[BBBsti LTD]

I just installed my RCE's springs. When should I get the alignment done? I think I should allow some time to the springs to settle down properly.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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Also what specs. should I get for my alignment???? The car is my daily driving, I dont want to have my tires disappeared in 2,000 miles. <o></o>
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[boataholic]

I believe RCE says to get an alignment ASAP as the springs don't settle. As long as you put the camber bolts back to the original position you will most likely not kill you tires for a few 1000 but I wouldn't take the chance. Just take it in asap.

[Tomerville]

RCE's should be settled after 10 miles of bumpy roads according to Myles. Do you have camber plates? If not you'll be hardpressed to get 1 degree of negative camber up front, and 1-1.5 in the back. I would say somewhere between 1-1.5 degrees camber up front and 1.5 in the rear is good for "spirited" driving without eating your tires up, and being too jittery on the highway.

[johnlude85]

defenately do it as soon as you can. our tires arent cheap lol

[Sti491]

I waited about a week, no long trips, just daily driving... maybe 100 miles or so. I did not notice any visable settling.

I installed '06 WRX take off struts with Koni inserts, Group N's all around and RCE springs all at the same time.

Prior to getting the alignment after the install I thought it handled awesome, I marked the front camber plates and installed new set up exactly as the old was. Same wheels & tires and tire pressures.

So we did the alignment. I knew it was going to be off a little due to the suspension swap but I assumed my alignment before & after would be very, very close. WRONG!, my right rear toe-in was crazy off for some reason.

We set to:

Front camber: -1.4 both right & left... we were shooting for max neg camber
Rear camber: -1.8 left -1.6 right... I guess whatever we got we got!... technically the rear is not adjustable.

Front toe: -0.01 both right and left... we were shooting for zero
Rear toe: -0.01 left - 0.02 right...we were shooting for zero

Prior to my swap with stock OEM suspension:

Front camber -1.03 right -1.04 left
Rear camber: -1.3 left -1.7 right (wierd this is opposite from now?)

Front toe: -0.09 left -0.09 right
Rear toe: -0.08 left - 0.03 right

Well, driving impressions with the new aligment? I could not believe the imporvement over what I thought was awesome after the swap. It made a BIG difference. Powering through corners is just better that it's ever been. The steering felt lighter.

I recommend you work with an alignment shop that lets you drive the car on the rack and sit in the car during the alignment. I weight 220 and I know my fat ass in the driver's makes a difference in the alignment. This way you can talk to them as the do the alignment and hold the steering wheel straight.

Also you may want to bring a couple of short 2X4's or 2x6's with you to help get it on the alignment rack. My RCE's lowered the car just enough so my JDM lower front bumper/lip hit the rack when driving on it if we didn't use the wood to assist ramping it on... it was really close but the front lip would have contacted the rack without the wood.

I suggest you target max camber on fronts (usually -1.5 from what most people can get w/out camber plates). It's great if you can get more neg camber at the front than rear, but other than some wiggling the rear camber is not adjustable.

Shoot for 0 frt & rear toe.

It has been amazing to me through 3 sets of tires (OEM 070's, RT 615's and Conti Contact Extremes) I have had nearly perfect wear across the tires. My rears tend to wear slightly more than the fronts (2nd gear kicking that back end out and AWD power slides are some of life's little pleasures!), but I also rotate tires frequently. I nearly wore out my 070's before I sold them, my 615's are 90% shot and Contis 70% gone... not bad for 30,000 really fun miles!... but I guess that depends on your expectations and driving/track days/autoxing. I have very little highway miles.

With -1.4 front camber on fronts, RT 615's and 38lbs cold PSI I do not melt the outside front tire shoulders autoXing like I did with the 070's on the OEM alignment, which sucked IMHO. Learning how to drive and reducing understeer through suspension mods help this some too, I suspect.

Get the performance alignment done by a good shop that lets you participate. Enjoy those RCE springs... they are the shizzle!

