[Soylent]

This may reveal my limited knowledge on this. My G82 is lowered on MSS HAS with 15 mm spacers square. An outside shop did the alignment and left the wheel clocked about 3 degree to the left. I asked the dealer to straighten the wheel while they're installing a new seat cover. The SA called me and said the rear camber is not to OEM specs. Wouldn't the camber be different from OEM due to the lowering etc? Or did the outside shop F up?

McLaren720s
Limegrntaln
beachBmmr

[forcefed]

How low is your car sitting now? And what did the shop set the rear camber to? Did they give you a printout? Maybe they couldn't align it to oem spec due to the drop.
Ask the dealer what the oem spec is and what yours is, if it's only half a degree off then don't worry about is.

[beachBmmr]

Originally Posted by Soylent

This may reveal my limited knowledge on this. My G82 is lowered on MSS HAS with 15 mm spacers square. An outside shop did the alignment and left the wheel clocked about 3 degree to the left. I asked the dealer to straighten the wheel while they're installing a new seat cover. The SA called me and said the rear camber is not to OEM specs. Wouldn't the camber be different from OEM due to the lowering etc? Or did the outside shop F up?

McLaren720s
Limegrntaln
beachBmmr

When you lower the car with springs you move into the dynamic camber range. When the springs are compressed the tire experiences camber gain. Your static camber is now different as its inside the dynamic range, likely what the dealer telling you.

The dealer is not sophisticated enough to understand this.

[beachBmmr]

Originally Posted by forcefed

How low is your car sitting now? And what did the shop set the rear camber to? Did they give you a printout? Maybe they couldn't align it to oem spec due to the drop.
Ask the dealer what the oem spec is and what yours is, if it's only half a degree off then don't worry about is.

To fix a crooked steering wheel they need to set the wheel level (with a leveling tool) and set the toe appropriately up front. Its not hard.

I do this with my shop all the time as my 215 pound ass throws off my alignment slightly so I sit in the car while its aligned and make sure thtbwheel is centered cause just a tad off center makes me nuts.

[Soylent]

Thanks guys. Currently the car is on lowest setting in front without the Ben mod. 10 mm threads left in the back. Will have them adjust the toe. I assume they use a level gauge at the dealer? Will dig up the alignment spec sheet from before.

I also can't stand the wheel being the slightest bit off

[Limegrntaln]

I'm scared like hell to get my car aligned. Especially when it comes from the factory, perfect. I can't remember a time that I got my car aligned, when it didn't need the steering wheel to be readjusted. They mess mine up, everytime, and most of the time, I'm stuck with it being a little off, because they test drive it, 2-3 times, adjust it, tell me it's good, and it's not.

beachBmmr explained it best in post #3. If you want the rear in OEM spec, and keep it as low as you want to keep it, you're likely going to need to get some rear adjustability.

I'm not sure why every manufacturer doesn't just build rear adjustability into the cars, but they don't. Likely because, by their spec, without lowering the car, it can never get into a spec where it needs to be adjusted. If you want maximum tire longevity, you're going to want to get it into the green. If you don't care about tires, and just want that alignment spec, just leave it how it is.

[beachBmmr]

The dealer process for alignment is to fully load the car with weight in the seats and trunk, which is not how most people drive normally. I was also quoted $600 form the dealer to align the car and laughed in their face. I use firestone, and have a great alignment tech that is a track guy. I have lifetime alignment on my M4 for $199 and I have already used it 3x in a year. I suggest you stay out of the dealership with a modified car...

[Soylent]

Ha. Now the wheel is 1 degree to the right. I posted this in another thread but they changed a ripped seat cover and the Alcantara looks to be a lighter shade of gray. Where there several color options?

[nearwater4me]

Originally Posted by Limegrntaln

I'm scared like hell to get my car aligned. Especially when it comes from the factory, perfect. I can't remember a time that I got my car aligned, when it didn't need the steering wheel to be readjusted. They mess mine up, everytime, and most of the time, I'm stuck with it being a little off, because they test drive it, 2-3 times, adjust it, tell me it's good, and it's not.

beachBmmr explained it best in post #3. If you want the rear in OEM spec, and keep it as low as you want to keep it, you're likely going to need to get some rear adjustability.

