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Alignment after Eibach Springs: We need some answers!
Well I just had my Eibach Springs put on yesterday (See pic below,they are awesome). My install guy said I needed to put about 20 miles on them to settle and then return today for the alignment. I ended up taking the Eibach Pro-Kit data sheet today that has the alignment specs for the new springs (see pic below circled in red). He started on the aligment and half way through came to me and said the Eibach spec for the rear Camber and toe were not attainable by adjusting for our car.
He then called Eibach directly and spoke to a Tech who said to run the stock alignment figures from Nissan and to not use the spec sheet below. After he got done with that, he came to me and said he could not get the rear camber adjustment into the green zone for stock settings but was just out of spec. Does anyone know what the true alignment figures are for our car after we have added the Eibach springs? Should we use the stock settings? I think we need to get this resolved with Eibach!
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09' Maxima SV -Dark Slate- Premium+Tech+ Spoiler (35% tinted, Nokya H11 GT yellow fog lights, ClearBra, Blue interior LED, Eibach prokit)
04' Maxima SE- Tan- (35% tinted, Spoiler, E&G classic bulllet grill, moonroof, wind deflector, with bose system)
Thats weird, I had my tech do the alignment after I drove it around the morning I got the car back from install.... He was able to get everything in the green.
So, still my questions is: Should I use the stock Nissan Alignment specs? Let's get a poll going of who used what after their Eibach springs were installed.
A) Stock Nissan alignment specs
or
B) Alternate alignment specs (Eibach or other)
__________________
09' Maxima SV -Dark Slate- Premium+Tech+ Spoiler (35% tinted, Nokya H11 GT yellow fog lights, ClearBra, Blue interior LED, Eibach prokit)
04' Maxima SE- Tan- (35% tinted, Spoiler, E&G classic bulllet grill, moonroof, wind deflector, with bose system)
So, still my questions is: Should I use the stock Nissan Alignment specs? Let's get a poll going of who used what after their Eibach springs were installed.
A) Stock Nissan alignment specs
or
B) Alternate alignment specs (Eibach or other)
I guess I don't understand, my guy did the alignment so everything runs straight and true. He didn't 'dial it in' to a specific number, just adjusted it till it was acceptable. I have the print out he gave me, if I remember I'll take a pic.
So, still my questions is: Should I use the stock Nissan Alignment specs? Let's get a poll going of who used what after their Eibach springs were installed.
A) Stock Nissan alignment specs
or
B) Alternate alignment specs (Eibach or other)
I haven't gotten an alignment yet since I want to let the springs settle for a week or so. But I was curious where you got the Pro-Kit data sheet. I didn't have one in my box and I couldn't find anything on the Eibach website either.
__________________ '10 Maxima SV Premium - Super Black - 14.14 @ 99mph
Stillen Intake | Stillen Exhaust | Stillen UD Pulley | Racingline Strut Bar | Stillen Rear Sway Bar | Eibach Pro Kit
im a mechanic and i do alignment.....had training from hunters alignment in LA in 2007 and goin to school rite now to become a mechanic....im not an expert but if u want heres my knowledge of wat to do....you should stick to thos specs eibach....u probably might have to buy a camber kit for the rears cuzz da stock ones have reached der limits of adjustments....da camber kits will prbably give u +- 3 degrees both sides....and oe specs are toatlly different cuzz that is the specs for that ride height and the height is now different....so yo camber, toe, and a lil of caster is moved around.
To get the longest tire life, one should always use the factory alignment specs which can be found in the Factory Service Manual (FSM). The specs will have a high, nominal and low setting. Technically, you just have to be within the high and low. The Maxima’s factory alignment specs are a little more complicated because it varies by wheel diameter AND where you live (i.e. US, CANADA or MEXICO). I was surprised by this as well … but yes I actually saw this in the FSM.
I won’t go into what the definition of caster, camber and toe-in are but each setting in or out of specification have its pros and cons. Being OUT of spec is not always bad. For example, additional camber is usually added to help cars corner better BUT at the cost of added tire wear. Again, for maximum tire life, it is best to stay within factory spec and ideally at nominal settings.
Now to make things complicated, once the car is lowered its factory suspension geometry is altered and sometimes, it may not be possible to get back into factory specification. Keep in mind that on the stock Maxima, only the toe-in is adjustable on the front. The camber and toe are BOTH adjustable on the rear (ref FSM sections FSU and RSU).
