a good alignment
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hannibal
- Posts: 9680
- Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2002 2:38 am
- Car: Red Line to Glenmont
- Location: Washington DC
a good alignment
Ive heard that tire shops that do alignments dont really do the best job. They just try to set the car within the factory specs and call it a day.Someone recommend finding a shop that does 'race' alignments. These guys will attempt to align the car perfectly to your specs.Is this a bunch of bull or is it worth finding a shop that does these race alignments? Any idea what it would cost?
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1991S13
- Posts: 1230
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- Car: '91 240sx Coupe, '00 QX4 4x4, '02 Sentra Spec V
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Re: a good alignment (IWannaS15)
A complete alignment consists of adjusting camber, caster, and toe. Most places will set the toe, and then forget the rest, but charge you for a full alignment. My teacher says they use the motto "set the toe and let it go."
I have never heard of a shop doing "race" alignments, but this could just be because of where I live. I would just ask the guy at the tire shop if they will set camber, caster, and toe. There is a tire shop near where I live that has a waiting room with a huge window you can watch them work, so if you have a place like that you could keep tabs on what they are doing.
I have never heard of a shop doing "race" alignments, but this could just be because of where I live. I would just ask the guy at the tire shop if they will set camber, caster, and toe. There is a tire shop near where I live that has a waiting room with a huge window you can watch them work, so if you have a place like that you could keep tabs on what they are doing.
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Nismo_Freak
- Posts: 10314
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- Car: 89 Nissan 240SX
Re: a good alignment (IWannaS15)
Tire shops set it up to stock alignment to keep the best tire wear possible.IWannaS15 wrote:Ive heard that tire shops that do alignments dont really do the best job. They just try to set the car within the factory specs and call it a day.Someone recommend finding a shop that does 'race' alignments. These guys will attempt to align the car perfectly to your specs.Is this a bunch of bull or is it worth finding a shop that does these race alignments? Any idea what it would cost?
People who do race alignments use more aggressive T/C/C setups to improve tire traction throughout your particular routine. You will need to give them some feedback as to how you want the car to act, and what kind of racing you do. There are different tricks for different shows.
Expect to spend anywhere from $75 - 150 for an alignment like that and cut about a third of the tire's life off.
Re: a good alignment (Nismo_Freak)
Also. If the shop is going to take the time to do all this adjustment (and in the rear of our cars..its PITA....) Please ahve more than the stock arms ack there....the stock ones ahve a miniscule ammount of adjustment.
BUt yes, some shops (like where I used to work) always set anything on the car close to MFRs specs as possible (F+R) when applicable.
It always come down to the person doing the work. It helps to wlak back there and tip the guy 5 bucks and ask him to set things a certain way to ensure it gets done well.....
For "Race" alignments, Alan is corret..you'll ahve to give them feedback on how the car feels now, what you want it to do (corner more progesively, turn in quicker), and what you may be willing to compromise to get it (more tire wear, slighly bad tracking, etc)
-Chet
BUt yes, some shops (like where I used to work) always set anything on the car close to MFRs specs as possible (F+R) when applicable.
It always come down to the person doing the work. It helps to wlak back there and tip the guy 5 bucks and ask him to set things a certain way to ensure it gets done well.....
For "Race" alignments, Alan is corret..you'll ahve to give them feedback on how the car feels now, what you want it to do (corner more progesively, turn in quicker), and what you may be willing to compromise to get it (more tire wear, slighly bad tracking, etc)
-Chet
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hannibal
- Posts: 9680
- Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2002 2:38 am
- Car: Red Line to Glenmont
- Location: Washington DC
Re: a good alignment (Exar-Kun)
Thanks guys.Sounds like I should only be worried about this if I'm competing and/or have adjustable arms. I guess its overkill for a daily driver...
Re: a good alignment (IWannaS15)
Just make sure they -do- align the rear into a decent spec..not just the front. A front alignment is almsot worthless without the rear being set first..since a true "thrust"/ 4-wheel alignment references the front to the rear settings and adjusts from there...
-Chet
-Chet
i took my car to a local sonoco that were said to be "alignment specialists". gave them a paper with all the settings i wanted such as camber and toe in/out. and they set it to that. it did cost me a bit more than a regular alignment tho considering they had to spend more time with the car and make more adjustments
Re: a good alignment (IWannaS15)
is it worth it? to me, in my car it was. i had recently finished a suspension revamp - coilovers, bushings, 4 balljoints, tie rods/ends. i had the local a/x guru setup my car at his shop. he used weights to simulate my weight in the drivers seat. also, he was able to get -2 camber for the rear, to match the -2 in front.. and thats on stock arms. it took him a little bit to get the very most out of it.
the difference was very noticable. i ran one a/x event after finishing the work and the car sucked. the car wouldn't turn at low speed, too much oversteer, just a pain to drive. after the alignment the car had awesome turn in, and has nuetral to slight oversteer. for the track this alignment rocks. and with a littel bit of tweaking next year could be even better.
the difference was very noticable. i ran one a/x event after finishing the work and the car sucked. the car wouldn't turn at low speed, too much oversteer, just a pain to drive. after the alignment the car had awesome turn in, and has nuetral to slight oversteer. for the track this alignment rocks. and with a littel bit of tweaking next year could be even better.