99 TL Satin Silver/Ebony, Non/Nav, Comptech lowered, Comptech Air Filter Element, Inspire Tails, AEM Brake Pads all around

Pics of my TL
Pics of my Miata! Wadya think?

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">[This message has been edited by Shoofin'TL on 11-23-2000 @ ]</font>

AC

Shoof, very nice. My car looks so much better now that it's dropped. From the front staring at you, you notice the drop even more since I have the body kit.

------------------
2000 TL non NAVI
Factory body kit
Factory spoiler
Burlwood knob
35% mirror tint
Inspire Steering Wheel
Gutter Grille
AEM CAI
Tenzo 700X fog lights
Custom Mesh Bumper
Inspire Tail Lights
Comptech Springs,
Comptech Headers, Sways, 18' DAZZ MATIZ on the way - Thank You Mr. Snook!!!!
CLK55 AMG Next Baby!

ZodiakTL

the shop i go to told me that i should only get alignment if i feel a lot of tug at the steering wheel or vibrations when i'm driving... i dont get either of those... had springs on for about 600 miles now, car rolls perferctly straight... and there doesnt seem to be any uneven wear, though i suppose that will take longer to show up

------------------
Aem Short Ram / Comptech Sway Bars / Comptech Springs / Custom Cross-Drilled Front Rotors / Alpine CDA-7863 Head Unit / Alpine G320 EQ / JL Audio XR653-CS 3-Way comps for the front powered by a bridged Alpine MRV-F407 amp / Boston Acoustics 5.5 ProSeries 2-Way comps for the rear powered by
Alpine MRV-1002 amp / Dual 10" JL Audio W-3 sub powered by Alpine MRV-1005 amp / Two Alpine CHA-1214 CD Changers
Pics of my TL

UW RL

do you guys usually go to the shops to get alignment or the dealer? I was quoted about $85 for alignment.

So based on a couple of owners on this board, it should be ok to get my car aligned after a few hundred miles...

------------------


Comptech springs
Polarg M-12 Side signals
Pikkachu on the back window

SLVR TL

Don't you guys have speed bumps where you live!? For guys who lowered with Comptech and have stock body kit, any problems bottoming out? I really like how the wheel gap decreases approx by half... but dayum... what about your kit though. Don't you scrape them? How many ppl do you carry in your car?

------------------
Y2K silver TL, non-navi
Factory style full body kit + spoiler, 38% window tint

AC

Before I installed the springs, I was concerned about clearing my driveway cuz it's kinda steep. After the springs, I still clear it, but barely. I'm sure I'll scrape on speed bumps or something else, but that's the price you pay for good looks I guess.


------------------
2000 TL non NAVI
Factory body kit
Factory spoiler
Burlwood knob
35% mirror tint
Inspire Steering Wheel
Gutter Grille
AEM CAI
Tenzo 700X fog lights
Custom Mesh Bumper
Inspire Tail Lights
Comptech Springs,
Comptech Headers, Sways, 18' DAZZ MATIZ on the way - Thank You Mr. Snook!!!!
CLK55 AMG Next Baby!

UW RL

not just good looks bro, but better handling!



------------------


Comptech springs
Polarg M-12 Side signals
Pikkachu on the back window

AC

I got mine installed last night and I noticed my steering is off centered. I also notice some noice in the rear when I go over bumps...is this normal after lowing it? Or did my guys just not install my seats back correctly? I'm getting my alignment done on Monday cuz I can't stand my wheel off centered. What am I risking by not getting my alignment done at this point since I'm getting my new wheel and tire early next week?

------------------
2000 TL non NAVI
Factory body kit
Factory spoiler
Burlwood knob
35% mirror tint
Inspire Steering Wheel
Gutter Grille
AEM CAI
Tenzo 700X fog lights
Custom Mesh Bumper
Inspire Tail Lights
Comptech Springs,
Comptech Headers, Sways, 18' DAZZ MATIZ on the way - Thank You Mr. Snook!!!!
CLK55 AMG Next Baby!

