4 wheel alignment after lowering

[radride]

I just lowered my wifes Versa using the Tanabe springs. It lowers the car around 1.5". My question is should I get a 4 wheel alignment? There doesn't appear to be any camber issues (as far as I can tell) or toe. What do you guys think?

R.K.

[mindpenn]

Can you take a pic to see how it looks?

[radride]

Can you take a pic to see how it looks?

You want me to take a pic of the car lowered or a pic of how the tires look from behind?

R.K.

[mindpenn]

Well if you have the time take both, I would like to see how it looks like. Sounds interesting.

[versaspeed.com]

If you go to the versaspeed.com website and view the pictures and blog area you will see a lowered (Tanabe) Versa.You don't have to worry about the alignment after installation.

[mindpenn]

Nice pics from the blog!

[radride]

If you go to the versaspeed.com website and view the pictures and blog area you will see a lowered (Tanabe) Versa.You don't have to worry about the alignment after installation.

So the alignment is within spec after lowering? Because when I drive the car it doesn't pull to any side; it tracks straight. If that is the case I will save myself $100.

R.K.

[Ever Victorious]

Not true, versaspeed.com... you ALWAYS need to align after lowering a car. Simple fact is that when a person replaces the springs and struts, they are never going to tighten them in the exact adjustment that the car came from the factory, they will be slightly off. Slight is all it takes to create a problem with alignment.

I've lowered two cars personally now. Both tracked straight after the lowering, but I took both in for alignment afterwards anyway. The first one 2 of the 4 wheels (LF and RR) were both over a degree out of spec. On the second one, both rear wheels were out of spec... and the alignment shop was just barely able to get them within spec without the use of adjustable camber bolts.

So the choice is yours... pay $100 now on alignment, or $400 prematurely on tires.

[versaspeed.com]

Not true, versaspeed.com... you ALWAYS need to align after lowering a car. Simple fact is that when a person replaces the springs and struts, they are never going to tighten them in the exact adjustment that the car came from the factory, they will be slightly off. Slight is all it takes to create a problem with alignment.

I've lowered two cars personally now. Both tracked straight after the lowering, but I took both in for alignment afterwards anyway. The first one 2 of the 4 wheels (LF and RR) were both over a degree out of spec. On the second one, both rear wheels were out of spec... and the alignment shop was just barely able to get them within spec without the use of adjustable camber bolts.

So the choice is yours... pay $100 now on alignment, or $400 prematurely on tires.

I own seven cars right now and all lowered (except the Titan...it's raised) and non aligned after and all have way over thirty thousand miles since lowered and non have uneven tire ware and if you look at what I own if anything is going to get premature tire ware it would be some of the monsters I have . When we put the springs on the Versa there were no bolts that were the off center type to do adjustments just bolts and there is only one way to put them on AND where the springs were put on does four wheel alignments for race cars/drift/time attack cars and they said don't worry about it because it's not affecting anything and I have faith they know what they are talking about. Mine tracks straight unless I am in the far lane then it tracks to the arch of the road........normal.

[Ever Victorious]

I'd almost be curious to see the stats on your alignment if those cars were hooked up to a machine. Six lowered vehicles, huh? No alignment after aligning, not even a normal, scheduled alignment?

I'd wager at least 4 of them are out of alignment, even if they track straight.

As for the tire wear game... I kept my cars, even the lowered ones, properly aligned. I'm the only guy I know who can get more than a season and a half out of a set of autocross tires. And unlike many autocrossers, I KEPT my track tires on all summer instead of putting them on only for the race.

Ultimately it's radride's decision.

[seay1b1]

align it. you have just changed a MAJOR componet in your suspension system. i would give it a week for your springs to "set in" then have it aligned.