Steering all over the place after suspension change

[Unlucky-Racing]

Hello all,

So.... I’ve Changed the shocks and springs on my Clio 182 this weekend.

It has a couple of bits on it I’m not so familiar with and I’m not sure if I’ve messed something up or refitted something properly.

Set up is...

Koni adjustables
Eibach Sportlines springs
K-Tec Solid top mounts
Camber adjustment bolts

My plan was to take it for an alignment once I was done but it feels so wrong I’m doubting myself that I’ve done something wrong and it’s not just the alignment out.

Steering feels super light and pulling all over the place. I could see it had way too much negative camber so wound that back but no change.

Can anyone offer any wisdom...

 

[NorthloopCup]

Get the alignment done ASAP mate is my words of wisdom. Believe me, they feel horrific if they’re miles out - which this will be with more camber and the ride height being different.

 

[dann2707]

Sounds like what @James172C did the other day so it's fresh in my head

Basically you need to get the camber equal on either side.

Can do so by jacking the front end up on a flat surface, using a camber gauge on your phone and rest it against your disc as a reference point and try get the two the same on either side.

 

[DomP182]

Sounds like what @James172C did the other day so it's fresh in my head

Basically you need to get the camber equal on either side.

Can do so by jacking the front end up on a flat surface, using a camber gauge on your phone and rest it against your disc as a reference point and try get the two the same on either side.

Surely the flat surface would have to be incredibly accurate?

 

[dann2707]

Surely the flat surface would have to be incredibly accurate?

Just flat, not to with stupid tolerances. Just like a garage floor or whatever. Not on a hill or anything

 

[Unlucky-Racing]

Get the alignment done ASAP mate is my words of wisdom. Believe me, they feel horrific if they’re miles out - which this will be with more camber and the ride height being different.

Well this is reassuring. It’s definitely miles out but I’ve never experienced any car feeling that bad... I was so paranoid I’d got something very wrong. I’ll get it in for alignment for this week.

 

[Unlucky-Racing]

Sounds like what @James172C did the other day so it's fresh in my head

Basically you need to get the camber equal on either side.

Can do so by jacking the front end up on a flat surface, using a camber gauge on your phone and rest it against your disc as a reference point and try get the two the same on either side.

I might give this a go even to get it somewhere near normal just to drive it to get alignment done. Feels so bad as it is.

 

[Usr117063]

When you can change the camber you change the toe, by a lot. It would of been massively toe in, thats why it felt so bad.

 

[Jamess182]

I might give this a go even to get it somewhere near normal just to drive it to get alignment done. Feels so bad as it is.

Are the arrows on the camber bolts in the right position? For example, looking from the front of the car, if the bolt on the driver's side is at 9 o'clock, then the bolt on the passenger's side should be at 3 o'clock, so they would be pointing towards each other. If one was at 6 o'clock then the other should be at 6'clock and so on...

 

[Louis]

It's insane what a difference an alignment makes! I changed TRE's and the top mount bearings so camber was all over the place. It felt really light at 70 and just horrible to drive. Took it for an alignment and it was spot on afterwards.

 

[Darren S]

I think alignment is a definitive water-shed maintenance job that divides those interested in cars and those who don't give a toss.

Been there several times before myself where a realignment has transformed how the car feels. Not only that, but proper alignment will reduce unnecessary wear to your tyres anyway, effectively saving you money in the long run.

 

[Djw John]

Yeah I remember changing the front end, driving a mile and stopping as I must've left something loose it was so dangerously bad.

Then looked at the wheels being boss eyed and that everything was tight and carried on, slowly. Sorted it out by eye the next day and it was driveable, got it aligned the day after and it was amazing.

 

[RSRowe]

I tried adding some toe out to mine for better turn in on track. It was horrific both on road and on track.
Set it back to within the standard tolerance and it back to normal...... geo changes on these cars seem to make a massive difference in my experience

 

[Unlucky-Racing]

I think because I’d changed so much and used parts I hadn’t on my previous Clio’s I was super paranoid I’d done something wrong. It felt so bad. I didn’t want to take it for an alignment only for them to tell me something was wrong, missing or upside down.

Alignment all done and car feels great again. Thanks for the words or advice/encouragement