I don't know how to do this myself, but I would like to know what tools are necessary to install crash bolts and manually adjust camber and toe. If anyone can provide the information on how to do this and the equipment needed to do so, post it up and I'll organize the information here. I think that this thread has potential to become very useful for anyone who wants to be a little more competitive in any class; especially in stock class, like me!
From the research I've done so far, I know a few of the tools needed to make the adjustments:
(1) Tape measure
(2) Breaker bar
(3) Torque wrench - (100ft lbs to put wheels back on; not sure how tight to tighten adjustment bolts though)
(4) Two jack stands
(5) One jack
(6) 25mm deep socket to take wheels off
I don't know what size wrenches are need for the stock bolts or crash bolts, and the ones which adjust toe. Since I can't afford to buy a full wrench kit to figure this out myself, I hope that someone with the tools can figure out what size wrenches are needed for the stock bolts or crash bolts and the toe adjustment bolts.
The stock lugs are 3/4", not 1".
The lug nuts should realistically only be torqued to 80-85 ft/lb. 100 is overkill.
You don't need two jack stands, honestly, for doing the suspension work. You need FOUR to do the alignment, though.
You need twine for the toe setting.
You need a caster/camber gauge from someone like LongAcre.
You need slip plates to get the toe adjusted more easily.
You MUST have a PERFECTLY level surface, which means plates w/ adjustable feet and a really long level, or learn to use a tube and some liquid and make your own.
A basic mechanic's tool set can be found for under $100, easily. I think mine was ~$120 years ago and I've used every single tool in it, from all of the 1/4" drive sockets on up to the 1/2" drive ones. I've gone and bought metric deep sockets for the 3/8" and 1/4" ratchet. I got a set of gear wrenches. I got a 3/8" and 1/2" drive torque wrench, covering from 5 ft/lb to 150 ft/lb. I got an air compressor and a starter set of tools, then got a better impact gun (HUGE difference in air use and power, more power on much less air).
Even with all of this I STILL take the car to a local shop for alignments after I do the installs. I get them for $40 and they are full laser/optical on a new Hunter machine. I can help out, they use my settings, take the time that's needed, and really get it the way I want it, not what the computer wants. On my last alignment on the Miata all but the rear toe and the caster were in the red according to the machine, but the alignment is perfect and handling is a dream. I am not going to waste my time with strings and bubble levels trying to get everything dialed in when I can drive over there and get it done in much less time and much more precise.
BUT, what you can do is get the bolts installed (stupidly easy) and get the camber set at the most you can get. Go to an alignment shop and have them set the toe for street use (slight toe in) and then again for autocross use, and mark each one with lines on the tie rod and such. That way you can roll to the event, change it, then after the event reset it to street use and go on home.
BUT, what you can do is get the bolts installed (stupidly easy) and get the camber set at the most you can get. Go to an alignment shop and have them set the toe for street use (slight toe in) and then again for autocross use, and mark each one with lines on the tie rod and such. That way you can roll to the event, change it, then after the event reset it to street use and go on home.
I have a lifetime alignment with Firestone, but they're annoying to work with. They never set it to the way I want it. But I might try what you said and mark where stock settings are and then move it back to that mark before I drive home. I make pretty far commutes to autocross events- that's why I need to do it myself. I want to make my tires last as long as they can..
hey a quick note .. and I will look for pictures to back it up (Im sure others can post pics of what I'm talking about). but crash bolts are hard to keep properly located under side force due to high cornering loads. Hell even our unitbody flexes severly enough to give the rear outside tire positive camber in pictures. Bottom line: slot your struts and use the bigass stock bolts.
Yeah, I heard about that problem.. it sort of makes me nervous to use the crash bolts, but I really need the negative camber. I also heard that the bolts only slip when R-Comps are used and not so much with street tires and all seasons.
I think the rules say that regular SRT-4's can't slot the struts, but ACR's can. The only thing that I'm allowed to do is use the crash bolts.
I also don't have any of the tools to do a tack weld, so I might have to try something else for now. I've heard that applying paint on the bolts significantly helped to keep them in place even with R-Comps. So I might try that for now.
the shop doing the alignment can do the tack weld. Also, unless you are competing on a big time leve, no one will care that you slotted your struts unless you're extreme. And if you're still running all-season tires, then you won't be near the top of class, let alone overall results so it's not a big deal. I wouldn't throw a fit if you showed up with more camber, but all-seasons, at an event.
That's what my guy has. Totally awesome stuff to use. The wireless screen to take with you when you're under the car is a great feature. The pictures of every car and every suspension bolt and what it does within the adjustment range and stuff.
Tell me about it Stow...Shit, I had my car up on the rack about once a week for the hell of it.
All you had to do was roll the vehicle back about a foot to comp the heads, then a cater sweep, verses the old kind were you have to jack up the vehicle off the rack and compensate each head manually in 3 diffrent positions.
the shop doing the alignment can do the tack weld. Also, unless you are competing on a big time leve, no one will care that you slotted your struts unless you're extreme. And if you're still running all-season tires, then you won't be near the top of class, let alone overall results so it's not a big deal. I wouldn't throw a fit if you showed up with more camber, but all-seasons, at an event.
I will be running at nationals this year or next; that's why I want to stick with the rules religiously.
I only run all-season tires on some local events and street tires at the good local venues and test and tunes.
are you going to go with custom-valved koni inserts? what tires are you going to run? Hoping to do well in GS against the new crop of cars since the reclassification?
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Do-It-Yourself Camber/ Toe Adjustment Thread
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