Eibach Sportline Help

[trubey705]

Just installed eibach sportlines (springs only) on a 2017 GT along with 20x9's up front with 275/35/20's and 20x10.5 rears with 305/35/20's. The tires are Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's. An alignment shop claimed they got it aligned and had no issues doing so, cant say their expertise is lowering cars or S550's, but he claimed it was "good to go". I must say I am not happy at all with how it handles. Its a sketchy ride, quite floaty and wobbly while driving. Changing lanes you might as well send up a prayer when it snatches from one lane to the next. The tar filler they use on the highway to fill the cracks, even the least bit wet its like you're driving on ice. Any help, advice, guidance, hey dude you're an idiot and this is how it should ride, whatever it may be would be greatly appreciated. Sorry if this is a repeated question, i promise i used the search bar, a lot .

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[moffetts]

Did they give you an alignment sheet that has the toe/camber/caster numbers on it? Sportlines by themselves are known to not lead to the best ride, but we should confirm that your alignment is good, first.

 

[trubey705]

They didnt, Should i check to see if they keep/have a copy of it at all?

 

[moffetts]

Yeah, or have them re-do it and give you one. Or take it to a different shop. I would also have them give all of the suspension bolts a second look.

 

[KewlWinter]

I ran the Sportlines on my 2015 and now on my 2018. When you lower your car this dramatically, it will exaggerate the OEM IRS compliance to a degree. However, the handling should not be as bad as what you describe. Definitely get a copy of the alignment sheet before/after. I have found that many alignment shops either don't know that the rear upper camber arms can be adjusted at the inboard pivot point or don't want to bother because its such a PITA, so only adjust rear toe. Also, verify that the thrust angle is ZERO, very important. If you go to the BMR site or search this forum you can find their recommended alignment specs.

I learned the first time around that replacing the toe/knuckle bushings with the FP bearings and putting in an IRS brace/lockout (Steeda, BMR) made a world of difference in taming the handling and are a good place to start for supporting suspension upgrades. Later you might consider the replacing the rear lower control arm bushings, rear toe link, and vertical links. For the front, a bump steer kit would be a help to prevent shrugging behavior over bumps and uneven surfaces.

 

[trubey705]

I ran the Sportlines on my 2015 and now on my 2018. When you lower your car this dramatically, it will exaggerate the OEM IRS compliance to a degree. However, the handling should not be as bad as what you describe. Definitely get a copy of the alignment sheet before/after. I have found that many alignment shops either don't know that the rear upper camber arms can be adjusted at the inboard pivot point or don't want to bother because its such a PITA, so only adjust rear toe. Also, verify that the thrust angle is ZERO, very important. If you go to the BMR site or search this forum you can find their recommended alignment specs.

I learned the first time around that replacing the toe/knuckle bushings with the FP bearings and putting in an IRS brace/lockout (Steeda, BMR) made a world of difference in taming the handling and are a good place to start for supporting suspension upgrades. Later you might consider the replacing the rear lower control arm bushings, rear toe link, and vertical links. For the front, a bump steer kit would be a help to prevent shrugging behavior over bumps and uneven surfaces.

Thanks for this info! I too have expected there to be some handling/ride differences but not near the ones i am experiencing. Im being told by a lot of the local shops its my tires, its my suspension and theres nothing i can do to fix it. I just dont feel like all these mustangs with lowering springs and 305's are handling as bad as mine is. I guess i need to look into all these kits links to add to help stabilize it better.

 

[moffetts]

You need the alignment specs as a baseline no matter what you do. If you decide to get new shocks/struts, extended ball joint front control arms, bumpsteer correction kit, RLCA bearings, toe bearings, and all of the other bits and bobs that help with the overall quality of the suspension, you will still need to have the car aligned and "good to go" with no numbers is not good enough.

 

[KewlWinter]

I meant to ask... who did the lowering springs install, you, friend, shop? Reason for asking is that you can actually introduce the problems you are experiencing installing lowering springs if you don't re-clock the bushings at all the suspension pivot points. If this was not done, then the 2" drop you introduced has put your bushings into "bind" which can cause them to release that extra energy every time your suspension unloads. This is especially noticeable when it happens on one corner of the car versus both corners at the same time.

 

[karpetcm]

When you go wider and especially sticky they will track, meaning if you hit a line or groove in the road the tires will grab and want to go right to left. Everytime I've put wider tires especially sticky they track like that. I highly doubt that its your springs.

 

[trubey705]

When you go wider and especially sticky they will track, meaning if you hit a line or groove in the road the tires will grab and want to go right to left. Everytime I've put wider tires especially sticky they track like that. I highly doubt that its your springs.

