[Ravinaziankid]

I know...i have the worst luck in the universe with cars...but anyways...i got these new 15 inch wheels with 195/50 Toyo Proxes and after installing them a month ago...the handling isnt good at all. I had the shop that balanced and mounted them give me an alignment after the first time installing the tires. After that, there is still a bad alignment. What the car does is that it, pulls to the right and is very loose at higher speeds. Im thinking it might be the height of the car since i have coilovers and it was adjusted really low for the 14's, but maybe not the 15s. Is it possible for this to happen?

 

[ftwvampftw]

you should have some nice handling, its probably the tires themselves. What do you consider bad handling?

I have coilovers, 15 rims, and a strut bar and can take a 90 degree turn at 25-30 no prob if need be.

I forget what tires I have, but they are sticky as hell and one of the best auto x tires out there.

Also, maybe your camber is off.. or your tires are on backwards (the rotation of the tire tread is completly the wrong way).

 

[meee2yo]

does it p/ll all of the time, or on rough roads. wider tires sometimes take getting used to again

 

[Ravinaziankid]

WHen i had the 14's on with 195/60R14 falken ziex...they handled so well and i could take corners so quick and it wouldn't be loose over 60. With these, it feels like crap and even on small corners it would feel like i will lose grip or something. I'm thinking of reinstalling the coilovers and adjusting the height and then getting a 4wheel alignment again. If this doesnt fix the problem...im going to kill myself...:dead:

 

[WytchDctr]

My wifes Mazda5 has those tires and her car loves them. :ermm:

 

[pucci]

some of the linkage parts may be worn. wider rubber & rims will always exacerbate any slop in the balljoints & tie rod ends.

if your ride height is excessively low you will also get bump steer and poopy straight line handling on all but the smoothest roads.

 

[Ravinaziankid]

Yeah the bad handling was caused by the unaligned height on one side of the car from the other..so i just raised one side up to match the other and now it handles better.

 

[zeroindigo]

I like toyo tires, the proxies4 which I think you ahd are great, might not grip as well as their higher end tires, T1r or T1s... but when they break loose they will let you know, toyos are very talkative tires, they dont just break loose at random, they let you know when your losing grip... for example, with ym T1Rs...(RIP)... I would take a 70-70 degree offramp at obout 70 or08mph and the tires were squealing, but I was not even close to losing grip, they hold the road like no onther tire.... but on the other hand I am about to try out some kumho 711s....

anyway, hope stuff gets better....

 

[tibby01]

Originally posted by Ravinaziankid
[body]
Yeah the bad handling was caused by the unaligned height on one side of the car from the other..so i just raised one side up to match the other and now it handles better.
[/body]

good god man. you dont have the worst luck, you just need to do things more thoroughly. go get a vernier caliper, and makes sure the coilovers are adjusted exactly the same side to side. hell, atleast count the threads and make sure they match up.

 

[Ravinaziankid]

Yeah...but last time i checked everything was measured correctly and all the heights were exact...i really dont know how one side could get so off in a couple months time.

 

[tibby01]

you tightened the collars super tight, right?

 

[Ravinaziankid]

Yeah of course...but its annoying living in NYC, where i hit potholes every inch of the road, so i have to keep tightening them and adjusting it. Makes me wish i have a garage witha lift and all.

 

[skierd]

Something no one else has asked, what are your current alignment specs? Also, which Toyo Proxes did you get? What setting is your rear sway bar on?

 

[Ravinaziankid]

The alignment is stock since the place i go to only has the stock specs, its the proxes 4 and the swaybars are non-adjustable whitelines.

 

[skierd]

You realize that the "stock" alignment settings have enough range in them, and that the Kspecs have enough adjustments, to screw everything up and still be "in spec" right? So, I ask again, what are your alignment settings (you should have gotten a printout from the alignment tech). Also, what are your tire pressures?

 

[Ravinaziankid]

I didnt get any print outs...i probably have to take it to some professional shop that does modified suspension adjustments and all.

 

[zeroindigo]

any shop, as long as they have an alignment rack, can get you specs and skeird can let you know if they're bad and causing a problem... I have to get alignments very often, I also have ksports... just go back and get an alignment (smart to get a package like 3 yrs or something) and get the printout this time....

 

[Ravinaziankid]

Ok ill try to go back there and get a print out this time..oh btw..i was trying to adjust my height and i couldnt unlock the rings...i tried spraying WD-40 and even brake cleaner to clean it up, but it still wont budge...it might be cause im really weak or its just siezed...is there anyway to unsieze the rings?

 

[zeroindigo]

that's not a bad thing, those shouldnt move, they should be very dificult to move, I ahd to throw on some gloves(mechanix) and use a hammer(rubber mallot) to get mine off...

hold the threaded body of the shock with one hand while you turn it because it may move the whole unit when you use the hammer, it might be eeasier to have two people work on it...

[Edited by zeroindigo on Jan 25, 2006 2:11 PM]

 

[skierd]

Originally posted by Ravinaziankid
[body]
I didnt get any print outs...i probably have to take it to some professional shop that does modified suspension adjustments and all.
[/body]

Ok, I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you really need to stop being a jackass regarding your car/modifications or just stop complaining.

First things first, are all the wheels on square and tight? Are your tire pressures set right? They should be between 30 and 35psi and even on ends of the car (I usually ran 33psi front, 30psi rear).

Make sure none of the springs have any preload on them, you want the lower collars to be just touching the spring. Make sure the struts are all set to the same damping level (full soft).

Go back to the alignment shop, a "professional" shop i.e. one that has an alignment rack, preferably a Hunter machine with a printer so you can get your specs afterwards and a monitor so you can see whats being changed as its going, where you're allowed to sit in the car while its being aligned, and one where the tech is knowledgable and thorough in his work and willing to set the car up to your specs. WHEN YOU WALK IN THE DOOR, when you FIRST talk to the service writer, say "hello, I'd like to get my car aligned, preferably get one of those 1/3/5 year alignment packages, and I'd like to have the car aligned to my personal specs. Also, I would like to sit in the car while its being aligned." At this point the kid behind the counter will stare at you blankly, and probably make you talk to the tech and make sure its ok with them. Have you're desired specs written down and hand them to him, letting him know you're suspension modifications and ask if he has a problem with both you sitting in the car and with him setting the car up. If yes, go elsewhere. If no, good to go.

The specs I would recommend, using the camber plates on the ksports are as follows:
Front
-1.5 degrees camber (any more is really unnecessary on a street-only car)
0 toe
caster is not adjustable (but have it checked, bad caster can make it pull at all speeds)

Rear
-0.5 degrees camber
stock toe

Have it aligned to those specs EXACTLY. Do not take no for an answer once you're on the rack, just get it right. DO tip the poor bastard afterwards for putting up with you so long as he hasnt been a miserable prick about it or hasnt thrown you out, after all you should be back several times during your package and you want the tech to remember you fondly.