Post-installation alignment
Discussion
I'm gearing up to have new suspension fitted to my 110,000kms Boxster. I'm going to go for the OEM M030 sports suspension and one question springs (geddit?) to mind...
I have heard that many Porsches come out of the factory with all four wheels pointing in different directions and that was certainly the case with mine and I had some tyre wear from new that was cured with a subsequent alignment...
My question then is whether or not it is sensible to plan for a second alignment some time after the installation of a new suspension system (possibly after several hundred or more miles) as it may be the case that however well it is initially fitted, it could 'settle' for want of a better word and require re-looking at.
Am I being paranoid? Should a 'professional' install and alignment do the trick from day one?
I have heard that many Porsches come out of the factory with all four wheels pointing in different directions and that was certainly the case with mine and I had some tyre wear from new that was cured with a subsequent alignment...
My question then is whether or not it is sensible to plan for a second alignment some time after the installation of a new suspension system (possibly after several hundred or more miles) as it may be the case that however well it is initially fitted, it could 'settle' for want of a better word and require re-looking at.
Am I being paranoid? Should a 'professional' install and alignment do the trick from day one?
chris, I saw on one of your other posts and see that you were having new bushes fitted. Were you looking for a 'performance upgrade' or just concenrned that your original bushes may be shot?
Not that I consider it as any sort of guarantee... Gert Carnewal told me that he recenty swapped over a leggy Boxster's suspension and he only needed to replace a couple of bumpstops; everything else just fitted back together.
Regarding alignment, of course I'll need a rudimentary alignment to ensure that the car is driveable and the tyres don't get shagged post-install but I was wondering if there was any benefit in booking it in for a proper alignment job a few hundred miles later on the assumption that it might take a decent shakedown for it all to 'settle'. I can see some logic in that but then again, it must be possible in theory to set a car up with a precise alignment and that you should be reasonably confident that it would stick.
P.S. I had wondered if it would be a good time to replace my wheel bearings, but that's another story... Did you also consider that?
Not that I consider it as any sort of guarantee... Gert Carnewal told me that he recenty swapped over a leggy Boxster's suspension and he only needed to replace a couple of bumpstops; everything else just fitted back together.
Regarding alignment, of course I'll need a rudimentary alignment to ensure that the car is driveable and the tyres don't get shagged post-install but I was wondering if there was any benefit in booking it in for a proper alignment job a few hundred miles later on the assumption that it might take a decent shakedown for it all to 'settle'. I can see some logic in that but then again, it must be possible in theory to set a car up with a precise alignment and that you should be reasonably confident that it would stick.
P.S. I had wondered if it would be a good time to replace my wheel bearings, but that's another story... Did you also consider that?
Mogul - yes - thanks for the reply in the other thread.
To me it was a performance upgrade but with this sort of heaviliy bush-depending McPherson suspension I'm sure it would be a good idea anyway. A bit fiddly job it seems though. And they say it's a good idea to let it settle before the alignment.
To me it was a performance upgrade but with this sort of heaviliy bush-depending McPherson suspension I'm sure it would be a good idea anyway. A bit fiddly job it seems though. And they say it's a good idea to let it settle before the alignment.
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