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Wheels affect alignment?

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:17 pm
by Jeo
So I'm booked in for a wheel alignment tomorrow ahead of Sunday's natmeet track day. I've been running 185/60/14 tyres on 14x7 wheels for the past while and have now picked up a set of 15x8 wheels with 205/50/15 tyres. Crux of the question then is it worth me getting the alignment done with the track wheels and tyres on, or won't it affect it?

Anecdotally, I'd have thought that x* camber/castor/toe was still x*, regardless of the wheels or tyres you're using to measure, but figured it was probably still worth asking.

Re: Wheels affect alignment?

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 10:26 pm
by NitroDann
The offset of the wheels will affect and the width can affect the wheels immensely.

Dann

Re: Wheels affect alignment?

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 11:01 pm
by Guran
Wider wheels and different offset is not going to change camber, toe or caster in any way. Width & offset will affect handling, but not the alignment. See you Sunday! (and Saturday too maybe :D )

Re: Wheels affect alignment?

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 11:06 pm
by NitroDann
I agree in theory.

Assuming the car isnt bent in any way, and all of the car measures 100% and the aligner doesnt accidentally make up for front steering left a bit by making the rear steer left a bit, and therefore both front and both rear settings are all 100% identical in every way, width and offset wont affect the alignment.

Well the alignment, numerically wont change of course, but whether your car goes straight, or turns in equally may be affected.

Dann

Re: Wheels affect alignment?

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2012 11:49 pm
by Jeo
Eh, decided to change them fairly shortly after asking anyway. Figured I needed to do it anyway and that it couldn't hurt to do it before tomorrow.

Yes to both Saturday and Sunday Guran. Will be joining for the coffee part of concourse in my car but might bring the LE out too, depends how much homework Carlie has to do.