My car behaves quite strangely after getting an alignment
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 202
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From: St. Louis
My car behaves quite strangely after getting an alignment
Here are my alignment specs:
Front
Caster Left: +7.0*
Caster Right: +6.9*
Camber Left: -1.1*
Camber Right: -0.9*
Toe Left: -0.04*
Toe Right: -0.06*
Total Toe: -0.10*
Rear
Camber Left: -2.2*
Camber Right: -2.1*
Toe Left: +0.31*
Toe Right: +0.30*
Total Toe: +0.61*
Thrust angle: 0.00*
The strange part is when I hit the gas to accelerate on the highway, the car goes to the left, and when I let off the gas to coast, the car goes back to the right. I didn't notice this phenomenon until several hours after I had the alignment done. Maybe a cam bolt came loose in the rear?
Other than this, the car handles pretty good. When I take it back in tomorrow, I am going to add 0.5* of negative camber in the rear to keep the back end more planted (I have the same size tires all the way around).
The car has HKS SF5 springs, stock struts, and 18" wheels with 225/40's all the way around.
Does anyone have an idea why my car is acting this way?
Front
Caster Left: +7.0*
Caster Right: +6.9*
Camber Left: -1.1*
Camber Right: -0.9*
Toe Left: -0.04*
Toe Right: -0.06*
Total Toe: -0.10*
Rear
Camber Left: -2.2*
Camber Right: -2.1*
Toe Left: +0.31*
Toe Right: +0.30*
Total Toe: +0.61*
Thrust angle: 0.00*
The strange part is when I hit the gas to accelerate on the highway, the car goes to the left, and when I let off the gas to coast, the car goes back to the right. I didn't notice this phenomenon until several hours after I had the alignment done. Maybe a cam bolt came loose in the rear?
Other than this, the car handles pretty good. When I take it back in tomorrow, I am going to add 0.5* of negative camber in the rear to keep the back end more planted (I have the same size tires all the way around).
The car has HKS SF5 springs, stock struts, and 18" wheels with 225/40's all the way around.
Does anyone have an idea why my car is acting this way?
Registered User
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 3,303
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From: SoCal
Make sure your tire pressures, particularly the rears, are equal. Unequal pressures there will cause the behavior you are describing.
The person doing the alignment should also be able to help after you explain the symptoms as well.
The person doing the alignment should also be able to help after you explain the symptoms as well.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis
Originally posted by SECRET AP1
Not related to your problem, but I was curious why you didn't go with a staggered tire setup?
Not related to your problem, but I was curious why you didn't go with a staggered tire setup?
I will get proper wheels and tires when my wallet approves.
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 4,063
Likes: 365
From: Redondo Beach
Check your rear pressures again. Really sounds like you've picked up a nail.
That's toe-IN at the rear, and toe-OUT in the front, right? I typically advise against toe-out (front OR rear) in anything but a pure, track-only racecar. Even then, toe-out in the rear is pretty radical, and might explain the behavior you're seeing. I'd go to zero toe front, 3/8-inch total toe-in rear (not sure what that is in degrees).
That's toe-IN at the rear, and toe-OUT in the front, right? I typically advise against toe-out (front OR rear) in anything but a pure, track-only racecar. Even then, toe-out in the rear is pretty radical, and might explain the behavior you're seeing. I'd go to zero toe front, 3/8-inch total toe-in rear (not sure what that is in degrees).
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Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 202
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From: St. Louis
It has toe out in the front and toe in in the rear. I have a slight bit of toe out in the front to give me better turn in. The 0.61* toe in in the rear is really close to the 0* 40" that the UK specs call for.
Ill go out and check my tires again, just to make sure.
Ill go out and check my tires again, just to make sure.
