WRX alignment specs
12-27-2002, 10:55 AM
#1
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: OC, CA
Posts: 181
Car Info: 02 WRX
WRX alignment specs
I just got the alignment done, but the specs the shop used ranged more than i expected. Could someone list the factory min & max specs for 02 WRX?
This is the specs used:
Front
camber: -0.9 ~ 0.1 -- now at -0.8 (L) and 0.0 (R)
toe: -0.15 ~ 0.15 -- now 0 & 0
Rear
camber: -1.9 ~ -0.4 -- now -1.1 (L) and -4.7 (R) (WTH?)
toe: -0.15 ~ 0.15 -- now -0.05 (L) and -0.15 (R)
the shop insisted that I need a camber kit in the rear right to correct the camber. does this sound right?
This is the specs used:
Front
camber: -0.9 ~ 0.1 -- now at -0.8 (L) and 0.0 (R)
toe: -0.15 ~ 0.15 -- now 0 & 0
Rear
camber: -1.9 ~ -0.4 -- now -1.1 (L) and -4.7 (R) (WTH?)
toe: -0.15 ~ 0.15 -- now -0.05 (L) and -0.15 (R)
the shop insisted that I need a camber kit in the rear right to correct the camber. does this sound right?
12-27-2002, 09:58 PM
#2
The camber on your car is really off. I know that you do not need a camber kit to adjust the front camber. My alignment shop is able to adjust the front camber to the setting that I like.
For the rear, I doubt that if had the stock mounts, that you could have that much negative camber.
Here is the settings that I have on my car:
Front:
Camber: -0.8 Left and Right (stock is something like -0.3)
Toe: 0.0
Rear:
Camber: -1.3 Left and Right (stock)
Toe: 0.0
I would have to say that you definitely need to find a better alignment shop.
For the rear, I doubt that if had the stock mounts, that you could have that much negative camber.
Here is the settings that I have on my car:
Front:
Camber: -0.8 Left and Right (stock is something like -0.3)
Toe: 0.0
Rear:
Camber: -1.3 Left and Right (stock)
Toe: 0.0
I would have to say that you definitely need to find a better alignment shop.
12-27-2002, 11:17 PM
#3
@Stoptech
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,416
Car Info: 2002 WRX Wagon
Okay, my first guess would be that you have a bent right rear shock. Rear camber is not adjustable with the stock strut tops without camber bolts. Camber bolts will give you no more than 1 degree of adjustability.
It has been my experience that the first thing to bend in the rear suspension is the lower strut body mount. It takes a pretty good size hit to bend them but it's definitely possible. The one thing that is odd about your setup is that only 1 wheel sustained damage. Can you remember any reason why just THAT wheel would be out of spec?
Here are the factory specs (where 1 degree = 1*):
Front Toe: -0.13* to 0.13*
Front Camber: -1.1* to 0.4*
Rear Toe: -0.13* to 0.13*
Rear Camber: -2.1* to -0.6*
It has been my experience that the first thing to bend in the rear suspension is the lower strut body mount. It takes a pretty good size hit to bend them but it's definitely possible. The one thing that is odd about your setup is that only 1 wheel sustained damage. Can you remember any reason why just THAT wheel would be out of spec?
Here are the factory specs (where 1 degree = 1*):
Front Toe: -0.13* to 0.13*
Front Camber: -1.1* to 0.4*
Rear Toe: -0.13* to 0.13*
Rear Camber: -2.1* to -0.6*
12-28-2002, 09:48 AM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Alignment Set-up
John #555
Get thee to Johnson's Alignment in Torrance (Carson?). It's right off the 405 about 30 minutes north of you. Well worth the drive.
Steve Alarcon is the guy to speak to there. He sets up ONLY race cars -- Porsche, Ferarri, WRXs, whatever -- and he does so with the driver (that'd be you) in the car. He'll tailor your alignment to suit as well (spirited street driving? Track? Auto-X?)
They're incredibly precise and really know what they're doing. It'd be worth it to drive on up so that you can begin driving a "properly" set-up vehicle.
Good luck!
--BA
Get thee to Johnson's Alignment in Torrance (Carson?). It's right off the 405 about 30 minutes north of you. Well worth the drive.
