[Dezoris]

Customized Suspensions Create Alignment Headaches

A factory FR-S and BRZ only have adjustable toe.


What if I add adjustable suspension coilovers?

• Now you will need to install camber correction kits to be able to correct camber the changes.
• Lowering the car will change camber variances and toe variances side to side.
• Alignments now require you not only adjust toe, camber but you will also now have to deal with corner balancing.
• As soon as you change the ride height your alignment changes.
• Since your car now has altered adjustable height shocks/struts on each corner, the factory weight balance is now different. (EXAMPLE: A car that was now 52/48 cross balance could now be 40/60 or worse.)
• A normal alignment without adjustable suspension takes about 2 hours.
• An alignment with corner balancing will take as much as 7 hours.
• Corner balancing is a specialty service done by very few shops.

If Adjustable Suspension is Such a Headache Why Do So Many People Do it?

• They don't know any better
• Coilover kits are a dime a dozen
• It's a cheap way to get a drop
• Stigma
• It's advertised as making the car handle, often with no proof of this

10 Things You Should Know Before Installing Coilovers

1. They don't automatically make the car handle better/faster
2. Know the spring rates are of the OEM springs and the Kit you bought (If you dont know this answer then reconsider buying them)
3. You will need camber correction kits and potentially caster kit to get your alignment fixed after the install.
4. If your alignment is out of spec it can effect performance far beyond whatever you may have gained with the coil overs
5. Alignments just got 3x more complicated
6. Alignments now cannot be handled by most shops
7. Do you know what corner balancing is?
8. Every time you change ride height you need to re-corner balance and re-align.
9. There is no such thing as a track setting that is good for the street and vice versa.
10. Most coil over kits were never even tested on a track or street, they were computer designed and MAYBE test fitted. (Ask for proof of testing, chances are you won't get it.)