mattb1380

AP1 with 67k on the odometer. Not sure if the car has ever had an alignment and thinking of taking it in.

What kinds on things should I look out for? Questions I should ask, how do I make sure its done right, etc.?

I'm located in the Dallas, TX area, so any recommendations of a good shop to take it to?

gptoyz

Well basically you need to look at two things:
#1 tire wear
#2 does the car pull

In terms of a performance alignment where you are interested in a specific characteristic, well that is driver preference.

As for if it's done right or not, look at the print out, a good laser alignment shop should give you a print out, which you can then scan for us to review.

If it's a race shop that does string alignment you will have to let the butt dyno tell you, but it sounds like you will be fine with a performance laser alignment.

I generally like to make sure of the following:
0 cross toe
0 cross camber
0 cross caster
Steering wheel dead center

As for the actual setting, give the uk alignment settings a try.

Look for a shop that specializes in double a arm honda or s2000 specialists.


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gptoyz

Btw why are you considering an alignment, did you alter your suspension? Get new tires? When was the last time you got tires?


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ZDan

Whether the car has ever had an alignment or not is irrelevant. It has most likely moved over time/miles, and it's also likely that any PO's preferences aren't the same as the OP's.
New tires has nothing to do with it either.

UK alignment is ok with the exception of rear toe-in. It specifies way way way way WAY too much, 2x the US spec. Guaranteed to cut rear tire life in half or worse AND give shite handling characteristics. Back end moves around over bumps and in traction-challenged conditions, but at the same time turn-in responsiveness is muted.

Stock suspension? If so I'd just have them maximize camber all around, which should put you in the neighborhood of -1.25 front and -2.25 rear, which is fine.
Zero front toe, ~0.2 to 0.3 degrees total rear toe-in. That's less than half of the absurd UK spec rear toe. MUCH longer tire life, better, more linear handling characteristics.

Whatever you do, don't just drop the car off for "an alignment". The factory spec range is very broad and biased towards low camber, and in the case of the AP1 rear toe-in spec ranges from a bit high to absurdly/disastrously high.
Know what specs you want when you go in. A generic alignment usually means they only adjust front toe-in if that.

vtec9

too much toe kills tires. kills them with a vengeance.

gptoyz

Zdan umm the uk spec rear toe in is significantly less toe in than what you run.

The uk alignment specifies 20 seconds of toe in per side for a total of 40 seconds toe in. Forgive me if I'm doing my math wrong but 40 seconds is 1/9 of a degree (40/360). What you have specified is 2x or 3x the total of what I suggested.

I agree rear too much toe in kills tires and makes the car understeer too much.

Actually on my car, I currently have (08 cr) I run 1/32 on each side (1/16 total toe in) and I was considering 0 toe since I felt the car was still under steering too much but my lol friend said that wee bit of toe in will give that cushion of confidence.


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gptoyz

Is this what you guys know as the uk alignment

[attachment=60184:ImageUploadedByTapatalk1401980734 .685732.jpg]


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ZDan

Most everyone assumes that's a typo and that they mean minutes.
If you were going to specify 40 seconds of rear toe, you wouldn't specify it as: 0[sup]o[/sup] 40", you would either say 0[sup]o[/sup] 0' 40", or just say 40".

Also, that's an absurdly small amount to specify, 0.0055 degrees per side. Jounce the car and toe will change by more than that. 0.011 degrees total is pretty much zero toe.

1/16 total is about .15 degrees. That's a good place to be. Zero toe (or 40", or .01 degrees) might work fine, too. I'm sure it's better than 40' (0.67 degrees)!

gptoyz

The way I have read it, I have always understood it to be seconds. That's a double quote not a single quote and if I don't know what someone likes, I have just given that value (1/9) total in as a starting point if other people are interpreting it to mean.

Btw I think you are off by a factor of 10.

The uk specs as I read are 20 seconds per side. 20 seconds is .05555 degrees not .005


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ZDan

20" divided by 60 arcseconds per arcminute divided by 60 arcminutes per degree is .0056 degrees.