Alignment Help: Front Toe/Caster Adjustment?

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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 04:52 AM
  #16  
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Originally Posted by dofu
If you have a coupe manual, you can look up the tolerances. But if you've dropped your car, the caster should be off since you've reduced the distance between the parts (can't remember exactly off the top of my head). I honestly would not be worried about it...
My car is slammed; my stock sized tires on my OEM 19s are tucked into my fenders. I also run wheel spacers.

I am worried, but only slightly. I drove with these specs (rear aligned, front un-aligned) from Los Angeles to Berkeley, and I'm not noticing excessive wear. I would like to be close to spec, though.
 
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 04:55 AM
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Originally Posted by xx7sephiroth7xx
My car is slammed; my stock sized tires on my OEM 19s are tucked into my fenders. I also run wheel spacers.

I am worried, but only slightly. I drove with these specs (rear aligned, front un-aligned) from Los Angeles to Berkeley, and I'm not noticing excessive wear. I would like to be close to spec, though.
As long as it's positive caster (pointed towards the windshield), you don't have much to worry about. I think that's the added "handling" most people think they're getting from lowering their car on springs alone...
 
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 04:59 AM
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I wouldn't worry about camber. The inner tread wear can be minimized by periodic flipping of the tires. Since the cross-caster is in spec I wouldn't worry about that either. I would suggest that you get the toe adjusted or else pay the price down the road.
 
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 05:09 AM
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Again, I really appreciate your help, dofu & Kurtis.

I will say that I won't be able to flip my tires since the tread pattern is asymmetrical. I think the next set I get will be flippable.

I definitely will fix the toe at the next alignment with camber, since my front a-arms have already been paid for.
 
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 05:14 AM
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Keep in mind that a good alignment tech should need to know the driver's weight to properly adjust toe (and if you have a regular passenger and how much they weigh). But it's a touchy subject for many, so I see why they don't ask. His toe is within spec (0.00-0.08) with the driver's side having a bit more than the passenger side like it's supposed to, but I usually run just a bit less (0.05/0.04) since you ideally want the toe to be 0 when the car is moving. If you're looking for better handling at the tracks, then there is a benefit to running a bit more toe in.

Caster for a sedan is supposed to be 7.0-8.5, not sure if the coupes are any different. But once you've dropped your car, the caster and SAI will never be within spec again, and that's fine as long as it's not off too much from side to side.

And it is camber that affects toe, but I can't remember how either. I just remember fixing my rear camber and ending up with too much toe in...
 

Last edited by dofu; Jul 7, 2009 at 05:35 AM.
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Old Jul 7, 2009 | 06:21 AM
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I'm a fairly small guy and I usually drive alone... I'll be sure to ask the tech about these things. Thanks, dofu!
 
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