Alignment after installing Bilsteins?

[Jim]

I recently went to 17/18 rims and will be installing Bilsteins on the lower perch. Do I need to do a F/R alignment?

Background: I've had the front aligned 5k miles ago and the rear 22k miles ago.

 

[prestonmay]

I just had 19/18 installed with Blist/Comptech Springs Upper Perch....
Wheel Centered, No play in wheel, drives straight as an arrow with hands off the wheel. But since I have lifetime alignment, I will be taking it in soon just for a check...

 

[RON98]

sure do,

lowing the car + bigger rims and tires change the geometry.

best to get it aligned unless you want to get new low profit tires every 6 month.

happy motoring

Rob:smile:

 

[LJSB]

Background: I've had the front aligned 5k miles ago and the rear 22k miles ago.

You reference the front wheels off of the rear wheels so I can't see how anyone could do an alignment of just one set of wheels and not the other.

If you lowered your car get a alignment w/printout and I would recommend you use a different shop than the one that claimed they aligned just the front or just the rear.

 

[RON98]

You reference the front wheels off of the rear wheels so I can't see how anyone could do an alignment of just one set of wheels and not the other.

If you lowered your car get a alignment w/printout and I would recommend you use a different shop than the one that claimed they aligned just the front or just the rear.

definitly

a good 4 wheel alignment is referecing off all wheels combined to calculate the actural thrust angel of the car, if you get a 2 wheel alignment and even if the front are going perfectly straight, the rears can be doing its own thing.

get a print out, almost any shop with a rack can print out a before and after.

some people still use the old string and plum bum with a years of expereince, i would not count that out just cause they dont have a 10K machine.

 

[Jim]

Thanks, it just reconfirms what I thought.

Regarding my previous alignments, I didn't have the front and rear done at the same time but going forward I will. At least I have been getting normal tire wear in my 8 year ownership and my car drives dead straight.

 

[LJSB]

some people still use the old string and plum bum with a years of expereince, i would not count that out just cause they dont have a 10K machine.

Jim, don't use anyone that wants to align your NSX this way either.:wink::biggrin:

a good 4 wheel alignment is referecing off all wheels combined to calculate the actural thrust angel of the car

This is a apt description of a 4wheel alignment on a vehicle where the rear toe is not adjustable, say like on a pickup truck, but not a NSX.

Thrust angle is the direction that the rear wheels are pointing in relation to the center line of the vehicle.

Since the NSX has the ability to adjust the toe of the rear wheels you don't calculate the thrust angle as with a pickup truck because you have the ability to set the rear thrust angle to the true center line of the car. You set the thrust angle to zero or as close to zero as possible of the toe center line.

 

[RON98]

Jim, don't use anyone that wants to align your NSX this way either.:wink::biggrin:



This is a apt description of a 4wheel alignment on a vehicle where the rear toe is not adjustable, say like on a pickup truck, but not a NSX.

Thrust angle is the direction that the rear wheels are pointing in relation to the center line of the vehicle.

Since the NSX has the ability to adjust the toe of the rear wheels you don't calculate the thrust angle as with a pickup truck because you have the ability to set the rear thrust angle to the true center line of the car. You set the thrust angle to zero or as close to zero as possible of the toe center line.

yes the thrust angle of the car as a whole.

 

[LJSB]

yes the thrust angle of the car as a whole.

 

[RON98]

on the alignment machines, you get an arrow going from the back of the car, through to the front, it tells you which way your car wants to go in its current alignment arrangement. thus thrust angle of the car.

what part of that is confusing?

 

[LJSB]

on the alignment machines, you get an arrow going from the back of the car, through to the front, it tells you which way your car wants to go in its current alignment arrangement. thus thrust angle of the car.

what part of that is confusing?

Well you don't "calculate" the thrust angle on a NSX, by "referecing off all wheels combined to calculate the actural thrust angel of the car" as you remarked in post #5. I thought I explained why but it seems you still don't understand.
It's not calculated as a "whole" it is adjusted to the center of the rear toe.

If the rear was not adjustable then what you are describing when you mention "the vehcile as a whole" would be relevant, but with a NSX it is not.

I'm confused by your responses and wondering how to help clear this up for you. No biggie.

 

[RPM217]

Well you don't "calculate" the thrust angle on a NSX, by "referecing off all wheels combined to calculate the actural thrust angel of the car" as you remarked in post #4. I thought I explained why but it seems you still don't understand.
It's not calculated as a "whole" it is adjusted to the center of the rear toe.

If the rear was not adjustable then what you are describing when you mention "the vehcile as a whole" would be relevant, but with a NSX it is not.

I'm confused by your responses and wondering how to help clear this up for you. No biggie.

Uh, Joe, post #4 is your post not Ron's!?!

 

[LJSB]

You're right Roger! It should read post #5. I'll edit it. Thanks.

 

[lucky guy's '93]

Alright to further muddy the waters here is a direct quote off the service work order from an Acura dealership after Bilsteins on normal perch were installed at the dealership.
"4 wheel alignment performed. All toe was alignable but tech found left front camber is out and not alignable. Right front castor is out, car may ahve slight pull, possible out due to aftermarket suspension"
HMMM Car drives straight, doesn't seem to have pull. No obvious wear on tires. According to carfax (i know i know)no accidents prior to my ownership.
Any help on this explanation would be appreciated. It really does not seem to have any issues when driving, but of course now I'm paranoid!:tongue:

 

[LJSB]

Post or pm me the post alignment printout.