Alignment issues.....wtf???

GT Ninja · 10-13-2006, 04:13 PM

Ok, so I had my car aligned after letting it settle in from the new suspension. I get the car back and the thing pulls like crazy to the right and the steering wheel is crooked and shakes. I check the worksheet and they said that the caster is adjusted to max even though I have MM caster / camber plates and they advise to rotate tires every 5000 miles??? Wtf? The tires are rotational and staggered, they installed them, they should know they can't be rotated. They apparently did a thrust angle alignment, but it's now worse then ever. Is there anything that could be wrong with my car? It's never been in an accident and was already pulling to the right prior to the new suspension, because of the caster being off. I'm going to take it back ASAP and get them to fix it or refund my money. Anyone have any idea why a reputable shop would do something like this? Should I bring this to the dealership to get aligned instead or somewhere like Big-O ?

bassman97 · 10-13-2006, 06:51 PM

They definately screwed up so I say take it back and have them fix it for free.

BrentK · 10-13-2006, 07:15 PM

What is your suspension setup?

I still have room to adjust my CC's

GT Ninja · 10-13-2006, 07:32 PM

Yeah I think they F'd up, I talked to the manager, he's personally going to fix it or so hey says. I have MM Caster / Camber Plates, FRPP F Springs which are just Eibach Pro Kit at 1.5" drop and a specific spring rate, and Bilstein Shocks and Struts. Shouldn't be hard to align since they have plenty of adjustability with the CC plates. I checked the CC plates when i got home and the dude has both CC plates maxed out the in same direction >>.

r3dn3ck · 10-14-2006, 08:46 AM

they usually give you a sheet with a bunch of numbers on it, could you post that up for me so I can see your settings?

I can give you decent starting settings but I need to know what its at now.

GT Ninja · 10-14-2006, 09:42 AM

I dropped it off again this morning, they're going to try to fix it, but they state that the caster is at max, even though I have plates and they're saying they had to make the steering wheel crooked in order to get it to drive straight because it pulls to the right. If they can't fix it, then I'm getting my $$$ back and going somewhere else. I'll post the specs later when I get a chance. I'm wondering if I should get it manually aligned. So I can get what I want out of it and not just what some computer is spitting out.

*03gtmustang* · 10-14-2006, 09:49 AM

They are probably doing it all wrong. I never had any problems with my MM cc plates and coil overs.

r3dn3ck · 10-14-2006, 10:44 AM

the cc plates make it easier to get a good setting. they're doing it wrong. You start with the steering wheel straight and then dial it in. It's not hard.

GT Ninja · 10-14-2006, 08:07 PM

Ok, so after (4) tries, they finally got it, or so I think. On the 3rd try, they had it aligned in spec but couldn't get one of the CC plate bolts on because of maxing out the caster, but then they pulled it back in and got it dialed in with all the bolts on. The steering wheel is now straight and the car drives straight, it has a subtle drift to the right after a while, but nothing abnormal, i.e. it doesn't pull. Overall it feels a lot better and I'm not too worried as I will be getting coilovers, A arms, adjustable tie rod ends, k-member, polyurethane bushings and sway bar relocation kit once I'm ready to drop the new engine in. I just want to be able to enjoy my new suspension without the annoyance of having to counter steer the affects and have abnormal tire wear, these tires ain't cheap.

This is the current settings they have it at right now, caster seems a bit high:

Front:
Camber -0.42 / -0.57
Caster Adjust 3.98 / 4.42
Toe 0.12 / 0.13

r3dn3ck · 10-15-2006, 09:04 AM

you want as much caster as you can get. That's a decent if imprecise alignment. it would drift a bit to the right.

TClark22 · 10-15-2006, 10:03 AM

wierd...since i have had my h&r supersports my alignment is still really close to perfect...i dont drift to one side...and no wierd tire wear

r3dn3ck · 10-16-2006, 10:16 AM

you're the lucky one. the rest of us have to deal with getting a good dangle angle set.