I'm not sure why every manufacturer doesn't just build rear adjustability into the cars, but they don't. Likely because, by their spec, without lowering the car, it can never get into a spec where it needs to be adjusted. If you want maximum tire longevity, you're going to want to get it into the green. If you don't care about tires, and just want that alignment spec, just leave it how it is.

Yup, same issue drove me nuts when I had my old F87C aligned at a local dealer.
I went in 3 times to correct it and every single time they make the steering wheel off center to the opposite direction!! lol
So went ahead and adjusted the toe myself.
If you mark the toe adjustment nuts and then turn both sides equal amount on the OTHER direction, you can adjust the steering wheel angle without messing up the whole alignment.
For example left wheel inwards, right wheel outwards for steering wheel that is off center to the right, vise versa for the other direction.

It took a good while to adjust it to be perfectly center because I turned the nuts a little too much on my 1st trial and then a little too less on the 2nd lol.
It only takes maybe a 30° turn to correct a slightly crooked steering wheel.
It's a tedious job but the steering wheel was perfectly centered after about an hour of fiddling!

[Limegrntaln]

Originally Posted by nearwater4me

Yup, same issue drove me nuts when I had my old F87C aligned at a local dealer.
I went in 3 times to correct it and every single time they make the steering wheel off center to the opposite direction!! lol
So went ahead and adjusted the toe myself.
If you mark the toe adjustment nuts and then turn both sides equal amount on the OTHER direction, you can adjust the steering wheel angle without messing up the whole alignment.
For example left wheel inwards, right wheel outwards for steering wheel that is off center to the right, vise versa for the other direction.

It took a good while to adjust it to be perfectly center because I turned the nuts a little too much on my 1st trial and then a little too less on the 2nd lol.
It only takes maybe a 30° turn to correct a slightly crooked steering wheel.

I definitely thought about doing that, more than one time they messed up my wheel, but I've never done it, myself.

[yoandry]

Originally Posted by nearwater4me

Yup, same issue drove me nuts when I had my old F87C aligned at a local dealer.
I went in 3 times to correct it and every single time they make the steering wheel off center to the opposite direction!! lol
So went ahead and adjusted the toe myself.
If you mark the toe adjustment nuts and then turn both sides equal amount on the OTHER direction, you can adjust the steering wheel angle without messing up the whole alignment.
For example left wheel inwards, right wheel outwards for steering wheel that is off center to the right, vise versa for the other direction.

It took a good while to adjust it to be perfectly center because I turned the nuts a little too much on my 1st trial and then a little too less on the 2nd lol.
It only takes maybe a 30° turn to correct a slightly crooked steering wheel.
It's a tedious job but the steering wheel was perfectly centered after about an hour of fiddling!

Bringing back.
I think Im going to try to get my steering corrected with this above.
I just did H&R spring VTF on rear only and sterring is off center now to the right.
So, just to confirm, this is for rear camber bolt to play with it?

And dealer is giving me crap to do aligment on modify suspension. But I got good relasionship with my advicer and agree to do it one time to factory specs.
When lowered on srping only does the alignment can be done to factory specs?

[nearwater4me]

Originally Posted by yoandry

Bringing back.
I think Im going to try to get my steering corrected with this above.
I just did H&R spring VTF on rear only and sterring is off center now to the right.
So, just to confirm, this is for rear camber bolt to play with it?

And dealer is giving me crap to do aligment on modify suspension. But I got good relasionship with my advicer and agree to do it one time to factory specs.
When lowered on srping only does the alignment can be done to factory specs?

The method above was to correct the off-center steering wheel with correct alignment.
When you change the suspension geometry by removing/reinstalling components during a spring installation, all the alignment attributes goes out of whack.
This needs to be corrected by doing a professional alignment on a machine.
Yes, the rears can be aligned back close to factory spec camber if the drop wasn’t excessive.
I suggest you listen to your mechanic and get an alignment done.