Gomez

Speaking of the cost of alignment - in Dallas, all the shops seem to have signs saying that they charge extra to do alignments on cars with "modified suspensions" which I take to mean slammed.

Anyone ever see this, and will the average Johnny Wrenchead be able to do a proper alignment on a dropped car? My worry is that the spec book will not apply to the lowered car, and that they would have to guesstimate the proper angles. Comments/suggestions?

------------------
'01 pearlescent white
-Wing, tint, cop-finder
'88 White RX-7 Convertible
-Permanent tinitus courtesy of Rockford-Fosgate

TommyAmrani

maybe someone can help me...
i lowered me car, and ever since (early summer time) i replace my front right tire, my front left and now soon to be changing the front right again cause of wear outs....
WHY THE **** DOES THIS HAPPEN ??????????
it's soo upsetting. did this happen to anyone else. everytime i go to acura, they say they can't do anything about it cause it's lowere, finally i got them to align the car and quit the BS about not aligning it cause it's lowered... cause if it's that low... how the hell do they do NSX alignments which is lower... and they said fine...
but now, it's still wearing out...
what seem to be the problem...?
my car doesn't pull (much at all)
so...any smart ones here?

------------------
99' TL, Silver, Comtech springs, Side markers, Factory kit, Ractive air filter, Tips, Mirror tint, Factory Spoiler, Moonroof visor, Burlwood shift knob, and of course my inspire lights. and also, some cool looking pedals.

UW RL

u should go to a different dealer then. With comptech springs it is definitely alignable. My dealer will install the comptech springs and do the alignment as a package. Or you should go to a shop and do an alignment there. It seems like you have a camber problem that's causing an even wear. Is it your first time after alignment and how many miles has it been since you installed your springs?

For me, i just installed mine and i am gonna run it for a few hundred miles before alingment. Hopefully it should be ok.



------------------


Comptech springs
Polarg M-12 Side signals
Pikkachu on the back window

TommyAmrani

hey uw tl, it's been many miles since i installed the spings... like i said, they were put on early summer, and i drive a lot... so they definitely settled by now and what not.
i got i think about 1 alignment done to the car since my springs were on. when i got my second tire... i didn't align it, cause i was too cheap to fork out the $50 after the $150 on the stinkin michellin.
i'll try going to a different acura down here, that i know will align for sure, cause they do stylen silver sleds car (dhiren)
last month acura aligned it and said tire should not rub anymore... so i don't know if the wear on the tire was there months ago, and i just now noticed and thanks to them it'll stop where it's at, or will it just keep wearing out? when they aligned however, they got it perfect to ZERO!!!
so i guess if you got more tips/info/adivse, keep sharing
thanks for the help btw

------------------
99' TL, Silver, Comtech springs, Side markers, Factory kit, Ractive air filter, Tips, Mirror tint, Factory Spoiler, Moonroof visor, Burlwood shift knob, and of course my inspire lights. and also, some cool looking pedals.

Shoofin

I never even rotated my tires yet, let my springs settle for 1000 miles before aligning the wheels, and the tread wear is dead even! something's wrong, bro..
Ed

------------------
'99 TL Satin Silver/Ebony, Non/Nav, Comptech lowered, Comptech Air Filter Element, Inspire Tails, AEM Brake Pads all around

Pics of my TL
Pics of my Miata! Wadya think?

TommyAmrani

well, ed, yeah lol,i realized somethings MAJORLY wrong, but WHAT!!!!!!!!! what is wrong... camber? what the hell is camber?

------------------
99' TL, Silver, Comtech springs, Side markers, Factory kit, Ractive air filter, Tips, Mirror tint, Factory Spoiler, Moonroof visor, Burlwood shift knob, and of course my inspire lights. and also, some cool looking pedals.

AcuraTL

Camber isn't adjustable on our TLs. The only thing alignment shops can adjust is toe in and toe out.

You want to buy my rims/tires?

