I just installed my JICs and am still playing around w/ ride height. I think I'm shooting for ~2" drop. Do I need to get the car aligned before I get the car corner balanced or after, or both? I'm kind of confused. My local speed shop said I should get it aligned before I take it to them, but that doesn't make sense to me. Help...

 

Rob,

You should plan on being flexible the first time. The ride height can be set in your shop at the factory setting so you can get to the alignment /scale shop.

Then unhook the sway bars and lower it to the desired spec. Adjust the camber and toe.

Ride height affects toe & camber. Camber affects toe.

Have it weighed with you IN the car. A 1/2 tank of fuel will not be bad either. While you are in the car you want to connect the adjustable sway bar ends. If you don't have these you NEED them to prevent bar preloading. I suppose you could make the stock ones adjustable with some thought.....

Some folks will set the alignment with the driver weight in the car too. Even more so for chubby folks..... like instructors....

If you have to make major ride height adjustments then the alignment needs to be checked again. As sensitive as these cars seem to be you may want to double check it anyway.

After this time you can set the alignment and then weigh it last thing before leaving for the track.

Let me know if I have confused you enough.

Gas,gas,gas,

Alan

 

Basically what Dr. Sideways said. Ride Height affects camber and toe, camber affects toe, and toe affects nothing else. When you do a full race alignment, usually it's done in this order:

Ride Height
Corner Balancing
Camber
Toe

and I forgot where Caster fits in the whole process, but unless it's adjustable I don't think it matters. If you align it, then afterwards realize the corner balancing is way off and you need to make drastic ride height changes (since you change the ride height to corner balance), you'll be heading back to the alignment shop.