alignment using the Pro Suspension Kit

[rktmn]

Today, I tried to get my SHO aligned for the second time, and the shop (Tire Kingdom Performance Shop) said that it was not able to do the front because there was not enough graduation available.

I have Eibach springs with the Koni strut inserts, which, I beleive, only lower the front end by 1".

They suggested that I needed the Pro Suspension kit. The tech had already cut the adjustment plate on top of the strut tower.

Has anybody had any experience with this kit?

They have it no ebay for $110.00

Thanks.

Jose

 

[Ishodu]

Yeah I got them, quite easy to install and use on the alignment rack. I did my own alignment though. But its still a no brainier to use the kit once installed.

 

[LOUDSHO92]

Just have them cut the spot welds and get it aligned you really dont need antyhing else.

 

[Ishodu]

My car was also cut and slotted besides the kits.

 

[rktmn]

They did cut the spot welds, but there was not enough adjustment to compensate for the Eibach's; therefore, the suspension kit will be necessary, (or so they say).

Jose

 

[shomesomesho]

You can enlarge the holes in the body where the strut mount
studs pass through. That will give you more room for adjustment.
I just used a grinder.

 

[rktmn]

How do you know in which direcction to enlarge the holes, or do you just make them larger all around?

Jose

 

[SHO92]

The holes allow for probably a half inch of adjustment already, I might look into other reasons why the alignment is so far out. The holes can be elongated, but it is possible that the sturt will start to hit the inside of the strut towers.

Jose, I assume the problem they are having is getting the camber dialed in? I would check to make sure that you subframe is centered side to side. If it is off, that can cause the readings to be uncorrectable, and have the 2 sides be at opposite ends of the scale. You may also want to check to be sure that the sleeve in the subframe where the strut rod goes through at the front is still solidly attached. It is known that the welds can fail there and the sleeve can become loose, and I believe you will have alignment issues resulting from that as well.

 

[MI-SHOFEAR]

Yea, I agree with SHO92, if they cant get it into spec with just drilling the spotwelds there is something else wrong, like the subframe or bent components.

I am actually sittin in an alignment lecture right now at WYOTECH.

If you have to, look into the adjustable strut rods, OOOHHH, COOL

JEff

 

[shomesomesho]

How do you know in which direcction to enlarge the holes, or do you just make them larger all around?

Jose

It depends on what is wrong exactly with your alignment. In my case, after I lowered the car there was too much negative camber (top of the tires tilted inward) so I enlarged the holes laterally to allow more positive camber adjustment. The amount of material I ground off was only about 2-3mm at most, so the struts do not rub against the body in my case. Doing this the front camber is now in the -1 to -1.5 degree range.

 

[rktmn]

It well could be that my subframe is not centered, since I did the swap. I tried to eyeball it when I lined it up, but it may be way off.

Will the alignment shop be able to line up the subframe using their equipment?

Jose

 

[Shoaz]

Jose, there are alignment holes in the front of the subframe that can be aligned with holes in the unibody using a socket wrench handle or other suitable long, thin, thingie. In the front just behind the bushings you'll see the holes. The hole on the right side is elongated so that you can set forward/backward, and the hole on the left is just round for final alignment.

For track handling a lot of track guys (myself included) try to shift the subframe as far forward as it will go to maximize the available caster. That's certainly not a necessary thing to do, but it's the sort of thing you can do fairly accurately and reasonably repeatably using the alignment holes.