Had an alignment done on friday. Attached find the sheets that I was given.
I had asked to set to the following specs: F:-2 degrees camber, 1/16 total toe out R: -1.6 degrees camber, 0 toe . Have camber plates and a ball ended hex can reach the bolts.
Problem is that after getting home, I noticed that one of the upper mounts has been hacked away (grinded with any skill) to allow access to camber plate adjustments, other side has not been touched. Further, the front left camber seem a little drastic, also much more than right side. Decided to make a few measurements with handy carpenter square/steel rule. By my calculations the front left is now at -3.1 , left rear -1.8 , front right -1.8 , rear right - 2.5 ????
Can someone help with the attached sheets...? It would seem that the sheet shows about 1/16 total toe in. Yes? Camber is definately not the indicated -2.04 on the FL. What is this final sheet that shows a total of -.06 of toe?
Any comments please...

 

are you running progressive rate lowering springs?

then im not surprised... you have to measure each ride height, then lift
the car up put it down, add weights until you get back to your original
working ride height at each corner.

otherwise each time the tech lifts your car up go do adjustments your car
does not settle immediately back to its working height when lowered onto
the rack and totally screws up your alignment.

 

No running linear springs...
How is it that the one sheet shows a total toe of -.06 ,while the front sheet shows .07 and .08 toe ? I would guess that they should indicate something like -.03 and -.03 , to get to the total of -.06. I requested 1/16 toe out, i believe that is -.7

 

yah, that is pretty screwy. i use degrees for toe so not sure how much
toe-out that is, but i also dont see the usual total toe for front, and
another total toe for rear.

yah, linear springs should usually drop back to the working height, especially
coilovers. they usually drop back almost spot-on from my experience.

 

Sorry kenchan....but you're nuts. EVERY alignment machine ever built has sliding plates that allow the suspension to settle. True, the technition needs to bounce the suspension to get an accurate reading, but most technitions normally do this.

You've got 0.15 inches total toe-out. 0.7 + .08 = 0.15".
0.25 is a 1/4 inch so .15 is about 1/8 of an inch toe-out. You know it's toe-out because it isn't an negative number. (I know that's different from how them measure camber, but that's just the way it works on an alignment machine)

Sorry about them grinding your strut tower. I NEVER take my car to a alignment shop that won't let me stand and watch. Most technitions don't have a clue about alignment except for putting it at the stock specs. Plus, the rear toe on our cars is VERY hard to adjust compared to other cars.

Looks like the specs are pretty close to what you were shooting for, except for the extra toe out. Your car is just going to oversteer a bit more than if you had 1/16" toe-out. Personally, I don't know why your running toe-out in the rear on a modified car. If the race class rules allow you to run a larger rear sway bar, I would play with that (and stiffer springs/shocks) instead of running toe-out. Toe-out makes the car less predictable. If you were running in a stock class that didn't allow a rear sway bar then running toe-out would be your only option.

 

I am not running toe out in the rear. I asked for a total of 1/16 toe out in the front, 0 toe in the rear.
My camber is definately not set to what the printout reflects. I have enough experience to visualy tell that the front camber is not the same, right to left side. Yes, it would be hard to visualy differentiate between -2.0 and -2.4 however, my L/R is different by about 1.5 degrees. The marks on the camber plates further indicate a wide difference. I just looked at some close up shots of the installed camber plates from two weeks ago. It appears that the right front adjustment has not even been moved.
How are these alignment sheets printed out? My theory is that the shop, after grinding one side and deciding that this was too much work, they put together these ******** alignment sheets. How easy is this to do?

 

Sorry, my bad....looks like you have total rear toe of 0.01 which is basically zero.

I would be very surprised if they were able to mock up a fake alignment sheet. It would take some considerable work for them to do.

Did you ask them to grind your strut towers?

Just take it to another shop.....one that has a better rep....and have them verify your concerns.

 

I only took it to this shop as they were recomended by a mechanic that works on one of my other cars. The shop I had used to get the alignment done a couple of times for my Mini was closed (he is off fishing for two weeks). I told this shop that adjustments can be done via a ball headed hex wrench. (as it has been done in the past). Any problems, give me a call. Did not want them cutting sheet metal. As it is, I spent a hour this weekend cleaning up their hack job. Pretty easy with a small grinder.
I just find it hard to believe that an established shop has so little pride in their work.
Off, to complain and get my money back...

 

no need be sorry.

wat you decribed is what we would all expect, but was not the case when
i had my car aligned a few times... and ended up costing a few hundred
dollars at the end for their lack of knowledge on their part. progressive
rate springs are very tricky. you can't just bounce the car once or
twice and think it would resettle immediately, cause without weights
it doesn't.

i found a local tire store that also do exotic car alignments and the
older gentlemen was able to get my car aligned VERY close to what i
wanted. whenever i go there, i specifically ask if he's available to help
cause the other guy didnt know wat the hell and screwed up my alignment.
there are several alignment shops ive tried and most of them turned
out like crap.

my MINI dealer (PatrickMINI) did a great job doing my MCS.

 

btw, you guys need to try some Prima Hydro.

www.detailersparadise.com

 

Been using Epic...
Have some Slick but have not used yet. What is the difference between Slick and Hydro?

 

Slick is their quick detailer. Hydro is their wax as you dry polymer
spray wax. this is some really nice stuff. will go
perfect over your Epic. just mist and wipe as you dry.

while're youre at it, join our little user's club.

 

Talk about hijacking a thread! hehehehehe

I use Zaino but Heather at DP sure seems nice and knowledgeable.

 

Heather is very nice and extremly knowledgeable! You will be using Prima soon enough...

 

^^

i think Hydroing will fix your alignment woe's.

 

I think you are right. Just placed an order with Nick @DP . Should be hydroing within a day or two.
Failing which, I have an appointment set for Friday with another alignment machine. Will try to hang around and watch.

 

^^ blahahaha!!


how does your car run though? If it feels fine you might be okay.
a reading is just a reference. the feel of the car is what is important!

 

Well... pulls hard to the right upon acceleration and pulls hard to the right under braking.

 

yikes.