[STratcastor]

Torque Steer = Alignment

My car was very darty when it was new on factory alignment. Typical sympoms.
Upon having the toe dialed to zero on four corners, the torque steer has basically become a 3-fingers operation, not a full on clamped grip. It also really helped with the wheel hop and crisp turn in. Factory alignment specs blows.

Also should point out that the poor behavior was on stock tune. With a Mountune lvl. 1 and the zero toe alignment, its way more docile than when it was new with stock tune.

Anyone else gone with non-spec wheel alignments?

 

[kshatt06]

My car had very poor behavior

Care to elaborate?

 

[STratcastor]

Care to elaborate?

Fat thumbs & ipad .. ^^

 

[kshatt06]

Fat thumbs & ipad .. ^^

Haha no worries I probably need to get an alignment done I bought my car used and found out the first time I had tires put on it that every single rim is bent... one day I will get new rims and get an alighnment and I am sure it will feel much better than now but until that day comes I'll put it to the floor and just go where the car wants to take me haha.

 

[STratcastor]

I had the same experience with my subaru and my volvo. The oem makes great cars and then puts alignments into them to make them understeer and scare the crap out of the driver, with the intention of slowing said driver down.
Also it shreads tires which is good for the people that make and sell tires.
If you think your car could handle better (yep it does) and you have not tried a zero toe all all around..
Try it before you plunk down on a new suspension using factory alignment specs.

 

[Baxter]

Noticed the other day that my Michelin PSS were shredded on the inner shoulder. Went to discount tire to ask about warranty (they come with a 30k one) and they denied me because of uneven wear. I explained to him that it was at stock alignment despite being lowered. He just kept going on about my suspension and "camber kit" which I told him several times I did not have. He said my camber needed to be zeroed out. I think it's the camber in addition to the toe. There's no way 1 degree of negative camber is ruining the inside one inch of my tires. It has to be toe too. So I'll have to try this

 

[STratcastor]

lowering will totally mess with the ackerman golden ratio ;-)

 

[STratcastor]

Noticed the other day that my Michelin PSS were shredded on the inner shoulder. Went to discount tire to ask about warranty (they come with a 30k one) and they denied me because of uneven wear. I explained to him that it was at stock alignment despite being lowered. He just kept going on about my suspension and "camber kit" which I told him several times I did not have. He said my camber needed to be zeroed out. I think it's the camber in addition to the toe. There's no way 1 degree of negative camber is ruining the inside one inch of my tires. It has to be toe too. So I'll have to try this

You are correct, its not your insignificant factory negative camber, it's def the toe. FWD cars are naturally inner tread shread but it doesn't have to be so pronounced. Lowering without an alignment- you are asking for tire wear imo

 

[Lou64]

Noticed the other day that my Michelin PSS were shredded on the inner shoulder. Went to discount tire to ask about warranty (they come with a 30k one) and they denied me because of uneven wear. I explained to him that it was at stock alignment despite being lowered. He just kept going on about my suspension and "camber kit" which I told him several times I did not have. He said my camber needed to be zeroed out. I think it's the camber in addition to the toe. There's no way 1 degree of negative camber is ruining the inside one inch of my tires. It has to be toe too. So I'll have to try this

Lowering springs with stock shocks could also be the issue. Your shocks are probably toast.

 

[Baxter]

Lowering springs with stock shocks could also be the issue. Your shocks are probably toast.

I'm on h&r rss club sport

 

[fabb600]

Lowering springs with stock shocks could also be the issue. Your shocks are probably toast.

I have the COBB lowered springs with (I believe) stick shocks - with 49k miles on it all now. Most likely need to replace the shocks already? Just curious..

 

[stylo]

My car was very darty when it was new on factory alignment. Typical sympoms.
Upon having the toe dialed to zero on four corners, the torque steer has basically become a 3-fingers operation, not a full on clamped grip. It also really helped with the wheel hop and crisp turn in. Factory alignment specs blows.

Also should point out that the poor behavior was on stock tune. With a Mountune lvl. 1 and the zero toe alignment, its way more docile than when it was new with stock tune.

Anyone else gone with non-spec wheel alignments?

Very interesting. I am surprised that it has made so much of a difference in your car. Was your car within factory specs or was it way off ? Your front toe must have been all over the place if it felt very darty. Also, I don't think TQ steer can be eliminated completely in our cars (when mostly stock).

