alignment probs...

[carlosp2]

this may sound stupid but i got into a car accident once again the other night, i broke my tie bar and bent the crap out of my control arm now that i replaced both of them i need my alignment checked, well the question is the shops ive taken it 2 state that they cant get the car on the lift cuz its too low and i dotn have coilovers to adjust so how do i get my alignment checked thanx any feedback would be great....

[PAaccordvtec]

How low is it? I have a 2.5inch drop in front and 2inch in the rear and never have any problems when i take it to shops, even though my front lip probaly gets cracked from it.

[jdmaccordbo!916]

yeah how low is your car... my old accord was over 4" an i had no problems getting it onto racks an lifts in shops... at the most you will just have to give them the go ahead, an that relifes them of any faults done to the car (meaning any damage is not there fault).... but if they know what the hell there doing, then they should not have problems at all... if wors comes to wors, then you could drive it up for them if they let you...

[carlosp2]

i thought my car was dropped like 2 inches, i took it 2 like 3 shops yesterday and they were like yeah ur car is 2 low 2 get it on the rack they suggested taking the bumper off i was like hmm ill think about it, i think im just going 2 drive the damn thing up the lift 4 them and tell them 2 f off bout the drop. have you guys ever had 2 replace the strut bar? if so was it pretty easy to align the 2 bols or was it a nightmare? mine dont want 2 line up so im not sure if i got the right part or if there is something else bent in there, thanx...

[5thGenLX]

1.75 front 1.5 rear and i have no problems on the rack, either they use dif racks up here in WA or they are full of it. but hey it only takes a few mins to take off the front bumper, why not for safeties sake.

[5peedCoupe]

i was gonna say take ur front bumper off.. and go to the shop. is the only way... cuz the shop doesnt wanna mess ur bumper up.. also its harder to work on a lowered car.. cuz most shops have to do this and that to lift the car to work on a lift.. but they have ot jack up the car first in front center if they wanna do other stuff u knoe.. but my car is lowered with h&r sport springs and kyb agx shocks.. and i can barely get on the alignment rack.. but i did mine at skool for free. .hehe.. well kinda .. ihad to pay for the skool.. (UTI) if u live by me.. LA but really near rancho cucamonga. i can do it for free

[AllShowNoGo]

my car is dropped id say a little bit over 2 inches and i always get shit going to local shops saying how they cant align it and shit..what you need to do is ask around to people who have lowered cars there is always a shop that does it somewhere..

[birdman]

i thought my car was dropped like 2 inches, i took it 2 like 3 shops yesterday and they were like yeah ur car is 2 low 2 get it on the rack they suggested taking the bumper off i was like hmm ill think about it, i think im just going 2 drive the damn thing up the lift 4 them and tell them 2 f off bout the drop. have you guys ever had 2 replace the strut bar? if so was it pretty easy to align the 2 bols or was it a nightmare? mine dont want 2 line up so im not sure if i got the right part or if there is something else bent in there, thanx...


2 inches isn't that low..i had my car aligned at 3.5" drop before when i had coil-overs...ive heard a lot of shops don't want to work on a dropped car cuz its a lot of work...and you should get a camber kit to even make it worth paying for the extra charge...do you have a front lip or a aftermarket bumper?

[carlosp2]

2 inches isn't that low..i had my car aligned at 3.5" drop before when i had coil-overs...ive heard a lot of shops don't want to work on a dropped car cuz its a lot of work...and you should get a camber kit to even make it worth paying for the extra charge...do you have a front lip or a aftermarket bumper?

well i didnt want to deal with all the hassle of havign to take my front bumper off nor did i feel like driving around all day trying to find a shop that would try to get my car on the rack, i think my car is only lowered bout 2 inches, theres only like a 1 or 2 finger gaps between my 205/40/17's and my fender. well 2 make a ong story short i just took the wheel off and turned my tie rod out. i know it aitn the best way but hey my car dont pull to the right anymore. i kelt adjusting it in and out till my car drove pretty straight! so yeah now i need to find me a new steering wheel since my airbags were deployed any hints on where i could get a pretty resonable one and also be able to keep my cruise control switches in place? allright thanx...

