Lost 3mm front and 6mm rear of drop after bush timing/alignment - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

ssmike · 04-04-2012, 07:15 PM

I installed Pedders xa's over the winter and set the drop at 1 1/4" (32mm). The starting (OE) ride height was 686mm front and 698mm rear. The new ride height after installing the xa's was 654 front and 667 rear. I then drove the car to the alignment shop and they performed the Pedders recommended bush timing procedure and the aligned the car. When I got home it looked like the ride height was a little higher than before. I measured and sure enough the ride height came up by 3 mm front and 6mm rear. It now measures 657mm front and 673mm rear. Is this normal? If so, will it affect the alignment if I drop it the 3 and 6 to get it back to where the initial ride height was?

stso634 · 04-04-2012, 07:53 PM

I don't know if this is normal, since I didn't measure my final ride height until after the alignment, but if you change the ride height, it will affect the alignment. Now, is 3mm and 6mm enough to make a noticable difference, I don't know. I suggest you call or PM JusticePete at Pedders. He will know for sure.

ssmike · 04-04-2012, 07:55 PM

Just sent him a pm

ssmike · 04-06-2012, 07:58 AM

Anyone else have an opinion here? Pete? Rob? Where are you guys?

I'd like to make the adjustment today if it isn't going to affect my alignment. Thanks!

garcmol · 04-06-2012, 08:24 AM

Think of it like a lever. When you lower the car, the lower control arm in the rear moves up. The top of the tire moves inward of the fender. Now, you have the car aligned/timed. When they bring the camber back to account for the angle change, the top of the tire moves outward of the fender. Those little changes will affect the ride height.

If you now adjust the coilovers to get the measurements you had, you're moving the top of the tire inward again and changing the camber.

Same in the front. When the adjust your camber, they bring the top of the tire outward which does the same thing.

Hope that helps some and it happened to me as well.

ssmike · 04-06-2012, 08:37 AM

I kinda thought that was the case. I heard of others who had theirs timed and aligned and ended up lower. I guess it depends on where the camber ends up. I think another clue may be that I installed Coilovers and set the front clevis bolts all the way in , full negative camber. I also replaced the rear camber eccentrics and roughly set the camber.

The front cambers were -2.3L/-1.7R and the rears were -1.3L/-1.2R. So adjusting to near 0 rear and -.8 front would account for the change in ride height I guess. It's starting to make sense now!

Problem is, I would like the ride height lower. I wish I would have known this would happen so I would have set the initial ride height lower to compensate! I couldn't be there at the alignment shop to recheck the ride height so it is what it is I guess!

Thanks for your help. I'd still like to here from Pedders so I'll patiently await their reply!

garcmol · 04-06-2012, 08:49 AM

I hear you. Now, if you have the Pedders eccentric bolts in the rear you should be able to come down some more. But again, that'll affect your camber/toe.

ssmike · 04-06-2012, 08:56 AM

Right! That's my question, will I need to re-align if I come down another 6mm? My guess is yes but I don't know just how much 6mm will affect camber!

garcmol · 04-06-2012, 09:10 AM

Book answer will be get another alignment and time the bushings again.

I can tell you that I didn't get mine realigned after some changes I made and I smoked a pair of P Zeros on a trip to Florida.

Alignments are cheaper than P Zeros

ssmike · 04-06-2012, 09:15 AM

Yea, you're right! I'll probably leave it the way it is for now. I may end up getting a set of caster eccentrics for the front to get the 8.0 setting up front, then I'll re-do!

Xedes · 04-06-2012, 09:20 AM

I lowered my previous car 1/2 inch without needing an alignment. I can't see 6mm throwing anything off enough to justify a new alignment.

sting808 · 04-06-2012, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssmike

Yea, you're right! I'll probably leave it the way it is for now. I may end up getting a set of caster eccentrics for the front to get the 8.0 setting up front, then I'll re-do!

Caster will improve, but dont expect 8*. I got between 6-7*. Probably 1-2* improvement over what you have now. You may get lucky and reach 8.

JusticePete · 04-17-2012, 01:23 PM

Can you post your before and after alignment specs?

ssmike · 04-17-2012, 08:00 PM

I'll post them up tomorrow night! Thanks!

04-04-2012, 07:15 PM	#1
ssmike BL1ZZRD Drives: '16 Camaro 2SS, '20 Equinox Redline Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 7,840	Lost 3mm front and 6mm rear of drop after bush timing/alignment I installed Pedders xa's over the winter and set the drop at 1 1/4" (32mm). The starting (OE) ride height was 686mm front and 698mm rear. The new ride height after installing the xa's was 654 front and 667 rear. I then drove the car to the alignment shop and they performed the Pedders recommended bush timing procedure and the aligned the car. When I got home it looked like the ride height was a little higher than before. I measured and sure enough the ride height came up by 3 mm front and 6mm rear. It now measures 657mm front and 673mm rear. Is this normal? If so, will it affect the alignment if I drop it the 3 and 6 to get it back to where the initial ride height was?

