Alignment w/Handling Pack

[DopamineQuest]

Where do you guys get your cars aligned? Does the average random shop know what to do with caster/camber plates? Should I bring the information about the plates/torque specs to the shop I choose? Any advice welcome!

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[Inthehighdesert]

Any decent alignment shop should be able to do it. If you have a local group that tracks or autocross’s they can probably steer you. I take mine to my dealer, buddy is a master tech, and has all the baseline spec’s on his shop laptop. The plates won’t change how they do the alignment.

 

[17MagMetal]

Local speed shops, bring numbers, expect to pay bare minimum 150, trust but verify torque specs after alignment.

I personally also like to witness mark my toe alignment bits so that I can tell when/if something is obviously knocked out.

 

[Turbeau]

I've had the dealer align to my requested specs (including camber plates). This season I will be attempting to align it myself using strings and Longacre tools. I want to be able to switch between street, auto-X and track easily/frequently without selling a kidney. With a bit of time, I can have my desired settings marked on the car - I am also utilizing AAD camber arms and toe links for repeatability. I figure the investment will pay off over time. If that's too much for you I suggest finding a "middle" setting for the rear between street and track as per the supplement in the owner's manual. It's easy to mark the top of front struts and slide the camber plates back and forth between witness marks.

 

[navbtcret]

I installed a set of Vorshlag camber plates on mine, removed the ford performance ones. These have a scale with a pointer that you can see. I had the street alignment done with them all the way in one direction, then I had them do the track alignment so I could see where the pointer was. Now when I get to the track, I just move the plates to the track alignment and when I am getting ready to leave, I put it back to the street alignment. It is very easy to do. I also had the alignment checked after a couple of track visits to make sure the street alignment was still good. It was spot on. Too bad Ford did not make their plates this way.

 

[rp930]

I installed a set of Vorshlag camber plates on mine, removed the ford performance ones. These have a scale with a pointer that you can see. I had the street alignment done with them all the way in one direction, then I had them do the track alignment so I could see where the pointer was. Now when I get to the track, I just move the plates to the track alignment and when I am getting ready to leave, I put it back to the street alignment. It is very easy to do. I also had the alignment checked after a couple of track visits to make sure the street alignment was still good. It was spot on. Too bad Ford did not make their plates this way.

You should check the toe in both directions. Hard to believe it would stay the same but would be interesting to know.

 

[navbtcret]

You should check the toe in both directions. Hard to believe it would stay the same but would be interesting to know.

It was spot on.

I will be having my alignment checked again when I get to car out this spring. I did 3 track events last year and it has not been checked since last spring. I have to get a state inspection and will have them put it on the rack at that time.

 

[rp930]

It was spot on.

I will be having my alignment checked again when I get to car out this spring. I did 3 track events last year and it has not been checked since last spring. I have to get a state inspection and will have them put it on the rack at that time.

Thanks. Good to know. I would have expected a change.

 

[WItoTX]

It was spot on.

I will be having my alignment checked again when I get to car out this spring. I did 3 track events last year and it has not been checked since last spring. I have to get a state inspection and will have them put it on the rack at that time.

Just to be 100% clear. You did an alignment on your car with the camber maxxed out, and with the camber not maxxed out, and you are saying the toe is the same for both camber settings?

 

[navbtcret]

Just to be 100% clear. You did an alignment on your car with the camber maxxed out, and with the camber not maxxed out, and you are saying the toe is the same for both camber settings?

I am saying my initial alignment I had the camber plates not maxed out and the street alignment was done. Then we move the camber plates to the track alignment, I checked the indicators to see where they were for the track alignment. Then we put the camber plates back to the not maxed out. Rechecked the alignment and took the car off the rack.

I then did two track events where I moved the plates to the track alignment while I was at the track. I ran my sessions those four days and put the plates back to the street alignment at the track before I drove the car home. Yes, I drive my car to the track and then back home even if it is hundreds of miles. I had an appointment with my shop to put the car on the rack to check the alignment after I had made these changes myself at the track and it was within the range for the street alignment setting, needed no adjustment.

I have done several track events last year and soon when I get my car out of winter storage it will go to the shop for a state inspection, and I will also get the alignment checked. I drive my car a lot in the spring summer and fall, with me moving the plates back and forth I am not getting any abnormal wear on my tires.

 

[Tomster]

Do it yourself. A string alignment is as good as it gets. BG racing makes a nice kit that will save you a bunch of setup time when you have to either check it or do it again.

Dealer alignment racks are only as good as the tech and the calibration. They are made for DD cars and not a precision alignment. Yeah the digital readout/printout...... ask them when the last time the machine was calibrated. Even then, a guy doing a rush job alignment is not suitable for the track.

Do it yourself or get your wallet out for a quality alignment by a competent track car shop.

 

[DopamineQuest]

Do it yourself or get your wallet out for a quality alignment by a competent track car shop.

Wish I had this option, believe me. There are no track car shops that I'm aware of in my city.

 

[TonyNJ]

Are the camber plates adjusted with the weight of the car loaded or with the car up in the air?

I've seen a video with a tech at a supposed "Track Alignment Speciality shop" ask that same question, while torqueing on it with a pry bar. Then he proceeded to beat on a socket that's on the top it with a mallet. It eventually moved but even the "specialist" wasn't sure.

I have a car with them in full track setting and went to move them over myself. I'll have an alignment check later.

Is it as simple as loosening the nut and sliding it? Notice the black scuff marks on the car in the second photo. Mallet or pry bar from the previous adjustment?

 

[Tomster]

To answer the above question, the OEM camber plates suck pretty bad in that regard. I have had to unload the suspension to get the camber adjustment to move. The problem with that is the suspension has to have weight on it and be settled for the camber setting to be accurate. So if you unload the suspension, you will have to take your best guess, reload the suspension and preferably drive it. Then remeasure the camber and possibly repeat.

I've never had that issue with vorshlag plates. The slide smoothly and I am able to get better results in less time.

Edited to add:

There was a comment in the above post that (what seemed to read as) I'll adjust the camber back to street...... if you change the camber, you will change the tow. You will require a tow adjustment if you go from track or street to the other.

When you align, always start with camber. Caster is fixed on the s550, so you then adjust tow once camber is set.

 

[rp930]

To answer the above question, the OEM camber plates suck pretty bad in that regard. I have had to unload the suspension to get the camber adjustment to move. The problem with that is the suspension has to have weight on it and be settled for the camber setting to be accurate. So if you unload the suspension, you will have to take your best guess, reload the suspension and preferably drive it. Then remeasure the camber and possibly repeat.

I've never had that issue with vorshlag plates. The slide smoothly and I am able to get better results in less time.

Edited to add:

There was a comment in the above post that (what seemed to read as) I'll adjust the camber back to street...... if you change the camber, you will change the tow. You will require a tow adjustment if you go from track or street to the other.

When you align, always start with camber. Caster is fixed on the s550, so you then adjust tow once camber is set.

I can’t understand if he claims the toe stays the same or not. I would doubt it.

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