Alignment and Wheel Centering

[bluesunit]

Quick question:

After a good bit of fidgeting, I managed to get my camber set up how I wanted it. Strung the car, everything looks pretty good. Car rides straight with no serious pull.

My steering wheel however is tilted about 5% to the left when driving dead straight. Is my toe all effed up and I read it wrong, or can I just center the wheel and be done with it?

Trying to avoid the hassle of going back to the tire shop and shelling out $80.

[Highrev1]

Front toe settings...

[bluesunit]

Originally Posted by Highrev1

Front toe settings...

Crap, I had that feeling. I wish I knew of the shop around here with the alignment machine where I could do it myself. They had a lot of issues getting my camber straight . . . I had much better luck doing that myself.

[Highrev1]

You care more than they do thats why

[bluesunit]

And the worst part is . . . this is the shop that all the autocrossers in town use. I had to show the tech how camber bolts work . . . maybe I just got the new guy.

[Moose]

Originally Posted by bluesunit

Crap, I had that feeling. I wish I knew of the shop around here with the alignment machine where I could do it myself. They had a lot of issues getting my camber straight . . . I had much better luck doing that myself.

Do the Toe yourself ...All you need is a tape measure, a level peice of pavement, a couple of pieces of steel or alunimum tube and some string ... I have done it in the paddock between runs

You can build you own version of this ... "String alignment kit"

http://www.smartracingproducts.com/p...ccessories.pdf

A thread on HT talking about DIY Alignment Honda-Tech.com: Acura Integra Type-R: $50 DIY Alignment Rack..... Pics up tonight


As for Camber ..there is a couple of cheap Camber guages (Longacre) available
Longacre Racing Online -- Online Catalog



Moose

[bluesunit]

I had them put it on the rack today . .. they adjusted the toe a little, but it really wasn't that far out of spec. Front camber was more than the alignment guys liked, but I autocrossed it this weekend and was very happy. Plus, my street tires are like $70 a piece . .. if the camber eats them, Ill get some more.

I still have a bit of a tilt in the wheel (if anyone has any suggestions on how to eliminate this, I'd be very happy).

I actually made a camber gauge out of a Craftsman digital protractor and a piece of steel square stock. $40 and it's precise to 0.1deg. It also has a nifty zero feature ... you can get one wheel where you want it, zero it, swap wheels, and the gauge with sound a tone when the angle is equal. Only bad thing is that you need to be able to subtract from 90deg.

Craftsman Digital Torpedo Level

Moose, I printing those articles and doing it myself (again) next time . . . funny how I can do just as well at getting the alignment "pretty good" with dental floss and jack stands as the guys with the laser machine did.

[Highrev1]

What were the settings you set it too...There is a very detailed alignment spec from honda on how to center the wheel...I will try to find it.

[bluesunit]

Originally Posted by Highrev1

What were the settings you set it too...There is a very detailed alignment spec from honda on how to center the wheel...I will try to find it.

Before I handed it over to them, I was -1.9 Front Camber and -0.4 Rear . . . Very close to zero toe all around. At least I think, I was in a rush to get on the road when I strung the car up, so it was possible I misread something.

And are the instructions in the service manual? If so, I'm going dig my out.

Totally a separate issue, but I ran that camber with Falken Azenias (I drive STX) and settled out on 40 psi front and 29 psi back. Do these pressures seem way out in left field? I experimented through the 8 runs on Sunday (I had a co-driver, for extra input), and felt I'd start to push with anything more in the back, or more or less in the front. Anything less in the rear, I'd start to get too oversteery.

[Highrev1]

I would go to like -.75 rear even with the massive camber gain we get in the rear under compression I still think it could be benifical to utalizing more of the rear tires.

[bluesunit]

Originally Posted by Highrev1

I would go to like -.75 rear even with the massive camber gain we get in the rear under compression I still think it could be benifical to utalizing more of the rear tires.

I can't until I lower the car more. The SPC Camber arms have a large dead spot between the inboard and outboard mounting holes. -0.4 rear is the most negative I can get at my current ride height on the outboard holes. In the inboard holes, I don't think I'm able to get anything more positive than -1.2 or so.

I need to drop a bit to get access to those in between settings, but I'm waiting for Koni to come out with struts and for you guys to decide which are the best springs

[Sirbelch]

[bluesunit]

Originally Posted by Sirbelch

Is that you-said-something-dumb-that-will-incite-Highrev's-wrath popcorn or patiently-enjoying-a-snack-while-we-wait-for-Koni popcorn



Any luck on that steering centering procedure . . . I flipped through the alignment and steering sections in the Service Manual and didn't find anything promising.

[Sirbelch]

Revy's flames have made my skin so think that I don't even feel them any more. Love ya Revy

Revy is working on my Konis that I have been patiently for.

I'm eating popcorn while reading all the good stuff in this thread. In fact, I better get some more.

[bluesunit]

Friendly bump for a link to wheel centering procedure.

To recap, I had the shop take another swing at it . . . it's a zero toe all around, my normal whacky CAMBER, and the wheel is still tilted to the left.

[fg2!kid]

its not your tires causing a pull is it ?

[bluesunit]

Oh, the tires are brand spanking new Kumho ASTs on my stock wheels.

Yes, they are shit tires . . . they are for the potholes to eat. I have Azenis on my track wheels.

And the pull was there with the Azenis too.

[Moose]

Originally Posted by bluesunit

Friendly bump for a link to wheel centering procedure.

To recap, I had the shop take another swing at it . . . it's a zero toe all around, my normal whacky CAMBER, and the wheel is still tilted to the left.

It sounds like the Steering wheel was EITHER not properly locked in place and slipped when the alignment was done, or it was not properly centered when it was locked down ...

If the steering wheel is stable, locked and correct before the alignment process, when you adjust the tie-rod ends to get your "straight alignment" then everything should be straight


the only thing thing I can think of is the front of the car is "racked" out in reference to the rear ... was this car ever in an accident ?


Moose

[bluesunit]

Originally Posted by Moose

It sounds like the Steering wheel was EITHER not properly locked in place and slipped when the alignment was done, or it was not properly centered when it was locked down ...

If the steering wheel is stable, locked and correct before the alignment process, when you adjust the tie-rod ends to get your "straight alignment" then everything should be straight


the only thing thing I can think of is the front of the car is "racked" out in reference to the rear ... was this car ever in an accident ?


Moose

I'm going to have to restring it and try again. No accidents, just parking lot bumps and cone rash.