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Alignment Changes Over Time?

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539
687
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
SoCal
I had my car aligned yesterday to get more camber and the "before" settings were off from what I had them set to last time.
Last year, I had an alignment done to these specs
1634737119189.png

Yesterday, these were the "before" settings before they adjusted everything
1634737176895.png
Is it normal for camber and toe to move a bit over time and after several track days or is something else going on here?
 
296
349
Exp. Type
HPDE
Exp. Level
20+ Years
NC
I had my car aligned yesterday to get more camber and the "before" settings were off from what I had them set to last time.
Last year, I had an alignment done to these specs
View attachment 69454

Yesterday, these were the "before" settings before they adjusted everything
View attachment 69455
Is it normal for camber and toe to move a bit over time and after several track days or is something else going on here?
It is normal for alignment to move over time. Hitting/jumping kerbs, dropping wheels off track, etc. can cause alignment to change. When I had access to an alignment machine, I used to align my CRX before every HPDE, and it was usually out some.
 
539
687
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
SoCal
It is normal for alignment to move over time. Hitting/jumping kerbs, dropping wheels off track, etc. can cause alignment to change. When I had access to an alignment machine, I used to align my CRX before every HPDE, and it was usually out some.
Thanks for the reply! That makes sense. I'll need to find a solid alignment shop who won't mind doing my car repeatedly 😆 or learn to do them myself
 
531
364
sfo
So much depends on the suspension too. Example rubber bushings and cam adjusters vs. solid shims and monoball. When racing we are picky...only align after corner balance, flat floor, at ride height, and 50% fuel load (not 1/2 tank of gas), hot tire pressures.
 

Apex Wheels

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670
1,061
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
5-10 Years
Bay Area, CA
Are you using camber bolts up front? If so, the camber loss makes sense but it is a little odd they shifted equally. If you have plats then I suspect the rack wasn't accurate the first or second time. The toe will always shift with use, especially track use and sticky tires.
 
539
687
Exp. Type
Time Attack
Exp. Level
3-5 Years
SoCal
Are you using camber bolts up front? If so, the camber loss makes sense but it is a little odd they shifted equally. If you have plats then I suspect the rack wasn't accurate the first or second time. The toe will always shift with use, especially track use and sticky tires.
No bolts, only plates. I'll have to find a more performance-oriented shop next time
 
1,246
1,243
In the V6L
I had my car aligned yesterday to get more camber and the "before" settings were off from what I had them set to last time.
Last year, I had an alignment done to these specs
View attachment 69454

Yesterday, these were the "before" settings before they adjusted everything
View attachment 69455
Is it normal for camber and toe to move a bit over time and after several track days or is something else going on here?
Well, as much as there's a consensus around things moving, I set my front toe and camber back in 2019 and I've done about 23 or 24 track days since and it hasn't moved.

As for the rear, as I've posted before, you can't set it and assume it's going to stay where it's set. Not because of any movement, but because the bushings load up when the adjustments are done and when they release - in the first fifty feet after the adjustment - the numbers all change. You have to set it, drive it and then read it to see where it's set. It's tedious but it gives you the numbers you're looking for.

So, my vote is that the machine isn't particularly repeatable and the rear settings drifted when the bushings relaxed.
 

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