This subject was discussed a little a while ago, but no real conclusions were reached.

Lowered Maximas tend to follow the road crown more aggressively than stock. This occurs even when the front alignment is set within factory specs.

My main question is this:
Since factory toe setting are not adequate on lowered cars, what changes are needed? More toe-in, or less?

 

 

Well first improper toe can wear a tire FAST so my recommendation is not to play with it, for every 1/8 inch of toe in error its equivalent to dragging your tire crosswise 11ft out of every mile.

Secondly, toe is not very much of a directional stability angle, I know it's the only alignment angle we can play with but it may be caster that could be our problem. The left front wheel's Caster may be adjusted with less positive Caster than the right front wheel to compensate for road crown. Since we only can adjust toe it seems we may have no choice in fixing the pulling

 

If there is a problem with following the road, I feel it is the tires not the alignment spec if stock specs are used. Performance tires love to follow lines or irregularities in the road. I align to specs and have no unusual probs.

 

It's not your alignment or ride height, it's your tires. Any good tire shop will tell you that low profile tires WILL follow the crown of the road. The more agressive the tire, the more it will want to follow the crown. What ride height your car is at has no effect on how it tracks a straight line as long as your alignment is set correctly.

When I go from Dunlop SP8000 in 235/45/17 back to stock size 16" sport A2's the car rides and tracks like a completely different vehicle. All that feedback from road crowns is completely gone.

 

Toe out better for curves, but car will feel squirrely on center. Toe in better on center but not as good on curves.

My car would follow every crown/groove on the road when I first put in my ST springs. The toe in was at less then 1mm. Now in spec much better.

 

I have 215/60-15 tires on stock rims. They are not not high perfomance tires. I am running stock pressure now, 29psi all around.

Caster should not have changed with the lowering. Like I said, this was not a problem at stock ride height.

 

When the front suspension "squats", you will get toe-out. So for the drop you will need more toe-in.

 

But, after the drop, I had the toe set back to factory specs...

 

It's got nothing to do with ride height. If your alignment is set to spec and your getting a lot of crown following, it's your tires.

The OEM Good Year Eagle RS-A tires that came on my SE were absolutely horrable from the start in that area. With only 30K (about 50% tread life) on them they were all over the road. When I upgraded to 17" SP8000, at first they were excellent. (much better then the RS-A) Not to much crown following going on. 20K miles later they act the same if not worse then the RS-A's.

It's your tires that cause it, not the ride height.

Your alignment, no matter what ride height should be set to factory specs.

(unless you want to tweak it for performance ie. heavy neg. camber and tow out - but this will result in more road wonder and excissive tire ware)

 

Im running sprints w/ 225/50/16's. Negative 1 degree camber. As long as the road is smooth and not rutted its great. It does tend to follow the road crown abit though.

 

Negative caster would make it less sensitive.

 

Thats as close to stock specs they could get it I was worried w/the sprints. I have no abnormal tire wear.......other than a heavy foot.

 

Deezo, there are no adjustments for caster on our cars. If your caster is off, your lower control arm or frame is bent.

Caster is what helps your car pull straight. I'm not sure if it's negative or positive. I think you may be correct in saying that heavier caster might make it less sensitive to that.

When I change the fork position on my motorcycle which in turn changes my front wheel caster the difference in tracking is night and day. To much caster and I can't take the twisties cause the bike pulls to hard straight. To little caster and I'm darting all over the road with the thing. So this makes sense. To bad caster isn't adjustable on our cars.

 

I didnt even notice that he typed caster..........

 

I have been through many a alignments since I lowered this summer, and everyone who has had a lowered vehicle, or shops that have had them tell me that you should keep the stock settings.


NJMAXSELTD knows what he's talkin about!

 

I never said that caster changed, I was just saying that caster is the only alignment angle that will change how the car follows road crown. The more postive caster the increased steering effort and increased steering return.