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When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:00 am
by Nicolas
Hi Bian and knowledgable folks.
The shop who is swapping my suspension this morning tells me that the suspension will not move after they are done and I should align right away (they will drive the car 25 miles to settle the suspension, and they have an alignment bay). I had the impression that it was better to drive for about a week before final alignment.

Which is it ? should I align right away ? or wait ?
thank you for a quick answer!

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Mon Apr 21, 2014 8:13 pm
by Brian
It will settle....so we wait a few hundred miles.

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 9:06 am
by Nicolas
Thank you! That is what I thought. I guess this shop really wanted to sell an alignment right away.
I did notice the car stood a little higher than expected after they installed the shocks. Hoping that goes down a notch! The mechanic told me he did not tighten the shocks before the car was on the ground... I hope he is truthful!

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 4:56 pm
by Brian
You may still need to untorque those bolts after 200 miles and bounce it good and then torque them again to reach final height. We take a drive around the lot here with them loose and then torque them.

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:39 pm
by StephenW571
I followed Brian's advice and did the same thing after my suspension upgrade.
My final heights were 13.5 front and 13.8 rear a further drop of .25 inches or a little more after settling.
All this on progress springs with stock Bilsteins.

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2014 8:15 pm
by Nicolas
thank you for the tip! I will do! Car now stands about half inch tall all around or more (looks like stock! hah! I dont mind looks as long as suspension works well.), something like 14.5 rears, front is a little higher (this is the billstein HD sport shocks, progress springs, fatcat comfort bump stops). have not had the time to take it for a workout in the canyons which maybe will help settle as well.

I only had time for a couple of commutes so far, I have to say the feel is solving my gripes with previous setup (tired oem base shocks with rb springs). Feels very controlled, better turn in feel somehow, no more shudders on potholes, eats the rippled concrete of the 10 highway without any fuss. Looks comfy and inspires confidence even with whack alignment but I'll have to take it for a long fast run before I can understand it a little better.

Stephen how high was your car when it was straight out of the spring swap ?

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 10:44 am
by Nicolas
Finally got to take the car out for a long canyon run yesterday. I was wowed by the confidence. Level of grip seems to be way up. No upsets on the rough bits. Amazed by the transformation after the shocks (assuming the springs are close to a wash from RB to PT). The car is stiffer and flatter but the bounces are much better controlled so I would call that a win in terms of comfort - no more car shudders on potholes. Better in turn in, transitions, exits... Also does not feel like I have too much sway anymore. Kept taking the corners faster and faster till I got the tires singing (don't do this at home!). Still got inconsistent heights thorough (looks like driver side went down a bit, but passenger sides are higher). Going to take the wife watch some flowers in the mojave tomorrow then will do the untorque/bounce thing. Very happy!!

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 11:03 am
by Brian
Sounds good, thanks for the report.

Indeed driver's side typically settles first, since that is where you are sitting your weight all the time. Just hand the wife a bag of rocks to hold over there in the passenger seat for a week and that will help that side settle. :wink:

Re: When to align after shock/spring swap ?

Posted: Sat Apr 26, 2014 3:32 pm
by StephenW571
Hi Nicolas
My original heights were +- 14.25 front and a little less than 14.5 rear.
After first fitting new springs/sways and bouncing it a few times / driving it around the block a few times with the required bolts just snugged it measured at +- 13.8ish front and 14.2ish rear. I didn't measure really really accurately at that time as I knew I would mess with it again.
After about 250 miles I re- did the process again and got an alignment done and final figures as previously quoted.
My alignment specs are already posted and I'm happy with them and I think this may have influenced the figures too.