Steve Alarcon is the guy to speak to there. He sets up ONLY race cars -- Porsche, Ferarri, WRXs, whatever -- and he does so with the driver (that'd be you) in the car. He'll tailor your alignment to suit as well (spirited street driving? Track? Auto-X?)
They're incredibly precise and really know what they're doing. It'd be worth it to drive on up so that you can begin driving a "properly" set-up vehicle.
Good luck!
--BA
12-28-2002, 05:26 PM
#5
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Car Info: '97 Legacy 2.5GT sedan
John,
You might recall this topic was discussed in this thread https://www.i-club.com/forums/showth...&threadid=3489 recently, and I said
If you paid for that alignment, you just got added to the list of people who got hosed on their alignment. They didn't match the camber up front, which makes me wonder if they knew how to properly adjust. There is no way I would ever pay for an alignment if they tried to send me on my way with 0* camber up front - that is unsat on a McPherson strut car.
And the rear... Holy cow, I don't even know what to say!
Do you have camber bolts in the rear? If not, then how in the world did they adjust camber? You might be able to change it a tenth or two by pulling and pushing on the knuckle as you tighten things down, but there is no f--king way they went from -0.4* to -4.7* camber in the rear unless they broke something. End of story.
More likely I would say their equipment was spitting out crappy numbers. What does your right rear tire look like? -4.7* of camber is HUGE, and would be very, very visible to the naked eye. Working a little math, with -4.7deg camber the top of the tire would be 2" farther in than the bottom of the tire - is that how your car looks?
If that's not how your car looks, then I suggest going back to the original shop and asking them to try again (for free, of course, since they hosed up the first time), that the numbers they gave you are impossible. If that is how your car looks, and it didn't look like that before you took it to them, then you need to figure out what they broke and then bring them the bill to fix it.
Pat Olsen
'97 Legacy 2.5GT sedan
You might recall this topic was discussed in this thread https://www.i-club.com/forums/showth...&threadid=3489 recently, and I said
PS - Don't pay for the alignment if the numbers are garbage. That's why the print-out is important. I've seen a number of threads on this board (well, on the original board 
) where guys got hosed on their alignments.
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/sho...light=alignment and
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/sho...light=alignment are a couple good examples.
) where guys got hosed on their alignments.http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/sho...light=alignment and
http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/sho...light=alignment are a couple good examples.
And the rear... Holy cow, I don't even know what to say!
Do you have camber bolts in the rear? If not, then how in the world did they adjust camber? You might be able to change it a tenth or two by pulling and pushing on the knuckle as you tighten things down, but there is no f--king way they went from -0.4* to -4.7* camber in the rear unless they broke something. End of story.More likely I would say their equipment was spitting out crappy numbers. What does your right rear tire look like? -4.7* of camber is HUGE, and would be very, very visible to the naked eye. Working a little math, with -4.7deg camber the top of the tire would be 2" farther in than the bottom of the tire - is that how your car looks?
If that's not how your car looks, then I suggest going back to the original shop and asking them to try again (for free, of course, since they hosed up the first time), that the numbers they gave you are impossible. If that is how your car looks, and it didn't look like that before you took it to them, then you need to figure out what they broke and then bring them the bill to fix it.
Pat Olsen
'97 Legacy 2.5GT sedan
12-28-2002, 11:33 PM
#6
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: OC, CA
Posts: 181
Car Info: 02 WRX
Thanks for all your input!
I'm going back to the shop on monday to figure out what exactly they did. My car was the last one they worked on by the last guy working in the shop... I didnt bother going over the printout as they were busy closing for the day - what a mistake!
I have driven on gravel few times but dont remember hitting anyting hard. Despite what the printout says, right rear camber look pretty much the same as the left to me. that -4.7 probly is an error. To make things worse I've noticed it's pulling slightly to the right at speed
I will give them another chance. If they give me another set of wacky #'s i'll be asking for a refund.
BA,
Thanks for the shop info. I will definitely check it out! (soon if these morons cant help me...)
I'm going back to the shop on monday to figure out what exactly they did. My car was the last one they worked on by the last guy working in the shop... I didnt bother going over the printout as they were busy closing for the day - what a mistake!
