ashtc2

I have Tein Super Street Coilovers and Eibach Front and Rear sway bars. I'll be getting an alignment soon, and was wondering what specifications people have aligned their lowered car to. Is there any reason to align to anything other than oem spec?

CementTC

Id just get it aligned to OEM specs dont see anyother reason not to unless you have wheel and tires that you need more camber to help fit or you autocross and what a little better handling

2tCornot2tC

This is what I did to my car…OEM has a range and as long as it falls within that range, the shop is under no obligation to change it. And, if one wheel is at one extreme and the other at the other end, they can release it back to you and be within all legal rights. I have asked for a “Performance” alignment and gave them the specks I wanted. Most shops may not do it if outside the manufacturer's specifications though. I think I had to pay them an extra $20 for the performance alignment. Only the rear toe was not within OEM specifications and that was to get a little more over-steer to undo most of the under-steer designed into the balance of the car. It was so close to OEM speck, that they did not balk at it...here is my alignment sheet.
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=66

ashtc2

The shop I'm taking it to said they would do custom alignment specs as I pleased. I've gotten 5 alignments from them, each after I would test the performance of the car. Alignments can be tricky because you might have to overcompensate on one end to get the car driving in a straight line. I plan to stay within OEM spec for the most part, just wondering if anyone had done something out of the norm.

I'm preparing for the 13' SCCA solo season, and will be playing around with different setups. Side question, as for stiffness in a forward biased car do I want my rears to be less stiff, as stiff, or stiffer than my fronts?

2tCornot2tC

Stiffness is a relative term…since I have never corner weighed this car; I really don’t know the weight distribution of the car. My guess (and I guess when I bet on the ponies) is that the weight is biased forward…heavier up front than in back. The other factor that may come into play is that this car is a FWD drive car and all of my suspension experience is with RWD cars. The dynamics of the car may be different enough that what applies to RWD cars may not work on FWD cars. In RWD cars, you want the back stiffer relative to the weight on that axle. So, if our car is forward biased, then if the spring rates are identical (front to rear), the rear will be stiffer.

I have read on here that this car likes front negative camber. For racing only cars, I would probably start with 1.5 degrees front negative camber (top of the wheels in) and work from there.

russiankid

I am going to go in for an alignment over the holidays. My main issue right now is some serious bump steer in the rear, my guess is due to the toe being really off after lowering. What should I set my rear toe at? When it rains, any bump or imperfection in the road and the rear end is pulling left and right constantly. (Keep in mind my friend owns a shop so I can do whatever specs I want).

P.S. Sorry for posting in this thread. I figured I'd keep it all in one thread versus making another one.

2tCornot2tC

Do you know what bump-steer even is? It usually is designed into the rear wheel’s suspension and overlooked in the front’s. What you are describing is probably the imbalance in the rear settings. My guess would be that the camber is about 1 degree different from one side to the other. When the weight of the car is on one side, that side’s suspension settings dominate and point the car. Since either side is different, you get different handling characteristics as the weight is transferred from one side to the other. If you can set both sides identically, most of that will go away…but it is all of the settings.

DoopDoopDoop

2tC, is your car lowered on anything? If so, how did you get your rear camber back to what it is now.
My camber for my rear right wheel is -2.5(-1.4 on the left) and I've done an alignment at Toyota recently and they said they couldn't adjust the rear back to what it should be.
Any suggestions on how I should go about fixing this?

Don't mean to jack anyone's thread but since it's about alignment anyways, I'd figure I may as well ask here.

2tCornot2tC

My car is lowered on TRD springs...and I made these...
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/showthread.php?t=212975

russiankid

Correct. However, I cannot adjust camber.

ashtc2

Do the TRD's do anything for you, or is it just for aesthetics?

2tCornot2tC

They are stiffer and they did make the car handle better...BTW, I thought I was well known in these parts for not doing things to my car for just show...all for go!

DoopDoopDoop

HOLY **** that's very expensive lol

ashtc2

I'd figure a guy like you would've replaced the suspension by now and play with different setups. TRD's should've came with the car, considering they cost the same to produce than the stock setup. I guess they have to appeal to the masses, and some people find ways to jump curves.



No they're not. He just made them expensive.

2tCornot2tC

Quote:

Originally Posted by thealexhernandez

I'd figure a guy like you would've replaced the suspension by now and play with different setups. TRD's should've came with the car, considering they cost the same to produce than the stock setup. I guess they have to appeal to the masses, and some people find ways to jump curves.

TEINs are on my short list…I just hadn’t gotten around to buying them and installing them. On Saturday, I’m going to TB Performance to build a mid chassis brace…I’ve got a bet going with them…

Quote:

Originally Posted by thealexhernandez

No they're not. He just made them expensive.

You get what you pay for…

ashtc2

They're good coilovers. My only complaint with the Teins is accessing adjustment for the rears. As far as I've seen only the Megans have the perch above the spring, otherwise you have to do a lot of work to adjust.

2tCornot2tC

TEIN makes electric motor heads for the shocks and an electronic box to control them…that was what I was planning on getting.

ashtc2

The Electronic Dampening Force control by Tein does not clear the front hood. Also it is only to control dampening, not ride height.

2tCornot2tC

I don't care about ride height...but that sucks about the front hood not clearing. How do you know this?

ashtc2

I looked into getting it for my Tein Super Street.

Read the notes here:
http://www.fastscions.com/tein-super...-2012-tC2.aspx

I got 3 alignments today, and none of them had rear camber within spec. I got the toe to match, but at the cost of LH 2.1 and RH 2.7 camber.