[carlosp2]

i was gonna say take ur front bumper off.. and go to the shop. is the only way... cuz the shop doesnt wanna mess ur bumper up.. also its harder to work on a lowered car.. cuz most shops have to do this and that to lift the car to work on a lift.. but they have ot jack up the car first in front center if they wanna do other stuff u knoe.. but my car is lowered with h&r sport springs and kyb agx shocks.. and i can barely get on the alignment rack.. but i did mine at skool for free. .hehe.. well kinda .. ihad to pay for the skool.. (UTI) if u live by me.. LA but really near rancho cucamonga. i can do it for free

sure would be nice to live int he LA area once again! nw i live up in San Jose, so yeah i ended up doing the alignment myself pretty much, jsut a turn here and there, it aint the best way or thee most accurate way but hey my car aint pulling to the right so hard as before, it actually drives pretty straight now. i got to get new front tires anyways pretty soon so im not stressing that bad! it just sucked trying to drive on the freeway and hitting the grading and the car pulling so hard to the right i was holding for dear life praying no big rig would try to pass me! lol thanx though i appreciate the offer...

los

[birdman]

sure would be nice to live int he LA area once again! nw i live up in San Jose, so yeah i ended up doing the alignment myself pretty much, jsut a turn here and there, it aint the best way or thee most accurate way but hey my car aint pulling to the right so hard as before, it actually drives pretty straight now. i got to get new front tires anyways pretty soon so im not stressing that bad! it just sucked trying to drive on the freeway and hitting the grading and the car pulling so hard to the right i was holding for dear life praying no big rig would try to pass me! lol thanx though i appreciate the offer...

los

how did u adjust the tie-end rod??? my car does the same...pulling to the right all the time, and im always holding on tight to the steering wheel trying to pull to the left..lol..its like a wrestling match..
i think i need another alignment cuz i didn't after the springs were installed...but no matter w/ the alignment, my car still pulls...i think its the tie-end rods or something..
.anyways, i heard when u get only 2 new tires, you're supposed to put them in the rear...

[carlosp2]

how did u adjust the tie-end rod??? my car does the same...pulling to the right all the time, and im always holding on tight to the steering wheel trying to pull to the left..lol..its like a wrestling match..
i think i need another alignment cuz i didn't after the springs were installed...but no matter w/ the alignment, my car still pulls...i think its the tie-end rods or something..
.anyways, i heard when u get only 2 new tires, you're supposed to put them in the rear...

yeah i adjusted the tie rod on the right side(psgr side). see the problem with my car was that i ran the right fron wheel into the center concrete median. i broke my radius bar and i bent the daylights out of my lower control arm. i never knew cast iron would bend that easy so yeah i replaced both of bent or broken parts and then my car would fight me it would want to jerk tot he right all the time an yeah i had to fight it to straighten it out. it was so damn scary at times, any little inconsistnecy in the road would totally make the car take a hard turn to the right! so yeah i adjusted the tie rods and it helped straithen the right wheel out for the time being, if you need any help or suggestions on hwo to jsut PM, ill be more than happy to giv eyou some feedback.

los

[carlosp2]

how did u adjust the tie-end rod??? my car does the same...pulling to the right all the time, and im always holding on tight to the steering wheel trying to pull to the left..lol..its like a wrestling match..
i think i need another alignment cuz i didn't after the springs were installed...but no matter w/ the alignment, my car still pulls...i think its the tie-end rods or something..
.anyways, i heard when u get only 2 new tires, you're supposed to put them in the rear...

but yeah u need to take your wheel off make sure they are straight as possible when u jack one side up, i took the nut and the cotter pin out from the spindle but before that i made sure to loosen up the tie rod and the lock nut right next to it. with all that said you can then adjust most likely out the rod until the wheel is straighter than before, you might have to adjust it, drive it and then adjust and drive it again until the front wheel points straight out, its kinda hard to estimate when its off the ground that is why you must continue to adjust and then drive it, kinda trial and error till it gets to the point where it wont pull anymore, it prolly pulls cuz the wheels arent point in the same direction atleast that was was the problem with my my car, hope that somewhat helps...

los