[mykrrrr]

Really depends on how out of alignment your car is after you install. I'd do it within a couple days @ the latest.

I had a Civic that I had a shop throw Tein Flexes on and they didn't adjust the toe @ all on the front and in one day of driving it destroyed the inside edge of the tyre.

I put a set of STi pinks on a friends' WRX wagon and I had no problems @ all. The settings were within the factory parameters.

We just re-installed stock suspension on my '05 STi and only the toe was off on two corners (RF & LR) by hundredth's of a degree.

[Parker]

I am in the same boat as the OP and I don't want mine set up to eat tires either. My original thought was to have the alignment shop set it up to be close to a stock setting (remember, I don't have a lot of suspension knowledge). i'd like the wheels to be straight, no angles, etc., if that makes sense.

[Dos531]

Well the stock setting actually doesnt wear the tires evenly. The lack of front camber causes it to wear out the outside of the front tires before the inside. Some more negative camber up front will actually increase tire life.

[TheHammer]

I asked about this with the RCE springs on stock struts(with cobb f/r sways).
i wanted a daily driver that still took advantage of my set up...and i was told the following from :
-1.5 up front and -1 in the rear - zero toe all around.
I DONT autocross...

You will need camber plates or bolts to get this kind of negative camber by the way.
The 06 stock is limited to @ -.85 at most up front.

[spazegun2213]

Depending on how much you drive a day, I'd say within 100 miles on any springs really.

Also get a GOOD alignment, have them crank that front camber up to the max. I would also advise bolts for the front and something like -2 up there will make the car perform much better.

[Darkiller]

Originally Posted by TheHammer

I asked about this with the RCE springs on stock struts(with cobb f/r sways).
i wanted a daily driver that still took advantage of my set up...and i was told the following from :
-1.5 up front and -1 in the rear - zero toe all around.
I DONT autocross...

You will need camber plates or bolts to get this kind of negative camber by the way.
The 06 stock is limited to @ -.85 at most up front.

the 06 is not limited to -.85 your aliment guy much suck

I have RCE spring and whiteline sways and just went in and got a performance aliment and i got -1.4 in the front with out camber bolts .. With -1.4 rear with 0 toe all around just and fyi

[Parker]

Originally Posted by Darkiller

the 06 is not limited to -.85 your aliment guy much suck

I have RCE spring and whiteline sways and just went in and got a performance aliment and i got -1.4 in the front with out camber bolts .. With -1.4 rear with 0 toe all around just and fyi

your setup is for performance...what do you recommend for someone who doesn't want a performance setup?

[Darkiller]

i dont know i would go with pretty much the same setup .. are cars love the neg camber in the front and the rear comes with -1.4 or so to start with .. I go to the race track about 4 times a year ... And do alot of canyon runs durning the year .. And mabey i will be going more offen to the track if i can talk the wife in to letting me hahaha ...

[TheHammer]

I was told the negative camber in stock form only went to -85 and change.
I don't proclaim to be an aftermarket guru hence the reason why I get this stuff professionally done.

If you dont mind me asking why would they tell me the stock front camber is limited?

Seems strange that they wouldn't just dial in these settings when I had the
Prodrives and the Group N's thrown on..

Ah ............I am getting the 3/8" lowering camber plates in the front anyway so I will have it adjusted then...

Hmmmm

[Darkiller]

i don't know why they told you that .. I mean i just went in for my second time and the first time was stock suspension with just a performance aliment and i got -1.2 .. Now with my group N tops in the front and RCE spring and my sways on i got -1.4 . I don't know where you live or where you went .. But i also did go to a place and they kind of told me the same thing you said .. U just need to find a place that will dial it in more because you can .. I am still thinking if i want to get camber plates or bolts to run -2 up front .

some shops arent supposed to put alot of neg camber in since when you hit a rut in the road your call will pull .. so like i said i had to go to 3 shops before the person would put it to as much neg camber as i wanted . He said bring it back with camber plates on and he will dial it in to as much as i wanted .. But also told me get ready to order new tires soon .. LOL ..