alexmtl

Hi Everyone,

After reading the DIY Alignment posts I decided to purchase a lazer level to verify my alignment. The numbers I found on the net for the rear wheels specify a setting of 0.17 to .5 deg total toe. Is this correct? Also, in what direction is this toe? Should the front of the rear wheels be pointing inwards or outwards?

Thanks in advance for your help!
Alex

Macster

PM your email address and I'll respond with a PDF of the Turbo's alignment settings.

Not sure you can do a complete alignment check with just a laser level. I've watched my Turbo being aligned and all 4 wheels and both 'axles' get adjusted during the process and the tech watches a graphic of the alignment of all 4 wheels on a computer screen to as he adjusts one setting another setting moves and has to be readjusted, and this is repeated until all settings of both axles and all 4 wheels are correct, within very tight tolerances.

Sincerely,

Macster.

rpm's S2

My .02

Unless you have some real experience at setting alignment I would turn this task over to an expert. Between the performance envelope of an Porsche (but particularly a 911 turbo), the adjustability of the suspension, and the cost of quality tires there just is very little room for error... or amateurs.

Good luck.

alexmtl

Thanks guys.

I'm not planning to do the alignment, i just want to be able to verify the results and keep track. I recently had the alignment done at a local garage and it was a disaster!! They stoped half way through and told me they couldn't do it and that I should go to a specialist??? Now one of my rear wheels has a 3 deg camber while the other is closer to 0 and my car feels very unstable even at speeds of 20mph! I already booked an appointment at the Porsche dealer but this whole adventure has made me loose trust. This is why I want to be able to verify myself. So back to my original question about rear toe... Should the rear wheels be pointing inwards (same directing as the front toe) or outwards? Does anyone know?

Thanks,
Alex

fasteddie99

Macster: Who did your alignment? I'm due for tires and an alignment and want it done right?

TIA

Sorry for the hijack, Alex...

Macster

Been away for a few days...

Anyhow, I've had the Turbo, Boxster and Cayman aligned at several places.

Boxster and Turbo: Livermore Porsche. Several times each car. The dealer's just a mile or two from my house.

Stead Porsche (Walnut Creek). Cayman S.

Rector Porsche did the Turbo once. Great alignment.

Further away... Custom Alignment in Mountain View. Boxster. Great alignment but MTNVW's too far a drive/too inconvenient for me.

Aristocrat Motors in Merriam KS. Boxster. More than once. (That's where I bought the car new and had it serviced for 4+ years.)

Springfield MO Porsche. Turbo. Great service. And a bit less expensive than dealers on the west coast. Trouble is the dealer's 2K miles away and their shuttle doesn't come out this far!

Sincerely,

Macster.

nick49

Toe is always "IN" or none. Toe in is created at rest so that at speed a neutral or no toe in exists. There is nothing magical about aligning a vehicle. If studied a bit it's a pretty easy concept to understand. Once you do, you can pretty much align a vehicle from scratch without knowing the specs. I did this years ago on a Jag XKE where I removed the front and rear suspension and completely rebuilt it. Di it on my lifted Jeep too and several cars I've had in between where I heavily modded the suspensions.

A good alignment shop with a tech that actually understands what he's doing, rather than just setting a car to published specs should be able to do a comprehensive 4 wheel alignment in an hour or less with the proper equipment. Many shops and dealers try to make an alignment look like a very difficult and lost black art to justify charging hundreds of dollars. Like the $350 Porsche oil dump and refill.