04-06-2012, 08:24 AM	#5
garcmol Drives: 10 1LT SIM; 91 B4C sleeper Z Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ft. Mitchell, Alabama Posts: 7,199	Think of it like a lever. When you lower the car, the lower control arm in the rear moves up. The top of the tire moves inward of the fender. Now, you have the car aligned/timed. When they bring the camber back to account for the angle change, the top of the tire moves outward of the fender. Those little changes will affect the ride height. If you now adjust the coilovers to get the measurements you had, you're moving the top of the tire inward again and changing the camber. Same in the front. When the adjust your camber, they bring the top of the tire outward which does the same thing. Hope that helps some and it happened to me as well. __________________ Pedders Pace Car Package, Injen CAI, Flowmaster AT, AAC Lighting, ZL1 fascia/skirts, RKSport Ram Air hood, vented fenders, painted stripes (Gary's Customz), Honor and Valor badged (Thank you, John)

04-06-2012, 08:49 AM	#7
garcmol Drives: 10 1LT SIM; 91 B4C sleeper Z Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ft. Mitchell, Alabama Posts: 7,199	I hear you. Now, if you have the Pedders eccentric bolts in the rear you should be able to come down some more. But again, that'll affect your camber/toe. __________________ Pedders Pace Car Package, Injen CAI, Flowmaster AT, AAC Lighting, ZL1 fascia/skirts, RKSport Ram Air hood, vented fenders, painted stripes (Gary's Customz), Honor and Valor badged (Thank you, John)

04-06-2012, 09:10 AM	#9
garcmol Drives: 10 1LT SIM; 91 B4C sleeper Z Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Ft. Mitchell, Alabama Posts: 7,199	Book answer will be get another alignment and time the bushings again. I can tell you that I didn't get mine realigned after some changes I made and I smoked a pair of P Zeros on a trip to Florida. Alignments are cheaper than P Zeros __________________ Pedders Pace Car Package, Injen CAI, Flowmaster AT, AAC Lighting, ZL1 fascia/skirts, RKSport Ram Air hood, vented fenders, painted stripes (Gary's Customz), Honor and Valor badged (Thank you, John)

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04-04-2012, 07:53 PM	#2
stso634 Drives: 2010 Camaro 2SS/RS Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 379 View My Garage	I don't know if this is normal, since I didn't measure my final ride height until after the alignment, but if you change the ride height, it will affect the alignment. Now, is 3mm and 6mm enough to make a noticable difference, I don't know. I suggest you call or PM JusticePete at Pedders. He will know for sure.

04-04-2012, 07:55 PM	#3
ssmike BL1ZZRD Drives: '16 Camaro 2SS, '20 Equinox Redline Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 7,840	Just sent him a pm

04-06-2012, 07:58 AM	#4
ssmike BL1ZZRD Drives: '16 Camaro 2SS, '20 Equinox Redline Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 7,840	Anyone else have an opinion here? Pete? Rob? Where are you guys? I'd like to make the adjustment today if it isn't going to affect my alignment. Thanks!

04-06-2012, 08:37 AM	#6
ssmike BL1ZZRD Drives: '16 Camaro 2SS, '20 Equinox Redline Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 7,840	I kinda thought that was the case. I heard of others who had theirs timed and aligned and ended up lower. I guess it depends on where the camber ends up. I think another clue may be that I installed Coilovers and set the front clevis bolts all the way in , full negative camber. I also replaced the rear camber eccentrics and roughly set the camber. The front cambers were -2.3L/-1.7R and the rears were -1.3L/-1.2R. So adjusting to near 0 rear and -.8 front would account for the change in ride height I guess. It's starting to make sense now! Problem is, I would like the ride height lower. I wish I would have known this would happen so I would have set the initial ride height lower to compensate! I couldn't be there at the alignment shop to recheck the ride height so it is what it is I guess! Thanks for your help. I'd still like to here from Pedders so I'll patiently await their reply!

04-06-2012, 08:56 AM	#8
ssmike BL1ZZRD Drives: '16 Camaro 2SS, '20 Equinox Redline Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 7,840	Right! That's my question, will I need to re-align if I come down another 6mm? My guess is yes but I don't know just how much 6mm will affect camber!

04-06-2012, 09:15 AM	#10
ssmike BL1ZZRD Drives: '16 Camaro 2SS, '20 Equinox Redline Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 7,840	Yea, you're right! I'll probably leave it the way it is for now. I may end up getting a set of caster eccentrics for the front to get the 8.0 setting up front, then I'll re-do!

04-06-2012, 09:20 AM	#11
Xedes Drives: 2011 Black RS/SS Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Indiana Posts: 1,030	I lowered my previous car 1/2 inch without needing an alignment. I can't see 6mm throwing anything off enough to justify a new alignment.

04-17-2012, 01:23 PM	#13
JusticePete Drives: Camaro Justice Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Virginia Posts: 20,174	Can you post your before and after alignment specs?

04-17-2012, 08:00 PM	#14
ssmike BL1ZZRD Drives: '16 Camaro 2SS, '20 Equinox Redline Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 7,840	I'll post them up tomorrow night! Thanks!