------------------
Honda-Acura.net TL Forum Moderator.

1999 Silver with factory body kit, spoiler and burlwood instrument cluster and shift knob. Joshua Tree Wood dash kit. Hella air horns. Tint all around. Razo competition pedals. MOMO Sport 18"X7.5" with 225/40ZR Pirelli P7000SS. Weapon-R intake. Comptech springs, exhaust and headers. Inspire Tailights, homemade ram-air and Polarg M-12 front turn signals. Comptech front and rear sway bar. Axxis Metal Master front and rear pads.

My AcuraTL Homepage

NEW: '01 Acura MDX Silver Premium

Front 35% tinted windows. Running boards. Roof rack. Tailgate deflector. Moonroof visor. Rear mud guards. Razo premium white headlight bulbs. Matriz ion yellow fog light bulbs(courtesy of Snook). More to come later......

Acura-MDX.com Forum Moderator

TommyAmrani

acura tl, "you got mail"

------------------
99'TL Satin Silver Metalic Non/Nav
Comtech springs
Side markers
Gutter guard grille including bottom three slots too
Ractive air filter
3" Tips
Mirror tint
Factory Spoiler
Moonroof visor
Burlwood shift knob
Inspire tail lights
Some cool looking pedals

VERY soon to come:
WW Kit, Wood Kit, Hyper White Lights (brights, rear and front signals as well)

Jens

Bottom line if you lower it you will change the aligment of the car ,so get it aligned.If the mechanic determines that the camber angle is incorrect your only options are to go back to stock ,live with accelerated tire wear, or install a camber correction kit of one sort or another.Some shops are more aware of what is available than others to sort out alignment problems on vehicles that have been lowered .Not all shops are interested in working on modified cars the reasons vary.Their alignment equipment may not work on lowered cars the management may not approve of selling aftermarket parts to customers to correct problems with alignment,many times the most common reason for shops taking this attitude is simply "liability" .Aftermarket parts have different warranties if any warranty is offered at all if a problem occurs the dealer may have to assume liability for these parts.The first step in any modified car is to develop a relationship with a dealer or a shop that you trust and know to welcome modified cars.Talk to them and see what their policies are ask them if they will install custom equipment .Many times this bit of homework will avoid considerable headaches later as your projects continue.Some times it helps to speak to the mechanics directly so that they know you and will work with you to get your vehicle to the standard you choose.Just my ten cents worth as a mechanic

TommyAmrani

thanks jens i apreciate the input very much.
i'm thinking of calling up the place that installed my springs, and see what they can do about it!
i definitely don't want to go back to stock springs
it makes no sence how i'm the only one on this board w/this f***en problem.
i know the problem isn't only on one side, caue it happened to the front right, then front left, now front right again!
so something either major or minor is wrong!
i was told to go to an alignment place, or to an acura dealership and have them inspect, or simply go back to where i got the comptechs installed????
which one??????????????

------------------
99'TL Satin Silver Metalic Non/Nav
Comtech springs
Side markers
Gutter guard grille including bottom three slots too
Ractive air filter
3" Tips
Mirror tint
Factory Spoiler
Moonroof visor
Burlwood shift knob
Inspire tail lights
Some cool looking pedals

VERY soon to come:
WW Kit, Wood Kit, Hyper White Lights (brights, rear and front signals as well)

UWgrad

UWTL,,,check out Firestone,,they have an un-advertised special on a lifetime 4-wheel alingment for only $120

Jens

Tommy your car needs to see an alignment shop one way or another.I live in CT. so i do not know of any good shops in your area but either the toe setting or the camber setting or a combination of both is killing your tires.If you need an explanation of toe camber caster etc. let me know.One thing I could suggest is contacting "The Tire Rack" they advertise in places such as "Road and Track","Car and Driver" and see if they can recommend one of their installation centers in your area to assist you with this problem."The Tire Rack" is one of the largest retailers online of wheels and tires and recently suspension upgrades and are highly regarded perhaps they can set the ball rolling in the right direction.