Suspension Alignment Problems

[Wisconsin]

Greetings,

We were doing alignment in my S4 and noticed this. The front left/right is barely able to adjust back to normal and/or be fixed.

It’s on Springs, so we think that may be an issue.

Please post your thoughts below.

217637


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[fastboatster]

I might ask a stupid question but how are they trying to do the alignment? How are they trying to adjust the front camber - service manual states it can't be adjusted but can be centered evenly by shifting the subframe. This is a first step in the alignment procedure if camber is not correct, perhaps they should try to do this. Another question is if the subframe has been off recently or did you have any accident damage or any other kind of damage to suspension and chassis.
P.S. you said you are on new springs, so perhaps stock height alignment specs might not apply, but still probably want similar camber specs on both sides. somebody else might chime in

[Ashtonts]

Camber is not adjustable on the stock control arms. When you lower the car, you’ve introduced additional camber that can not be corrected without aftermarket adjustable upper control arms.

[Smac770]

"on springs"? They're all on springs. Are you on aftermarket lowering springs? Is that why they are trying 1BV specs instead of 1BD (S4) or 1BL (adaptive) specs?
As mentioned, the B8 doesn't allow camber adjustment stock. You'd need aftermarket adjustable control arms for that (which exist because people put on lowering springs). But the subframe can be shifted to rebalance the camber offset left/right. A dealership would know this; I've never had a tire shop willing to do this. Even if they did the shift to create around -2.15° both sides, that's still way more than the front camber spec limit for 1BD (-1.46°) or 1BV (-1.60°).

[fastboatster]

"on springs"? They're all on springs. Are you on aftermarket lowering springs? Is that why they are trying 1BV specs instead of 1BD (S4) or 1BL (adaptive) specs?
As mentioned, the B8 doesn't allow camber adjustment stock. You'd need aftermarket adjustable control arms for that (which exist because people put on lowering springs). But the subframe can be shifted to rebalance the camber offset left/right. A dealership would know this; I've never had a tire shop willing to do this. Even if they did the shift to create around -2.15° both sides, that's still way more than the front camber spec limit for 1BD (-1.46°) or 1BV (-1.60°).
lol, NEW springs and implicitly, lowering springs which would most people would mean when talking about putting the new springs (not too many people are trying to jack their s4s up)

[Wisconsin]

It’s lowered on Springs yes. I’m not sure if we touched the subframe. I will be bringing it back to the shop over the weekend and going through that. Even if I can get it narrowed or dialed in to a favorable ratio where it’s more “even” on left and right, I’ll go with that.

The consensus is that unless it’s adjustable control arms (which it’s not) the camber will be in a more aggressive or unfavorable range for just daily street driving.

The adjustment today does make the car much touchier and easier to drive. Check out my tire wear from before [emoji28] 217693


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[Silver Streakin]

You need to get things evened up side to side.

Take it to another shop. They don't know what they're doing.

[djn876]

Once you find a place that will actually even out your camber, which was probably not even before either, lowering the car isn't going to change the position of the subframe and that right-left balance, you will be around -2.1 deg in the front on both, which is fine for street driving and I don't think you will substantial uneven wear on the tires.

[sepheroth86]

My track car has -3 degrees in the front. I have the toe set to zero and can easily get 30k out of a set of tires.

[Boost112]

My track car has -3 degrees in the front. I have the toe set to zero and can easily get 30k out of a set of tires.

...ditto...my track car has over -3 degrees of camber...and almost zero toe...even tire wear and i can get over 20k miles out of them...camber doesn't kill tires...toe does.

[Wisconsin]

Thanks for all the feedback and replies. It’s been helpful. The system they use is an older gen Hawkeye so the system is quite laggy.

They do great work, but The system was lagging a bit when we were doing it.

I’ll keep you all posted. I may opt for adjustable control arms, but the prices may outweigh the benefits.



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[Rodizzle]

Thanks for all the feedback and replies. It’s been helpful. The system they use is an older gen Hawkeye so the system is quite laggy.

They do great work, but The system was lagging a bit when we were doing it.

I’ll keep you all posted. I may opt for adjustable control arms, but the prices may outweigh the benefits.



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Got some for sale in classified if you go that route [emoji1417]


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[Wisconsin]

Got some for sale in classified if you go that route [emoji1417]


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Thanks, I’ll check it out.

Nice numbers by the way. Your S4 makes hella power.


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