I got new Michelin PS4 tyres all round and got the spec alignment done. No I did not ask for 0.0 toe on all corners ... I read that a fwd's pulling action of the front wheels causes the slight negative toe to compensate allowing it to straighten out when moving forward and also allows better turn in when entering corners. Do I actually feel much difference before and after ? Well, my before alignment felt pretty good to be honest so, I feel mostly unaffected, after the alignment, driving on the roads (not the track).

Have positive toe in the rear (within spec). Toe out in the rear not supposed to be ideal.

 

[Lou64]

I have the COBB lowered springs with (I believe) stick shocks - with 49k miles on it all now. Most likely need to replace the shocks already? Just curious..

Yes. I'd say they've been shot for a while now.

 

[fabb600]

Yes. I'd say they've been shot for a while now.

Lovely. Thanks for the info - didn't mean to thread jack!

 

[okaythen]

Hi guys need some tips, noticed car was pulling to the right a little bit on the highway, also front tires are wearing out much faster than rear and I just rotated them 2k ago. Does it sound like I need an new alignment? or ball joint going bad? car and tires got 18k miles, 4.5 years old and never did alignment or hit anything harsh on the road.

If I need new alignment do I find the alignment spec from someone here or just tell the shop that I mostly drive it on the street and some weekend canyon runs, and max tire life preferred. I do know a shop here that every FoST go to. Maybe just tell him what I do with the car and he will align it accordingly, or do I need to find alignment numbers myself and give it to the shop. (Man with the factory alignment it corners so well and smooth in canyon runs, I read that put zero toe all around and it will corner/handle even better?!?!?!? That will be amazing can't believe it will corner even better)

Went to dealer for a recall and oil change 3k miles ago, for tire tread they put down 7 for fronts and 8 for rears. tire wear pattern they put down 13. What does those numbers mean? the 7 does it mean 7/32 tread life?

Also tire treads still got tons left, I don't drive it much 18k miles in 4.5 years. I read that tires you should change out after 6 years, but if there are still a lot of tread left can I just check the tires more often and change them out if they get bad? I think you can still use them after 6 years right? thanks for the help!

 

[MattB16teg]

How/where are they wearing?

Is the car lowered?

Likely it will be a Toe issue and any shop with an alignment rack will have the "Factory" specs in that software to dial it in, they are very broad but getting it within spec will likely cure your issue.

 

[okaythen]

How/where are they wearing?

Is the car lowered?

Likely it will be a Toe issue and any shop with an alignment rack will have the "Factory" specs in that software to dial it in, they are very broad but getting it within spec will likely cure your issue.

So any shop will have the "Factory" specs, and it will work I see. Are the toes all zero?

So the factory specs is it just for street use right? What do you recommend for street and weekend canyon runs. Maybe experienced shop will adjust within the factory spec to fit my needs or ?

Nope car ain't lowered. The fronts seem to wear much more than before, I think it's pretty even wear, will take a closer look when I get back to the state.

 

[mitch808]

So any shop will have the "Factory" specs, and it will work I see. Are the toes all zero?

So the factory specs is it just for street use right? What do you recommend for street and weekend canyon runs. Maybe experienced shop will adjust within the factory spec to fit my needs or ?

Nope car ain't lowered. The fronts seem to wear much more than before, I think it's pretty even wear, will take a closer look when I get back to the state.

You can go as close to 0.01 in terms of toe. Which will give you the longest tire life. Of course you should also rotate your tires with each oil change too.
The car can be a bit darty in this config, but track straight.

Do a bit more toe out, and turn-in will be better. e.g. 1/8" or around 0.3 deg If you like to do some track time. But a small increase in tire wear. Anything over 0.5 is not a good idea. Either way, you should also rotate your tires every 5k or so, or at least during the oil change.

 

[okaythen]

You can go as close to 0.01 in terms of toe. Which will give you the longest tire life. Of course you should also rotate your tires with each oil change too.
The car can be a bit darty in this config, but track straight.

Do a bit more toe out, and turn-in will be better. e.g. 1/8" or around 0.3 deg If you like to do some track time. But a small increase in tire wear. Anything over 0.5 is not a good idea. Either way, you should also rotate your tires every 5k or so, or at least during the oil change.

Any idea what's the spec from factory? I never did an alignment since I got the car, just wondering.

I think I will just go for the longest tire life specs, only once awhile I do canyon runs and the factory spec it seemed to handle really good. So just tell the shop guy I want the longest tire life and toes all .01?

 

[maleigh78]

I had both the 14 and 16 I rebuilt aligned and both are much better behaved than before the alignment. No real wheel hop anymore and not herky jerkey. I do not know what the shop used for specs but I did use the same shop for both and they are much better now than stock. Factory rear motor mount on both still also.