EMAN44

Ok, so I've installed my KSport Coilovers on my xB about 3 months ago, and I love them! I know that anytime you change springs, shocks, suspension pieces, etc, that you are supposed to get an alignment. Believe me that I usually have an alignment done ASAP whenever I work on any of my vehicle's suspensions.

After I installed the KSports, I put the alignment on hold, partially because 1. my stock tires were about thru anyway and I wanted to have a new set of tires put on first, and 2. I wanted see how my new XXR's would fit first because I would be either lowering or raising my xB again depending on the fit of the wheel.

Well my stock tires were shot, I could see that the alignment was really off on my car due to the handling of the front wheels and the way my tires were worn. I had wires showing on pretty much all four tires! So I went on Craigslist and bought a brand new set of 205/55/16 Goodyear RS-A's which were mounted on 16'' Lexus IS300 wheels all for $300!!



I dismounted the tires of the IS wheels and had them mounted, balanced, installed on my stock steel wheels. (couldn't use the IS wheels due to them being a +50 offset and I would have needed spacers...)

After tires were on my search for an alignment shop began...got turned down by 3 places because my xB was too low and they could not get it on the rack or they didn't want to work on it. Found one place that could do it, but because my car was lowered they had to charge me extra for "special" work being done...BS...their final price was $165!! For an alignment!!

So I finally found a place that could do it, good ole' Sears Auto Center. Have a buddy that works there and gave me a good price.

Anyway, my specific instructions to the tech were, to try to get everything in the green EXCEPT my rear camber. I told him to add as much camber in the rear as long as the toe stayed green as I'm anticipating my 18x9.75'' rims that will be placed on the rears in a few weeks...

So I come to get my car after about an hour or so and I get the data sheets...





At first I was amazed to see how bad my front suspension really was before the alignment...positive camber, excessive caster and toe...I look back and think at all the times my two front tires would scream will doing a 10mph turn and I shudder to think about it!

Now, my only real concern is the rear toe...as you can see, the rear camber pretty much stayed the same, and the left rear toe got worse and the right rear toe barely got better. The tech explained that he would have to put in special AC Delco shims to fix the toe, but I was hesitant about that because I am waiting for the new xB2 camber shims to come out.

I'll be purchasing the new camber shims and probably get another alignment done for the rear wheels then.

My question for you people with the KSports is: IS THIS NORMAL? Have your alignments been like this as well. I will say that while I am low, I can still go even lower, but I've never had an experience like this on any of my lower vehicles... Any info would be great. I don't think that the Sears tech guy is BSing me either, I genuinely believe that he did everything possible without getting the new shims put in...

Any inputs or opinions would be great. I'm just trying to figure out this alignment thing before I put the 18'' rims on and go burning thru a set of tires...

On a plus side, the xB now handles like a Bat out of Hell!! This thing is a dream and I've begun to re-love my xB all over again!!


Emanuel

papo

i had ksports for a few thousand miles and i never got an alignment none of my tires ever worse out because of camber/caster/toe. except in the front when i bought camber bolts and put them for negative camber as well as having the actual coilover negative camber... :shrug: i didn't read that long article you posted.

Greg S

iTrader: (1)

That actually seems right on the rear. It's not really adjustable and since teh rear axle is offset to the left slightly I would expect to see the felt side more out than the right. I'm just surprised that we actually have -1.5* of camber stock, I always thought it was 1.0* I'm taking mine in on Monday to have the alignment done so I'll see what my rears are at. I know my front is totally messed up, I'm probably running near 2.5-3.0* of camber right now.

Greg S

iTrader: (1)

Well turns out I was a little off on what my front camber was.

Here's the before specs:

BEFORE

LF __________ RF

-2.0* Camber -2.5*

+6.7* Caster +6.3*


Total Toe
+1.91*

Toe
+0.95*_____+0.96*

Steer Ahead
-0.01*



LR __________ RR

-1.5* Camber -1.7*


+0.46* Toe +0.19*


Total Toe
+0.66*


Thrust Angle
+0.14*











AFTER

LF___________RF

-0.1* Camber -0.2*

+6.7* Caster +6.3*


Total Toe
+0.16*

Toe
+0.07*___ +0.09*

Steer Ahead
-0.01*


LR___________RR

-1.5* Camber -1.7*


+0.44* Toe +0.21*


Total Toe
+0.64*


Thrust Angle
+0.12*



Damn it sucks having type all that, wife has the camera and the scanner is out.

Looks like my rear is pretty close to the same as yours in both Toe and Camber. Of course my front was total fubared but I knew that going in, it was visibly off and un-even, just not as much as I thought it was.

EMAN44

Well I really appreciate that Greg, it looks pretty close to mine, so at least I know that my car is just screwed up, but actually normal...

Once I get the rear camber shims installed I'll try and work out that rear toe more and I'll post how it turns out...




Emanuel

Greg S

iTrader: (1)

Yeah, I'll have to play with my toe as well but only after I do a little project of mine on the rear suspension.