Alignment?

[OutbackGT]

So I figure it's about time to get a new alignment to go with the new suspension. I was gonna have Crawford Performance do it, but they said it'd take about 3 hours and they charge $110 an hour so that's kinda out of the picture. What'd the next best place? I had Midas do it last time and my car now pulls to the right. What about Goodyear? Or just the Subaru dealership?

How do they do the alignment? Do they just look up factory specs and set them to that on the car, or do they actually do each car individually? Any advice appreciated.

[Wiscon_Mark]

It's each individual car, because factory specs wouldn't apply to your aftermarket (supposedly to them) suspension and different wheels/tires (if you have them).

Anyways, firestone does that lifetime alignment. It's definitely worth looking into.

Oh, btw -

http://members.cox.net/chrisspencer2/6201034976.gif

[rougeben83]

So I figure it's about time to get a new alignment to go with the new suspension. I was gonna have Crawford Performance do it, but they said it'd take about 3 hours and they charge $110 an hour so that's kinda out of the picture. What'd the next best place? I had Midas do it last time and my car now pulls to the right. What about Goodyear? Or just the Subaru dealership?

How do they do the alignment? Do they just look up factory specs and set them to that on the car, or do they actually do each car individually? Any advice appreciated.

I had an independent place do the alignment; $70 for a 4-wheel one. Most places, if you give them the specs you want will do it regardless.

[Plays_with_Toys]

Brakes Plus is running a $50 4wheel alignment special right now... If you trust them. Crawford I can't imagine would charge you hourly for an alignment. Usually an alignment is a one price affair, but I'd ask to be sure.

[OutbackGT]

Brakes Plus is running a $50 4wheel alignment special right now... If you trust them. Crawford I can't imagine would charge you hourly for an alignment. Usually an alignment is a one price affair, but I'd ask to be sure.

Well, when I asked the guy if they did performance alignments he was like, "uh... not really..." So I explained that I just installed a new suspension and wanted some people who knew what they were doing to align it, then he asked the manager or something and came back telling me it would be charged hourly.

[auspex]

well...

there are a couple different types of alignments.

you could have your standard, every day alignment you can get anywhere.
OR
you could have a shop adjust you camber and such to allow for better turn in, etc. the high price you recieved probably involved making your car a better performer, but would most certainly wear your tires out faster and uneven.

the latter would require a bit more time and fidgiting; hence, the extra cost.

if you've installed a new suspension, just go to a dealer and get a regular alignment. there's really no need to mention you put in a new, perfomance oriented suspension. the work they will do is the same.

i just got mine aligned last weekend for $49.....

peace

mike

[OutbackGT]

Alright. Will head to dealer tomorrow, they probably won't be able to do it tomorrow, so I'll probably end up going to Goodyear.

[rougeben83]

Well the most I've heard for alignments is $140; this is a professional alignment done by hand that most serious autocrossers/racers use and they tune the alignment EXACTLY (no "oh it's within range") to the specs the user specifies.

[Huffer]

Every alignment shop can dial in the specs you want depending on the car - for one, your caster isn't adjustable, and for two, the camber is unlikely to go past -1.5.

You want toe at 0 anyway, which is what they'll aim for.

Just make sure that you specify that you want the car to be as even and as straight as possible - the natural negative camber from the new suspension will probably be good enough.

[OutbackGT]

Mmkay, I just got it aligned. It feels much better now, but it still pulls to the right! The guy said that one of my front wheels caster was slightly off, but still within parameters, and that the caster is not adjustable in my car. I don't get it, if the caster isn't adjustable, how does it get changed in the first place? Will a tire rotation possibly help with the pulling?

[rougeben83]

how bad is it pulling? Caster is inherent in the suspension design in subaru's. The only way I know caster is changed is by changing the attachment geometry of the rear control arm pivot point via the anti-lift kit (adds I think +1.5deg caster?)

If it's pulling slightly you could run slightly higher (1-2 psi) tire pressure to compensate on the side that is pulling

[jey]

Also, often a perfectly aligned car will seem to pull to the right due to the crown of the road.