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Lowering the car need alignment help.

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krummel21

15+ Year Contributor
497
1
May 4, 2004
Charles City, Iowa
I looked at the free rear camber adjustment my question on that is without taking it to the shop how will I know if I have enough washers? Will the front camber need a kit or can I tell before paying 60 dollars for the alignment? What will I need for toe adjustment?


Thanks
 
You should start by estimating your correction based on the amount of suspension height change.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/handling-tech/168194-question-about-camber-toe-camber-kits.html
That should put you in the ballpark. Otherwise you should get a bubble type camber gauge. Habor freight used to have them for $5 but they are all over ebay for about $15.
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The toe will need to be adjusted by the shop. There is no point in trying to do any pre-adjustment. Many choose not to use a camber kit in the front. Your decision should be based on the amount of lowering and your driving style.
 
tried finding that camber gauge on harbor freight's website but I can't find it anywhere. Do you have a link by chance? Is there instructions somewhere about how to do this?
 
tried finding that camber gauge on harbor freight's website but I can't find it anywhere. Do you have a link by chance? Is there instructions somewhere about how to do this?

Habor freight used to have them for $5 but they are all over ebay for about $15.

Start checking ebay.

As for instructions, it's pretty straight forward. Just slap the magnet bubble level onto your brake rotors, choosing the most vertical (up or down) position to get the most accurate readings. Also, ensure the car is parked on as level of a surface as you have available - for obvious reasons.

I used one I borrowed from a friend when I did this. I installed Illuminas/Prokits and I needed roughly 4 washers. My rear end sits comfortably around -0.8* to -0.9* camber. I'll eventually try to add another washer to achieve -0.6* to -0.7* camber in the rear. That is my desired camber spec for the rear, given my equipment and driving style.
 
When the car is jacked doesn't that throw off the tool since the car isn't level anymore or do you have to do it with the wheels still on the car? Does it matter if the spring is compressed or not? How do you adjust the front camber?
 
Front camber is not adjustable from the factory. You will need to purchase a kit if you want to be able to adjust the front. I recommend the SPC eccentric bushings or the SPC adjustable upper control arms. Of course there are many others to choose from, I'm just not a fan of Ingalls style adjustment.

When adjusting the rear, with the DYI washer method in tandem with the magnetic bubble level, you will be jacking the car up and down to figure out how many washers you think you need. I rolled the car around a bit after each adjustment/washer to be sure of where the camber would sit once the car was driving around. You can use the level with your wheels still on the car if the spokes will allow - this worked for me.
If you cannot use the level with your wheels on, well, that's certainly going to be an obstacle. An alignment rack is the only thing that comes to mind that would allow for accurate adjustments/readings off the bubble level with the wheels off... which would be a moot point if your car is already on the alignment rack. Perhaps there are other solutions.
 
I spent a lot of time running around shop to shop trying to find some grade 10 bolts. I gave up in the end due to limited options and awkward hex style bolts. Just go grab some Grade 8.8 bolts and whatever washers you want really. I wanted hardened washers too, but that proved equally as disappointing. Some people have used nice, big, thick washers with success, but many of them are very small in diameter which doesn't make me comfortable. I used softer fender washers like this one:
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I think it's a fantastic solution given the availability, the price and the surface area. I think the surface area is more important, in this instance, than hardness.

Here is my own thread about this stuff if you'd like another reference.
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/han...r-kit-bolts-apparently-i-sent-wrong-ones.html

Otherwise, just grab some 35-40mm grade 8 bolts M10x1.25 (fine pitch) and some fender washers.
 
Alright thanks I will try and find that now for I guess the most important question. What is the lowest I can go in the front in rear so I woun't have problems with the suspension hitting things? Guessing 1 inch wheel gap is impossible on a 2g.
 
I'm getting 2 different reading when I use this gauge. When I have it on the rotor I'm guessing it should be pointing straight out. The only thing is do have the bubble gauge so you can read when standing directly over it or when your are to the side of it?
 
You want the gauge flat on the surface of the rotor that the pads wear on.

Face the gauge so it can be read facing forward or backward. The area that you read should be extended straight out from the magnet.

Not like in the above picture of the gauge only.

NOT LOOKING DOWN ON IT FROM ABOVE !!!
 
so the bubble gauge should be straight out from the the rotor (so it creates a right angle with the rotor) and the bubble gauge should be facing the front tire if measuring the rear.
 
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