Rear wheel not centered in wheel well after coil over install

[Solid Red 98]

So, I finally installed my coil overs and the left rear is sitting rearward. Alignment shop says it is aligned well. I inspected the lower control arm cams and they are adjusted 180 degrees apart with a rearward bias. What gives?

 

[mjorgensen Woodhouse]

The arms need to be adjusted equally to do camber, if they are not the caster is way out of wack! It is NOT done correctly...

 

[Dom426h]

Weird. A straight on pic of the rear of the car on Both sides might help us understand what is going on.

Also, a pic of the cam bolt positions on both sides.


Before you installed the coilovers did you mark the alignment bolts and tighten them in the same position as a starting point for the alignment shop?

 

[Dom426h]

The arms need to be adjusted equally to do camber, if they are not the caster is way out of wack! It is NOT done correctly...

Right, this is what i remember. Set the caster first, Then turn both lower a-arm cam bolts by the same amount to adjust camber. In my case i assumed stock caster was correct and simply adjusted the lower bolts simultaneously to dial in my camber.

 

[Solid Red 98]

The alignment shop that I went to has an old guy that knows his stock alignments, but when I described the adjustment of the cams and such, he seemed to go blank. I couldn't get him to understand that "caster" can be set on the Viper. On the coil-over install I didn't touch the alignment bolts before taking it to shop. I wanted a basic align before I went the twenty or so miles to a custom alignment shop, but was hoping that the local guy could at least center the wheel--no joy... The right is O.K. for the most part I will have to get the car in the air for the cam positions, I'll also try to upload a wheel position pic.

 

[Solid Red 98]

Right, this is what i remember. Set the caster first, Then turn both lower a-arm cam bolts by the same amount to adjust camber. In my case i assumed stock caster was correct and simply adjusted the lower bolts simultaneously to dial in my camber.

This is what I thought. So if the cam bolts are rotated to achieve the desired wheel position, then dial in camber, I assume the toe adjustment must also be set as well, correct?

 

[GTS Dean]

Most cars don't have IRS and can't adjust anything. Vipers have all the adjustments that front double wishbone setups do. The big issue is that it is practically impossible to do a caster sweep at the rear. Vipers have tools that indicate caster angle directly off the knuckle.Without these gauges, start with the cams up (bolts down). Center each wishbone cam pair straight up. Put a 3/4"/19mm wrench on each one and move them in unison to adjust camber and hold caster even. Finish by adjusting toe.Torquing the wishbone pivot and shock bushings per the manual makes a huge difference in handling and should not be taken lightly.

 

[Solid Red 98]

Most cars don't have IRS and can't adjust anything. Vipers have all the adjustments that front double wishbone setups do. The big issue is that it is practically impossible to do a caster sweep at the rear. Vipers have tools that indicate caster angle directly off the knuckle.Without these gauges, start with the cams up (bolts down). Center each wishbone cam pair straight up. Put a 3/4"/19mm wrench on each one and move them in unison to adjust camber and hold caster even. Finish by adjusting toe.Torquing the wishbone pivot and shock bushings per the manual makes a huge difference in handling and should not be taken lightly.

Hey GTS Dean, that did the trick. I suspected that it was that simple, but alignment can sometimes seem like a dark art. Now I can take it to get fine tuned without rubbing issues. Thanks a bunch.

 

[GTS Dean]

My pleasure to help.