My RF tire got bumped by someone backing out of a parking spot (the wheel was turned out), and it knocked my alignment way off. I got it aligned but I still have to turn the steering wheel a few degrees to the left for the car to drive straight. I guess since the LF is a little toe out, and the FR is a little toe in, this could be the cause. comments? I can't see a difference in toe between the two front wheels, but they both look toe out to me.

before:

Left front
camber: -0.03

 

yea I was thinking backwards there... asumming negative toe = toe in. I suppose the alignment guy could have had the steering wheel off center before he started adjustments? else, I have something bent!?

 

Any car will normally follow road crown, requirin a slight correction back to center on a crowned section of pavement. If the road is flat the steering wheel should be straight ahead.

If the wheel isn't straight, Take the car back and have them center the steering wheel. It's part of a alignment procedure.

 

Ok will do.. definitely not due to the road. My initial reaction was ok, something else is wrong, but then I figured hey they probably just didn't center the wheel correctly.

 

You might want to try a different shop in the future too (not this time, get it resolved at the same place). A good tech should be able to get both sides spot-on, and with the small variation you have, I wouldn't assume things are still screwed up.

 

Greetings, All:

Just bought a '03 a couple of weeks ago and I'm replacing the rear tires with OEM's. Tire sales guy told me to use the '04 or newer alignment specs for better handling. Found this news release from Honda regarding the tweaks made to the '04's.

http://www.hondanews.com/CatID2066?mid=200...141482&mime=asc

FYI
positive # = toe in
negative # = toe out

In a nushell:

front specs stay the same
toe on rears decreases from -zero deg. 19' to -zero deg. 10'
all else on rears stays the same

To get a clear understanding of toe, caster, and camber and their effects, read this:

http://www.ozebiz.com.au/racetech/theory/align.html

apparently by decreasing the toe out as seen above will make the car a little less twitchy in the corners and increase driveability in wet weather (most important here in Tampa, we're second only to Vietnam in the number of thunder storms per year).

off topic...anybody know what the hooks behind the seats are for?

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

JimBobJones

 

Reading the alignment specs and then looking at your current alignment I would say that front L&R camber is far from equal.
They got rid of the toe at the front but it looks like thats all they did.