10-13-2006, 04:13 PM	#1 (permalink)
GT Ninja Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The hard streets of Cali! Posts: 131	Alignment issues.....wtf??? Ok, so I had my car aligned after letting it settle in from the new suspension. I get the car back and the thing pulls like crazy to the right and the steering wheel is crooked and shakes. I check the worksheet and they said that the caster is adjusted to max even though I have MM caster / camber plates and they advise to rotate tires every 5000 miles??? Wtf? The tires are rotational and staggered, they installed them, they should know they can't be rotated. They apparently did a thrust angle alignment, but it's now worse then ever. Is there anything that could be wrong with my car? It's never been in an accident and was already pulling to the right prior to the new suspension, because of the caster being off. I'm going to take it back ASAP and get them to fix it or refund my money. Anyone have any idea why a reputable shop would do something like this? Should I bring this to the dealership to get aligned instead or somewhere like Big-O ? __________________ 2003 Stealth Mustang GT Parts List:

10-13-2006, 07:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
BrentK Win it or wreck it Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: My Heart is in Ohio Posts: 1,294	What is your suspension setup? I still have room to adjust my CC's __________________ 2003 GT

10-13-2006, 07:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
GT Ninja Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The hard streets of Cali! Posts: 131	Yeah I think they F'd up, I talked to the manager, he's personally going to fix it or so hey says. I have MM Caster / Camber Plates, FRPP F Springs which are just Eibach Pro Kit at 1.5" drop and a specific spring rate, and Bilstein Shocks and Struts. Shouldn't be hard to align since they have plenty of adjustability with the CC plates. I checked the CC plates when i got home and the dude has both CC plates maxed out the in same direction >>. __________________ 2003 Stealth Mustang GT Parts List:

10-14-2006, 09:42 AM	#6 (permalink)
GT Ninja Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The hard streets of Cali! Posts: 131	I dropped it off again this morning, they're going to try to fix it, but they state that the caster is at max, even though I have plates and they're saying they had to make the steering wheel crooked in order to get it to drive straight because it pulls to the right. If they can't fix it, then I'm getting my $$$ back and going somewhere else. I'll post the specs later when I get a chance. I'm wondering if I should get it manually aligned. So I can get what I want out of it and not just what some computer is spitting out. __________________ 2003 Stealth Mustang GT Parts List:

10-14-2006, 09:49 AM	#7 (permalink)
03gtmustang Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern Va Posts: 3,245	They are probably doing it all wrong. I never had any problems with my MM cc plates and coil overs. __________________ D&D Auto Detailing -Dan

10-13-2006, 06:51 PM	#2 (permalink)
bassman97 blank Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: North Jersey Posts: 1,497	They definately screwed up so I say take it back and have them fix it for free.

10-14-2006, 08:46 AM	#5 (permalink)
r3dn3ck Wowbagger hates me too! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Magrathea/California Posts: 7,014	they usually give you a sheet with a bunch of numbers on it, could you post that up for me so I can see your settings? I can give you decent starting settings but I need to know what its at now.

10-14-2006, 10:44 AM	#8 (permalink)
r3dn3ck Wowbagger hates me too! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Magrathea/California Posts: 7,014	the cc plates make it easier to get a good setting. they're doing it wrong. You start with the steering wheel straight and then dial it in. It's not hard.

10-14-2006, 08:07 PM	#9 (permalink)
GT Ninja Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: The hard streets of Cali! Posts: 131	Ok, so after (4) tries, they finally got it, or so I think. On the 3rd try, they had it aligned in spec but couldn't get one of the CC plate bolts on because of maxing out the caster, but then they pulled it back in and got it dialed in with all the bolts on. The steering wheel is now straight and the car drives straight, it has a subtle drift to the right after a while, but nothing abnormal, i.e. it doesn't pull. Overall it feels a lot better and I'm not too worried as I will be getting coilovers, A arms, adjustable tie rod ends, k-member, polyurethane bushings and sway bar relocation kit once I'm ready to drop the new engine in. I just want to be able to enjoy my new suspension without the annoyance of having to counter steer the affects and have abnormal tire wear, these tires ain't cheap. This is the current settings they have it at right now, caster seems a bit high: Front: Camber -0.42 / -0.57 Caster Adjust 3.98 / 4.42 Toe 0.12 / 0.13 __________________ 2003 Stealth Mustang GT Parts List:

10-15-2006, 09:04 AM	#10 (permalink)
r3dn3ck Wowbagger hates me too! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Magrathea/California Posts: 7,014	you want as much caster as you can get. That's a decent if imprecise alignment. it would drift a bit to the right.

10-15-2006, 10:03 AM	#11 (permalink)
TClark22 Blown 2V Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: kansas Posts: 2,297	wierd...since i have had my h&r supersports my alignment is still really close to perfect...i dont drift to one side...and no wierd tire wear __________________

10-16-2006, 10:16 AM	#12 (permalink)
r3dn3ck Wowbagger hates me too! Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Magrathea/California Posts: 7,014	you're the lucky one. the rest of us have to deal with getting a good dangle angle set.

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