[Absolut Speed]

I had the coil-overs put in Friday. I put new pads and rotors in over the weekend. Scheduled an alignment and brake flush for today.

Just got a call that the car is too low to get on the alignment rack or even on the hoist to do the brake bleed. I asked how much clearance they were short, explained the coil overs, but the service advisor told me the owner said to park the car and not touch it.

So I start calling around in my smaller city and am having no luck finding someone who can get a car with a lowered stance. GM dealer says he has a hard time with stock vehicles with running boards, so he can't help. Big tire chain says they can't do the brale bleed, and they want $89.99 for a custom alignment.

(IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Cal]

Alignment for now is easy too.

I know what it's like to be in crunch time!!

Get yourself sockets, and wrenches that fit the front LCA bolts. You will also need a prybar, a good tape measure, and a helper for setting the toe.

I would search for an alignment ASAP but there is NO reason why this should not serve you well, and is the way I align my car, exclusively.

Loosen the camber and caster nuts on one side, and then pry the camber (horizontal) side of the control arm all the way out. Tighten that nut but not really tight. Just nice and snug. Do the same on the caster bushing. Then if the camber didn't move tighten them both completely.

For setting toe, I just use the grooves in the Hoosiers. Generally not very accurate but have found that it matches alignment racks.

Or lift a wheel and with a white wax crayon, mark each tire in front and back (like spinning the tire while holding the crayon fixed). Do the other side the same. And then have the helper hold the tape right on the mark and take a measurement at the front and then the back. If the front is greater than the rear of the tire, you have toe out, if it is less, you have toe in. The difference in measurements is how much in/out. I would set it very close to zero and any tolerance would go to the toe out side.


You can do both. I promise you that. (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

ESP, nice description of doing a home performance wheel alignment! I'm going to try that. I believe I understand the theory behind setting the camber and toe-in for handling, but how does caster play into it? (hope it's OK to piggy back onto this thread)