springs just installed.. alignment necessary?

[chibianh]

Hey yall, just as the title says, I just got my springs installed (love the way it looks and ride) and was wondering if I need an alignment. Is it a must? I was planning on getting an alignment anyway but just wondering if it was necessary

[dofu]

no... not unless your alignment's already messed up.

[SiR_d1]

when you install springs your alignment tends to get screwed up, but if it doesn't than you don't need an alignment. Simple right?

;)

[chibianh]

ok.. stupid question.. but how can u tell if your alignment is messed up? if it's not driving straight?

[frentzenej11]

Originally posted by chibianh
ok.. stupid question.. but how can u tell if your alignment is messed up? if it's not driving straight?

Which springs?

[HondaMan]

Originally posted by frentzenej11
Which springs?

Good question and you will need an alignment and probably a rear camber kit, if you drop is 1.2 inches or more.

[chibianh]

eibach sportlines

[HondaMan]

Originally posted by chibianh
eibach sportlines

Yes, on both alignment and rear camber kit. Of course get the rear camber kit installed first or at the same time, if the shop can do both.

[Brettnyt]

I have neuspeed race, and my car has been handling like ass since i got em installed. Drop is about 2.25"... I plan on getting allignment, and i have front and rear camber kit (unadjusted) so could that be why my car is handling badly right now? I am getting allignment on tuesday, and am wondering if I can expect the handling to improve... I also have Neuspeed FSB, and was wondering if that has anything to do with it... (front end will not flex to fix camber) Thanks for the info!

[HondaMan]

Originally posted by Brettnyt
I have neuspeed race, and my car has been handling like ass since i got em installed. Drop is about 2.25"... I plan on getting allignment, and i have front and rear camber kit (unadjusted) so could that be why my car is handling badly right now? I am getting allignment on tuesday, and am wondering if I can expect the handling to improve... I also have Neuspeed FSB, and was wondering if that has anything to do with it... (front end will not flex to fix camber) Thanks for the info!

I have the Neuspeed FSB and it should have nothing to do with it. You need and alignment and while they do it they should adjust your camber kits front and rear accordingly...this will more than likely take care of your handling problems (unless there is install issues/problems).

[dofu]

alignment could be an issue... but i dropped my car at least 2 1/2in with ground controls, and the shop i took it to afterwards told me alignment was fine. but after dropping my car, i felt a huge neutral gap in my power steering. i honestly didn't kno what i was doing when i did this (as in i didnt kno this was gonna help this much), but i installed the neuspeed x-brace (which just came out at the time, btw), and that really made the gap go away. i slapped on a strut bar, and everything was nice... except for the tie rod problem... are there aftermarket tie rods for our cars?.. anyone?.. negative camber could have a lot to do with a shitty ride because your car is now rollin on the outside corners of the tires... before i installed the camber kits, i blew so many tires because of the negative camber(-5 in the rears, -3 in the front), and lets not forget the fact that my tail slid left and right in the rain.

about whether you need an alignment or not... just to say the least, you definitely need an alignment if your steering wheel is not anywhere close to straight when you're not turning. if you get an alignment and they dont fix that... make em do it, dont let them charge you extra coz its part of the alignment (hella ghetto mofos workin the shops here where im at) if the wheel aint straight, neither is the alignment... alignment is toe, caster, camber... toe affects the steering wheel geometry (im pretty sure that's what it is... not sure... been too long lol)

sorry bout the long post... jus tryin to pass some of my experiences down... oh, and if your cars dropped without a camber kit, they can only do so much for your alignment (see above paragraph) the alignments are so much better when you do have a camber kit.

[02NJHondaep3]

I'm no expert but -3 and -5 seems excessive.

[dofu]

Originally posted by 02NJHondaep3
I'm no expert but -3 and -5 seems excessive.

i dont kno how... but those were the numbers i got from the alignment machine... you think i broke something? everything feels fine now at -.5 in the fronts and -.1 in the rears... but then again, i used 01-02 civic ground controls, not the ones made specifically for eps... i found they were the same part number, so i had a friend take them out of his inventory and put them in my car. could it be a lower spring rate? coz they did start to sag pretty quickly... before i got the camber kit (never knew exactly, never really cared).

[Zero Three Si]

I got H&R springs, 2 inch drop, I didn't need a camber kit and I didn't need an alignment.

[SiR_d1]

Originally posted by Zero Three Si
I got H&R springs, 2 inch drop, I didn't need a camber kit and I didn't need an alignment.

you will need a camber kit down the road if you don't want to get uneven tread. It's impossible to work your way around it.

You can obviously drive without them, and it won't fuck up your car by not having one. But over time you will go through many sets of tires

[02NJHondaep3]

Dofu if i was you I'd be careful, who knows you might have a blow out and lose control. Be careful and good luck with that.

[BlasTech]

Trust me, if you installed any damper/spring/coilover/camber components, you need an alignment.

Its IMPOSSIBLE to alter the height or camber of a wheel without affecting its toe...even the back wheels.

[dofu]

Originally posted by 02NJHondaep3
Dofu if i was you I'd be careful, who knows you might have a blow out and lose control. Be careful and good luck with that.

with the neg camber? no no no... that was before i got the camber kit. the -5, -3 camber was from the papers i got for the before/ after from alignment after install.
btw... been thru a blowout on 85... wasnt that bad. was still able to drive to curb without prob. lost the inside sidewall off of the rear driver side. that's the reason why i got the camber kit lol.

[02NJHondaep3]

I see said the dumb man