question regarding lowering springs and alignment.

[Myco]

My shop says they want to drill the bolt holes. Where the struts attatch to the lower control arm to align it properly.

Also I was wondering for the guys. Out there with blue struts ( forgot the name) and have lowered springs how far the strut is screwed down on the spring. How far is the bolt down? : mines about. 2.1/2. Inches and always suspected that was too much.

 

[Lownslowlsc]

Theres no need for them to drill the bolt holes unless theres a manf defect imho. And the blue ones are strutmasters.

 

[Raped Ape]

The top nut on the strut is supposed to be tight. If the nut is not tightened, then every-time the strut flexes from a bump or the like, it causes the strut itself to move up and down and you will here it to. The noise you will hear is the strut hitting the top of the spring plate because the nut is not tight. And the bolt should not have to be driled ut unless the nut has been striped or it is frozen in place from possible corrosion from northern weather. That is the only reason I could see it having the head or nut cut off the banged out.

 

[Myco]

Sorry I wrote this previous post on tablet. Let me explain.

To align the car they are saying they will drill out the bottom of the strut where the bolt goes through the strut mounting it to the lower control arm. I was wondering if the car won't allign because the nuts on the top of the strut were screwed down too far by the shop. ( the nut is about 21/2 inches down from the top of the strut. )

Only other reasons the car won't align that I can think of are 1. tires are wider than stock (widest that will fit on stock rims ) or the car is not straight.

The suspension is all 1 to 1 1/2 yrs old with less than 20k on them.

 

[Raped Ape]

Your car is aligned off of the rims, not the tire. The one tire being a different size should have no reason to not be able to align. I have no idea WTF the shop you took this to is talking about drilling out the bolt for the strut mount to the LCA. The lower bolt on the strut is nothing more than a mounting bolt to the LCA. That bolt has nothing to do with alignment, only to take off strut and secure strut to LCA.

Once again the top nut is supposed to be tight or you will have strut slapping the top mount plate every-time you hit a bump or the strut compresses and then rebounds. You will have about that amount of stud hanging out above the nut. The stud is only so long and you have to tightened down on it.

My best answer for you is to take this to a reputable shop to have them align it and do not go back to that shop you went to.

Sounds to me someone is hoping you are gullible.

 

[Icarus]

Your car is aligned off of the rims, not the tire. The one tire being a different size should have no reason to not be able to align. I have no idea WTF the shop you took this to is talking about drilling out the bolt for the strut mount to the LCA. The lower bolt on the strut is nothing more than a mounting bolt to the LCA. That bolt has nothing to do with alignment, only to take off strut and secure strut to LCA.

Once again the top nut is supposed to be tight or you will have strut slapping the top mount plate every-time you hit a bump or the strut compresses and then rebounds. You will have about that amount of stud hanging out above the nut. The stud is only so long and you have to tightened down on it.

My best answer for you is to take this to a reputable shop to have them align it and do not go back to that shop you went to.

Sounds to me someone is hoping you are gullible.

+1 take it to a different shop, FAST!

 

[American Air-1]

With the lowered kit installed, the best you could ever get the camber is around -1.1 negative.......while nominal(perfect) is -.5 negative camber.
"A$$-u-ming" they know theres a camber adjustment eccentric on the front & rear, I think they might be just trying to get the camber a little better. In my opinion, I wouldn't let ANYBODY cut on my car. If my theory is correct, they would actually make it worse.

If it winds up the camber adjustment is maxed out and its still not in specs, I would look for lowered spindles frt. & rear. Thats the only way I can think of to easily get back some camber.

BTW, Did they give you a printout of the alignment?

 

[American Air-1]

Sorry for the double post. Posting during a storm.

 

[Icarus]

Doing anything (cutting, slotting, lengthening) with the lower shock mount will do nothing at all to the alignment (if anything, and nothing else is done, it will affect ride height like adjusting the height sensor would.) It's not there to locate anything but to fasten the lower end of the shock to the car and thats it like Ape mentioned...

 

[Lownslowlsc]

I just took a peak at the alingnment specs (2yrs ago) super quickly from after i lowered it and most are in spec. If there not its within like .0x degrees. Tires dont show any abnormal wear and the car drives fine.02

 

[American Air-1]

Doing anything (cutting, slotting, lengthening) with the lower shock mount will do nothing at all to the alignment (if anything, and nothing else is done, it will affect ride height like adjusting the height sensor would.) It's not there to locate anything but to fasten the lower end of the shock to the car and thats it like Ape mentioned...

I don't agree. ANYTIME you change ride height.....your gonna change the camber!.......anytime you put weight on the car....your changing camber.

.....I do agree with the no cutting/drilling part though.

 

[mespock]

With the lowered kit installed, the best you could ever get the camber is around -1.1 negative.......while nominal(perfect) is -.5 negative camber.
"A$$-u-ming" they know theres a camber adjustment eccentric on the front & rear, I think they might be just trying to get the camber a little better. In my opinion, I wouldn't let ANYBODY cut on my car. If my theory is correct, they would actually make it worse.

If it winds up the camber adjustment is maxed out and its still not in specs, I would look for lowered spindles frt. & rear. Thats the only way I can think of to easily get back some camber.

BTW, Did they give you a printout of the alignment?

Can't argue with Eddie ... this is what he does ... Mark VIII suspensions ...

Once while having my car alined ... I handed the phone to the mechanic and let Eddie explain what to do ... LOL ....

Oh that shop was my only option at the time ... only one in town and just got done with relacing a bunch of suspension crap ...

 

[Raped Ape]

I think they might be just trying to get the camber a little better.

I do not see what you are talking about on your prior posts here. On the front shock lower mounting bolt to LCA, there is no adjustment, none what so ever. So for someone to say to me that they want to drill out my lower shock bolt, then they are telling me that the bolt is frozen in place. But, during an alignment on the front, the only reason an alignment shop would have any reason to take the bolt out in the first place is to only replace something that is bad, ie, LCA, UCA, or BJ's, bushings or what not.

 

[Icarus]

I don't agree. ANYTIME you change ride height.....your gonna change the camber!.......anytime you put weight on the car....your changing camber.

.....I do agree with the no cutting/drilling part though.

The result can be accomplished by adjusting the ride height sensor MUCH easier, instead of cutting/drilling is the point I was trying to make... I can cut the rad support out with a welding torch to get the engine out too, but think I'd try some other way first...

Mespock, just becasue someone does this day in, day out doesn't make them right either. In this case we are saying the same thing in different ways...