d1jey1

Last week I installed the Tein SS coilover (about 1 finger gap-drop) and 19" wheel and tire (Ronjon Inspyre with falken Azenis 235/35/19). Here is the chronology of what happen:

1. Before everything (all stock) = no drifting.
2. After coilover - with stock tire and wheel - before alignment = no drifting
3. After coilover - with 19" wheel and tire - before alignment = drifting to right
4. After coilover - with 19" wheel and tire - after alignment = drifting to right
5. After coilover - with 19" wheel and tire - after alignment - change FR tires to new one = drifting to right
6. After coilover - with 19" wheel and tire - after alignment - change FR tires to new one- then swap FR tires to new one - swapping FR to RR = drifting to right
7. After coilover - with 19" wheel and tire - after alignment - change FR tires to new one- then change FR tires to new one - swapping FR to RR - realignment =
drifting to right

Ok, as you guys can see on that event, my first impulse was the alignment... After I did that... the camber is FR =-1.3 , FL = 1.2, RR=1.9 RL=1.9. The toe is set to 0.03ish all around... so alignment is pretty much set (except the camber, but don't really mind with that #). The car however still drifting right.

So my next suspicion is the tire... I suspect the FR tire has radial pull. So the FR tire is changed to BRAND new one. It is still drifting right. Next I swap the FR to RR tire.... and it still is drifting right. So, although it is possible, it is very UNLIKELY that 3 brand new tires all have defect - radial pull from factory. So I kindda eliminate tires problem.

With my last hope, I tried to do alignment again the same evening. The result number still came the same way, and the car still drifting to the right ... Toe is close to perfect, with bit camber off. I really don't think my camber will cause that drift though, and with toe is pretty much dot... I really don't know what to do anymore..

I would appreciate anyone input... since it's very frustating for me. Thanks all..

BENDER08

i put 19s on my car drifts to the right t0o for some reason didnt do it with 18s im going to get my alignment done soon see if i get same results as you.....

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

Try installing the stock wheels back on and tell me if the car still drifts. If not, you know it's the Falkens.

Try swapping the tires right to left if it's possible.

d1jey1

it's bit hard for me to put the stock wheel again, as I already boxed it up and left it at friend's house. But if I have to guess, probably the stock wheel will not drift as I experienced that b4 putting the new wheel.

Now, I really don't think the falken is defective either, unless I'm the unluckiest person on earth with 3-defective-brand new tires.
Probably swapping left to right is good idea, but since it's directional tire, so I'll have to dismount both wheel.
It is good idea to try that if only the tire is defective, but since as you can see above I did swap FR to RR already, after changing brand new tire on FR, will it be any use for me to swap left and right?

Thanks for all the help everyone....

ckya

high performance tires are quite sensitive to road imperfection anyway..especially the tires u've got ...are you sure the road is 100% flat and not slanted to the right?

BENDER08

you can put directional on backwards for a few miles nothing will happen..

6spMike

Try FL to RL swap.

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

try what sandynmike said. It's possible that your FL tire is bad.

Also make sure that the road is not crowned excessively. How bad is the drifting? Can you post the alignment result sheet? During the swaps, does the drifting intensity change at all? Have you double-checked the tire pressure on all 4? Did you also verify the coilover height settings are equal left and right?

I'd still try to install the stockers first before doing anything further if swapping FL-RL tires fails.

d1jey1

What do you mean by "especially the tires u've got" you mean Falken Azenis brand... unless that particular model has very high radial pull defective rate... I really doubt that. And yes... I did make sure the road is flat... I even tried to ride on the same shoulder back-forward different direction, and it still drifting....

The drifting is not very bad, it is just annoying that I have to hold the steer when driving straight. I don't really feel the drifting intensity change after the swab. I put the pressure 35 both front, and 33 both rear , when it's cold. Coilover height is not an issue, it's dead even.

I'll try to swab the FL and RL when I got home... I'm really crossing my finger that it's going to solve it. But I'm kindda pessimist, since I don't think radial pull on the left will cause pulling to the right... is that even possible?

I'll try post the alignment result and the pictures. Been wanting to do that.. but still sad and streesed out about the drifting.

Thanks for all your help guys... All you are awesome.

