[Chili Palmer]

I'm going to lower my car with ACS springs and know that the car will have to be realigned due to the change in the suspension geometry. I talked to one place and they said that when they change the springs they will do an alignment then. Another place said that after they will change the springs, come back in a couple of weeks to let the car/springs settle, then they will do an alignment.

I'm going to spend good money for tires for the new wheels and I don't want to tear up the new tires if the car is aligned when the springs are installed and the springs settle causing the alignment to change needing another alignment.

Or

Not doing an alignment and then tearing up the tires that are on the car now because I'm not going to put the new wheels and tires on until the car is aligned properly.

Which it the right way to do this?

[MWPos]

Every place I shopped for my Eibach installation, and Eibach is a minimal drop, quoted two alignments as part of the price. One alignment immediately following the spring installation, and one again within 700, or so, miles. It made sense that an initial alignment must be done or the car may be really uncomfortable or unsafe to drive after being lowered. It also made sense to get a second alignment after a settling period had passed.

If I may offer a small amount of advice, in order to protect your tires, your investment, and most importantly your safety, make sure that the shops from which you get your quotes can actually do a really good alignment. I had my springs installed at a mod shop and they did a great job on the heavy manual labor, but their alignment system was also manual and, as I learned when getting the alignment checked at a high-end shop three weeks later, the alignment was out of spec on the front wheels and just out of spec on the rear. I would have done two things differently; I would have negotiated a lower cost for the spring installation, foregoing any alignment work there, and immediately afterward would have driven to the high-end shop a few miles away for the first alignment. I also would have negotiated a lower price for a two-alignment package at the high-end shop as the second would have been only a minor touch-up.

So, considering the cost of the installation, allignments, and tires, I'd think that you are best served by two alignments, and by putting the new tires on after the second alignment. With this you'll have a safe nice ride with the most life out of your old tires and a perfect alignment for the new.

[HouseofPang]

IMO 500 miles is not going to have any big wear damage on tires... where are you in SoCal? I know a good alignment guy, he is very knowledgeable and very detailed. He makes me fill up full tank of gas and puts weights inside the car for each alignment.

[Tuffyboy]

Hey House,

Can you refer me to the alignment shop please. I am in West LA

[MELLOWYELLOW06]

I would appreciate the info
as well. Going to throw in
some H&R springs. Do they do
springs as well? Thanks i advance.