So are you telling me there is nothing i can do about the way it is tracking and snatching around these lines and grooves in the road? are the roads in Georgia just THAT shitty?????

also to the other responses i am taking it back to get alignment numbers and have them communicate with me before they just say its "good to go, we are shocked it wasnt off camber". The issue with this is i work where im provided a work vehicle and just have to drop my car off, leave it, then get it after they close...so i dont get to sit with it.

yes i did have it done by a shop by a guy who has pretty good experience. i wont say hes a suspension pro but should have been able to handle the task as he works on performance cars and does mods often.

 

[KewlWinter]

So are you telling me there is nothing i can do about the way it is tracking and snatching around these lines and grooves in the road? are the roads in Georgia just THAT shitty?????

Yes there is. Get the alignment numbers and validate that specs were met. Also refer to my previous post about the upgrades you can do to the IRS to reduce OEM compliance. That compliance is so bad that you can get up to a 2 degree toe change on hard acceleration. Mine doesn't wander at all and my rear tires are 11" wide.

also to the other responses i am taking it back to get alignment numbers and have them communicate with me before they just say its "good to go, we are shocked it wasnt off camber". The issue with this is i work where im provided a work vehicle and just have to drop my car off, leave it, then get it after they close...so i dont get to sit with it.

Good that you are taking it back for the numbers, not so good that you don't get to sit with it. I always look on at regular intervals while they perform the alignment. I want to see them do the adjustments.

yes i did have it done by a shop by a guy who has pretty good experience. i wont say hes a suspension pro but should have been able to handle the task as he works on performance cars and does mods often.

It's been my experience that no matter how long someone is in the business, there are knowledge gaps, especially on new cars or technology. There is also a tendency for shops where the workload tends to be overbooked, for the tech performing the alignment to skip an adjustment that is especially difficult or time-consuming (which that rear upper camber adjustment is) when it is "close enough". Always asking for the alignment spec sheet before the work is performed will mitigate that to an extent. Also, showing up with your own spec sheet with the values written down that you want tends to make them more conscientious also.

 

[trubey705]

Yes there is. Get the alignment numbers and validate that specs were met. Also refer to my previous post about the upgrades you can do to the IRS to reduce OEM compliance. That compliance is so bad that you can get up to a 2 degree toe change on hard acceleration. Mine doesn't wander at all and my rear tires are 11" wide.


Good that you are taking it back for the numbers, not so good that you don't get to sit with it. I always look on at regular intervals while they perform the alignment. I want to see them do the adjustments.


It's been my experience that no matter how long someone is in the business, there are knowledge gaps, especially on new cars or technology. There is also a tendency for shops where the workload tends to be overbooked, for the tech performing the alignment to skip an adjustment that is especially difficult or time-consuming (which that rear upper camber adjustment is) when it is "close enough". Always asking for the alignment spec sheet before the work is performed will mitigate that to an extent. Also, showing up with your own spec sheet with the values written down that you want tends to make them more conscientious also.

Well, good news. First off lesson learned on my behalf. I’m from a small town, knew the shop well that did the alignment so i trusted them. They have apparently had some employee changes lately in the back I was unaware of (yep you see where this is goin). Call my buddy tell him my car drives like shit, he says bring it I’ll drive it and figure it out. Bring it, he drives it, agrees it’s atrocious and a nightmare to drive. We discuss potential things it could be since it was allegedly aligned, discussed it mainly felt in the rear (which i agreed). He calls back an hour later and says fixed, I laughed and said no way. He said oh it is, you owe nothing and we are now short an employee. Come to find out the regular alignment guy was off the day I came in. “Newish” alignment guy did mine. They compared specs from when I brought it in that day to when it left. He only aligned front, never touched rear and it was way off, but told me and the owners (my good buddies) it was aligned. Well he gets caught in said lie today. The regular alignment guy gets it aligned. Drives like a dream now! Can’t say whether he was lazy and just skipped it or intimidated by it being somewhat more technical of an alignment, who knows. Glad I didn’t wreck in any of the super sketchy driving moments i had and the problem is resolved! Thank you all for the knowledge and info. View attachment 434269

 

[moffetts]

Excellent. The fact that he didn't give you a before/after sheet to begin with was highly suspect.

 

[KewlWinter]

Happy to know you got it sorted and you gained some valuable experience that will serve you well in any future shop or dealer encounters.

“Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want “

 

[Niz55]

99% of the time when you take your car in for alignment they will fuck it up.

That is why I set my camber at home and take it in to only adjust the toe with me sitting in the car holding the steering wheel dead center.

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