[yoandry]

Originally Posted by nearwater4me

The method above was to correct the off-center steering wheel with correct alignment.
When you change the suspension geometry by removing/reinstalling components during a spring installation, all the alignment attributes goes out of whack.
This needs to be corrected by doing a professional alignment on a machine.
Yes, the rears can be aligned back close to factory spec camber if the drop wasn’t excessive.
I suggest you listen to your mechanic and get an alignment done.

As you can see in the picture, Im my own mecanic . with my own lift.
I know it needs to be alignmt at some point. Its was allignmed before when I did the Super Sport springs on both front and rear. But now I changed only the rear yesterdey and maked the camber bolt to put back as close as possible, Guess is not that close as steering is off to the right now.
Reason Im in this thread to corret the steering as much as I can.
For alignment, really dont care much as its only the rear and I want my tires go bad already to put new one. At that point yes allignment is needed.

[nearwater4me]

Originally Posted by yoandry

As you can see in the picture, Im my own mecanic . with my own lift.
I know it needs to be alignmt at some point. Its was allignmed before when I did the Super Sport springs on both front and rear. But now I changed only the rear yesterdey and maked the camber bolt to put back as close as possible, Guess is not that close as steering is off to the right now.
Reason Im in this thread to corret the steering as much as I can.
For alignment, really dont care much as its only the rear and I want my tires go bad already to put new one. At that point yes allignment is needed.

Nice setup! Looks like you got some help too!

When you switched out the rear springs, you removed the lower arm bolts, so as much as you wanted it close to how it was before, it has changed the rear alignments. Enough to throw your steering wheel off-center.
If you want to trash your tires, that's fine.
But I would just spend the alignment money now than later to get some more miles out of the current tires.
That way, it might just save you the hassle of having to adjust the front toes to straighten your steering wheel - and AGAIN when you do an alignment later.

It's your car and I have no say in what you do with it, but it just doesn't make any logical sense to put off the alignment.

[yoandry]

Originally Posted by nearwater4me

Nice setup! Looks like you got some help too!

When you switched out the rear springs, you removed the lower arm bolts, so as much as you wanted it close to how it was before, it has changed the rear alignments. Enough to throw your steering wheel off-center.
If you want to trash your tires, that's fine.
But I would just spend the alignment money now than later to get some more miles out of the current tires.
That way, it might just save you the hassle of having to adjust the front toes to straighten your steering wheel - and AGAIN when you do an alignment later.

It's your car and I have no say in what you do with it, but it just doesn't make any logical sense to put off the alignment.

I agreed, I was just trying to not leave the car in the shop again for another alligment, as much as I trust all these performance shop around, I dont want techs ass seating in my carbon buckets or not putting cover on the seats. Let along carfully parking these things this low. lol
I have appointment with the dealer tomorrow for oil change and my adviser will do the alligment after bitching a bit for been a modify suspension and saying the factory spect wont work and if doesnt work I still paying for it $300.
So lets see what happens tomorrow

[nearwater4me]

Originally Posted by yoandry

I agreed, I was just trying to not leave the car in the shop again for another alligment, as much as I trust all these performance shop around, I dont want techs ass seating in my carbon buckets or not putting cover on the seats. Let along carfully parking these things this low. lol
I have appointment with the dealer tomorrow for oil change and my adviser will do the alligment after bitching a bit for been a modify suspension and saying the factory spect wont work and if doesnt work I still paying for it $300.
So lets see what happens tomorrow

Wow... $300 is steep.
A reputable shop in the ATL area charged me $150.
Yeah, I hate leaving my car with any dealer/shop too... so I understand the hesitation.

[Hit_Apex]

Hard to follow your logic around steering wheel centering versus alignment as they are one in the same (at least in your case). The dealer may not be able to get camber in spec which is not a big deal - it's the toe spec that is important to center your wheel. As a mechanic you should knows these things. Good luck.