In such instances, camber arms in the rear and new Upper Control Arms (UCAs) in the front may be available to provide the additional range of adjustment needed to get alignment back into spec. Several companies make alignment kits. IMO, SPC makes great kits and is what I use on the front and rear of my car. The UCAs (at least on my car) also make caster and camber adjustable. FWIW, SPC also supplies Eibach with some of their alignment kits.
To get the longest tire life, one should always use the factory alignment specs which can be found in the Factory Service Manual (FSM). The specs will have a high, nominal and low setting. Technically, you just have to be within the high and low. The Maxima’s factory alignment specs are a little more complicated because it varies by wheel diameter AND where you live (i.e. US, CANADA or MEXICO). I was surprised by this as well … but yes I actually saw this in the FSM.
I won’t go into what the definition of caster, camber and toe-in are but each setting in or out of specification have its pros and cons. Being OUT of spec is not always bad. For example, additional camber is usually added to help cars corner better BUT at the cost of added tire wear. Again, for maximum tire life, it is best to stay within factory spec and ideally at nominal settings.
Now to make things complicated, once the car is lowered its factory suspension geometry is altered and sometimes, it may not be possible to get back into factory specification. Keep in mind that on the stock Maxima, only the toe-in is adjustable on the front. The camber and toe are BOTH adjustable on the rear (ref FSM sections FSU and RSU).
In such instances, camber arms in the rear and new Upper Control Arms (UCAs) in the front may be available to provide the additional range of adjustment needed to get alignment back into spec. Several companies make alignment kits. IMO, SPC makes great kits and is what I use on the front and rear of my car. The UCAs (at least on my car) also make caster and camber adjustable. FWIW, SPC also supplies Eibach with some of their alignment kits.
I read your thread concerning your extensive time with Eibach. Thanks for all the useful information. So did you stick with the stock alignment specs on your G35 after the lowering? It looks like you added a camber kit on your G35, how has the tire wear been in the last 2 years? I have looked on-line and found this camber kits (link below) for the front of the 09 maxima. Would this work? I do not see anything for the rear. I guess we will have to wait for it to come out.
So here are the normal and obtained spec from the alignment with the Eibach springs:
Front:
Camber: 0.5 to -1.1 (mine is now -1.1 on each side, which is just on edge of WNL)
Caster: 4.2 to 5.7 ( mine is WNL at 4.4 on L and 4.7 on R)
Toe: 0.06 to -0.02 (mine is WNL at 0.04)
Rear
Camber: 0.1 to -0.9 ( This is were settings are off, mine is -1.3 on each side)
Caster: 0.09 to 0.21 ( Mine is WNL at 0.16)
Toe: 0.18 to 0.42 ( Mine is WNL at 0.32)
These specs are very different from the Eibach spec on the sheet at the top of the thread. I am not even sure a camber kit would get the alignment within those specs. I have tried to call Eibach to resolve this issue. They have not gotten back to me yet. I will keep you all informed as to the outcome!
__________________
09' Maxima SV -Dark Slate- Premium+Tech+ Spoiler (35% tinted, Nokya H11 GT yellow fog lights, ClearBra, Blue interior LED, Eibach prokit)
04' Maxima SE- Tan- (35% tinted, Spoiler, E&G classic bulllet grill, moonroof, wind deflector, with bose system)
I read your thread concerning your extensive time with Eibach. Thanks for all the useful information. So did you stick with the stock alignment specs on your G35 after the lowering? It looks like you added a camber kit on your G35, how has the tire wear been in the last 2 years? I have looked on-line and found this camber kits (link below) for the front of the 09 maxima. Would this work? I do not see anything for the rear. I guess we will have to wait for it to come out.
I am not sure about the link you posted. I'd be very surprised if there is a front camber kit for around $20.
I added the rear camber arms first, then waited for front arms to be available. By the time the front arms came out, there was noticeable wear on inner tread of my front tires. Tire wear is wearing evenly now after front camber kit install.
Also ... I am using the alignment specs from the FSM. The ideal alignment specs are vehicle specific, not spring specific. Use the nominal specs in the factory service manual for best tire wear. Tweek it from there to suit your needs.
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