6spMike

I just re-read your OP.
Was it correct, the FR is -1.3, while the FL is +1.2?
You're right that camber, within reason, won't affect pull, but those are quite different.
Set both to the specs, and I'll bet you are home free.

d1jey1

On my way home, I'll stop by autozone to get me pair of jackstand.... so going to use jackstand and the
I know how to change flat tires, but I never rotate tires myself-but planning to do it tonight. As you all know my car only has 1 finger wheel gap now, so to swap FL and RL... so I just lift up left side (1 side) with two jack stand? is it possible to lift up the whole car (both side) with just two jack stand? how?

d1jey1

No, it's FR =-1.3 , FL = -1.2, RR=-1.9 RL=-1.9

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

If you have a floor hydraulic jack and 2 jack stands, you can lift the entire car. Jack up the front end first and set it on jack stands, then jack up the rear end.

If you're just doing the left side, you can use the hydraulic jack to lift the front end high enough so that the rear tire is also lifted from the ground.

If you only have the scissor jack, it's a little difficult because you'll have to find another spot under the car for the jack stand.

d1jey1

I don't have the floor jack. I'm going to buy 2 jack stand and use it combined with the scissor jack.... I thought I can use the spot next to scissor jack, no?

So if I lift left side, front and rear... it's not going to ruin the right side, right? don't think so.. but just being paranoid....

d1jey1

Just to update: I did swap the FL and RL... make sure the right pressure... car is still bit drifting to right... but I think it's better than before... the drifting is less now (hopefuly it's not because just my feeling). I don't know what is the educated answer or reason for that difference... but I guess I'll just live with it. I pretty much use all possible resource already. Probably the car is very sensitive+upgrade the wheel size+new wheel+ new tire+ new suspension... all those combination cause minor drift.

If I decided to just leave it that way, beside a bit of annoyance, is this gonna cause any danger or any damage to anything (tire, rims, suspension, rotor, or everything else)

Thanks for all the help guys...



If you want to check out picture of my car, it is at:
https://acurazine.com/forums/ramblings-12/selling-fees-ebay-160959/

Jesstzn

Whats the +/- spec for toe in ? Yours is at 0.03 ... was it a true 4 wheel alignment? I understand tracking being off front to rear can cause this.

BENDER08

i have a 03 tls and im having the same issue with 19s my car drifts to the right i put 18 back on problem goes away

d1jey1

My left toe is like 0.02 and right 0.04... forget the (-) or (+) will confirm when I got home... but it's the same negative/positive sign... so it's only 0.02 difference... so it's about the same....

Vetalik: so are you riding 18 or 19 now, so it's constant that when you put 18"= no drift ; 19"=drift?... what brand of 19" tire are you using.... I haven't tried my 17 stock yet.. but probably 17" will not drift (as I experienced on the post#1)... so CONFUSING ...... I can't find any educational reason for it... Why the hell is it drifting just because different size? if the alignment is correct, and there is no radial pull on the tire / rims??

d1jey1

My F-left toe is like 0.02 and F-right 0.04... forget the (-) or (+), I will confirm when I got home... but it's the same negative/positive sign... so it's only 0.02 difference... so it's about the same....

Vetalik: so are you riding 18 or 19 now, so it's constant that when you put 18"= no drift ; 19"=drift?... what brand of 19" tire are you using.... I haven't tried my 17 stock yet.. but probably 17" will not drift (as I experienced on the post#1)... so CONFUSING ...... I can't find any educational reason for it... Why the hell is it drifting just because different size? if the alignment is correct, and there is no radial pull on the tire / rims??

BENDER08

Right now im riding my 19s with 235/35/19zr Nitto Nt555's (getting drift to the right) and the feed back from the road is nuts very sensitive. but im putting up with it i love the look but as soon as i find the 18's that i want the 19s are gone...

and yes crazy as hell.

when i put my 18's back on with 235/40/18 i can let go of the wheel and the car goes straight until the road turns..
the drive is smoother no pull and not as much feedback from the road as the 19's


and my stock 06 acura tl rims that i have are running 245\40\17 and no drift...

d1jey1

Anybody else has educational reason or solution for us?

BENDER08

i went to the sears,discount tire,les shwab around here (tire places) everyone said get
new tires , tires are to wide,alignment is needed i had alignment done 2 weeks ago i went back to get it check out again they said it was fine some times the rims will do that.

quick question to dqjey1 does your pull at all speed or only after lets say 50
????


mine tends to at or after 55 or so

d1jey1

Mine is constant at all speed.. the drift however is bit minor though.. just annoying... I really don't think it's the rims... since many of other member use ronjon also... plus I did swap everything all around already... so I kindda think that the rims and tires are either "not the problem" or all defective... but the alignment are pretty much correct too.. so crazy

6spMike

Check the thrust angle, like the other poster said.
If its OK, and since the pull is constant, you could have a good alignment guy tweak the caster just a bit to get it to go straight. Camber and toe don't really affect pull.