I have driven on gravel few times but dont remember hitting anyting hard. Despite what the printout says, right rear camber look pretty much the same as the left to me. that -4.7 probly is an error. To make things worse I've noticed it's pulling slightly to the right at speed
I will give them another chance. If they give me another set of wacky #'s i'll be asking for a refund.
BA,
Thanks for the shop info. I will definitely check it out! (soon if these morons cant help me...)
12-30-2002, 12:25 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: OC, CA
Posts: 181
Car Info: 02 WRX
here's what i got after 2nd try...
front
camber: -0.7 (L), -0.7 (R)
toe: 0, 0
rear
camber: -1.3 (L), -1.0(R)
toe: 0, 0
It now tracks straight, but that right rear still bothers me. the shop says that's best they can do
front
camber: -0.7 (L), -0.7 (R)
toe: 0, 0
rear
camber: -1.3 (L), -1.0(R)
toe: 0, 0
It now tracks straight, but that right rear still bothers me. the shop says that's best they can do
12-30-2002, 03:08 PM
#9
Guest
Posts: n/a
The Answer
#555,
Just got my WRX back and, aside from stating the obvious (my elation, for starters -- the thing _steers_ now) here is where I started and where we ended up.
Note: I recently installed Cusco camber plates and a Perrin rear sway bar. I commute 37 miles each way to and from work each day, and I do a track day on average seven times a year.
When I brought the car in to Alarcon's place this AM, it had:
-1 degree camber left front
-1.3 degree camber right front
-1 degree camber both rears
Zero toe in or out, front or rear
3.5 caster (which is not adjustable)
After picking it up, she sits thusly (measured with my 205 pound body in the driver's seat):
-1.5 degrees of camber in both rears
-2.0 degrees negative camber in both fronts
1/16 toe-in at the rear
1/16 toe-out at the front
The difference? Lighter steering, sharper, more rsponsive turn-in so far. This will hopefully get the car where I need it on the track this weekend.
Hope this helps.
--BA
P.S. Important note: The allen bolts (4 per side) that allow you to adjust the camber on these Cusco plates: The inboard (closest to the motor) bolts are far too long. When camber is set to more than 1.5 degrees they will contact the top of the (stock) strut. Replace them with shorter bolts or shorten the supplied bolts.
Just got my WRX back and, aside from stating the obvious (my elation, for starters -- the thing _steers_ now) here is where I started and where we ended up.
Note: I recently installed Cusco camber plates and a Perrin rear sway bar. I commute 37 miles each way to and from work each day, and I do a track day on average seven times a year.
When I brought the car in to Alarcon's place this AM, it had:
-1 degree camber left front
-1.3 degree camber right front
-1 degree camber both rears
Zero toe in or out, front or rear
3.5 caster (which is not adjustable)
After picking it up, she sits thusly (measured with my 205 pound body in the driver's seat):
-1.5 degrees of camber in both rears
-2.0 degrees negative camber in both fronts
1/16 toe-in at the rear
1/16 toe-out at the front
The difference? Lighter steering, sharper, more rsponsive turn-in so far. This will hopefully get the car where I need it on the track this weekend.
Hope this helps.
--BA
P.S. Important note: The allen bolts (4 per side) that allow you to adjust the camber on these Cusco plates: The inboard (closest to the motor) bolts are far too long. When camber is set to more than 1.5 degrees they will contact the top of the (stock) strut. Replace them with shorter bolts or shorten the supplied bolts.
12-30-2002, 08:50 PM
#11
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Car Info: '97 Legacy 2.5GT sedan
Originally posted by John #555
It now tracks straight, but that right rear still bothers me. the shop says that's best they can do
It now tracks straight, but that right rear still bothers me. the shop says that's best they can do
Pat
12-30-2002, 11:29 PM
#12
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: OC, CA
Posts: 181
Car Info: 02 WRX
I'm just hoping the printout I got is showing the correct measures this time.
Well, it passed my visual inspection and it drives straight.
According to the shop, their machine was off before, hence the -4.7 camber. I just dont think the shop is capable of fine tuning.
Well, it passed my visual inspection and it drives straight.According to the shop, their machine was off before, hence the -4.7 camber. I just dont think the shop is capable of fine tuning.
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