Kennedy

iTrader: (2)

Is caster adjustable? I thought only the toe was adjustable.

d1jey1

Yes, only toe is adjustable. I'm not sure right now if I should spend another $70 for another alignment.

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

To adjust caster, you have to "shift" the subframe. It can be costly.

d1jey1, did you go to Sears for alignment? If you did, just go to a different Sears and tell them that your car still pulls to the right after alignment.

d1jey1

I did.... I followed your advise and go to Sears. They did the alignment twice already for me.. but still the same thing.... They really can't do much for me... toe is set to almost perfectly straight,.... "left having no answer" they blame it to the camber, and told me to install camber kit.... I argue with him that camber is not going to effect that... especially with very minor camber off... but they won't listen... should I try to go to different alignment shop and pay another 70$

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

I meant, go to a different store and have them recheck the alignment. It's possible that the first store's machine isn't 100% accurate. Every Sears store honors their own warranty.

Camber won't cause major pull. If they insist that you have to get camber kits, you can make a bet with them and tell them to put it in writing. Say you'll get the camber kit and they will have to perform alignment one more time. If the car tracks straight after camber kit install, you'll pay them the alignment costs. If the car shows no changes, they will have to reimburse your camber kits and installation costs and they will still have to realign the car until it doesn't pull anymore.

BENDER08

GOOD LUCK ON THAT.

d1jey1

Lol.. i don't think they will take that bet... I'll take that bet anyday-anytime.... So if I get the alignment at Sears A.. I can still get the warranty (alignment for free) at sears B? if I still have to pay again, probably I'll just do it at another place... or just live with it, I'm so tired and frustated

I hate sears that I went to... they are full of shit. They tried to say.. 'cause probably the car is lower or probably the wheel or tire have radial pull. I told them that I change and swap the wheel already... and they said .. "well I don't know then, probably if you get the camber kit, we can try to set the camber, since the toe is pretty much dialed in already"... what a full of shit

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

Yes, Sir.

Which Sears did you go to by the way? I had good results at Sears in Montclair Plaza and Brea Mall.

d1jey1

I went to the one on Riverside. Montclair is not too far.. Probably I'll try that on the weekend? So what should I tell them:
"I got alignment at Riverside Sears, but the car is still pulling to the right?"...

.. and should I show them my receipt and the alignment print out? if I do that, I'm afraid they will just say.. "well the toe is pretty much set already, nothing more we can do..."

d1jey1

Here is my alignment result:

wasupdog

iTrader: (2)

hey d1jey, not sure if this is gonna help but i have my alignment reading at work and i can scan and email it to you so u can post it if u want. i dunno how to post pics and i'm too lazy lol.

i'm also dropped on tein ss with 19's on 235/35's.

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

Show them the receipt but not the reading. And yes, tell them that you got an alignment at Sears but the car still pulls to the right.

d1jey1

So what do you think of my alignment #?

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

I think they look good. I'd like to see the right front toe closer to 0 though.

Your right caster is more positive than the left to resist the car drifting to the right. Most roads are crowned to the right to channel water to the right side, therefore most LHD cars have more positive caster on the right to resist it. It means on perfectly level roads, the car would actually pull to the left slightly.

I'm sure others with more experience than I am can share their opinions, too.

d1jey1

so let's say when I bring it to another sears... if the toe is pretty close to zero (no change) or they even set it even closer to zero, and the car still drifting... pretty much I'll just have to live it right, since nothing else I can do...

260 HP

iTrader: (3)

There's another way to resolve this: find a shop that has Hunter Road Force balancing machine that has StraightTrak. Read it here: http://www.gsp9700.com/pub/features/how.. You can locate a dealer from this website, too. This can be costly, too, but at least if one tire is very bad, you can do something about it.

The other way is to shift the subframe to alter the caster, but it can be costly and complicated. The only place I know who can do it is Wheel Warehouse in Anaheim besides the dealerships.

If it's possible to you and doesn't cost too much, you can try swapping the front tires left and right. If there's a difference, then you KNOW that one or both tires are causing the pull.