Car keeps losing alignment!

[rcorona]

Hey everyone.
My 2018 GT2 AWD keeps losing alignment. I've tried to search in other threads and got some good info but want to post my own as well.

My stinger has the following suspension/handling mods installed in this order; Eibach lowering springs, Eibach front & rear sway bars, Megan racing rear camber arms. After the lowering springs were installed and settled, I got an alignment from Shop A. The car was perfect, no issues of losing alignment. Then I installed sway bars which was a huge pain in the ass. Then shortly after I had the camber arms installed so I could get proper camber in the rear. Here's where the issue starts. After the camber arms were installed I took my car to have an alignment done at Shop B. The car held alignment for about 5 days before I noticed it was pulling to the left. Took it back to Shop B to have it realigned under their warranty and then about 3 days later it lost alignment again and was pulling to the left. This past Monday (October 10th) I took it in for the 3rd time to Shop B to have them realign. They told me to bring it back in after driving a week (October 17th) so they can check it. As soon as I left the shop this 3rd time my car was already pulling to the right slightly. I'm bringing it in again this upcoming Monday to see if they can fix it but if they can't I'm going somewhere else.

While typing this out I'm thinking it may just be a crappy shop, but I'm worried it may be something else. Why would it be losing alignment after a few days??
Any help is always appreciated, thank you.

 

[Snowwhite]

sounds like I'd go back to shop A, but also check the torque on those Megan camber arms..

 

[MerlintheMad]

Big O "offered" to align my wife's Fusion when she went in to rotate the tires (they didn't rotate tires c. ten years old, heh): the point of mentioning this is, I could use Big O, or any number of other places, there are so many. I asked my wheel and tire guys who they recommend and they sent me to a really unimpressive looking shop, but it has been in the business forever. That's the kind of shop I'd look for if I were you. Good luck!

 

[rcorona]

sounds like I'd go back to shop A, but also check the torque on those Megan camber arms..

After Monday if its still messed up I'm going to shop A

 

[rcorona]

Big O "offered" to align my wife's Fusion when she went in to rotate the tires (they didn't rotate tires c. ten years old, heh): the point of mentioning this is, I could use Big O, or any number of other places, there are so many. I asked my wheel and tire guys who they recommend and they sent me to a really unimpressive looking shop, but it has been in the business forever. That's the kind of shop I'd look for if I were you. Good luck!

This is true. That's how Shop A is. Might just bring it back to them. Another buddy of mine mentioned a mini cooper dealer that has an in ground rack and gave me the name of a specific tech there who has racing background and is the man to talk to.

 

[socalvn]

My car was aligned on a ground wrack they use a level and tape measure shop's been in business 40 years Tech's been there 30 drives better than it did stock.

 

[rcorona]

My car was aligned on a ground wrack they use a level and tape measure shop's been in business 40 years Tech's been there 30 drives better than it did stock.

It seems like that's the move, going to an old shop that knows their shit

 

[Rodtheviking]

Have them put weight in the front seat, about 50kg. My alignment shop does this if requested and I have a similar set up and hasn't pulled at all since alignment a few months ago.

 

[Snowwhite]

I take mine to a shop that only does alignments. Not even tire rotations. All this guy does is align cars. he has a small shop with 2 alignment racks. Never have any issues with getting out of alignment. My last alignment was 2 years ago when I got ARK springs. I just went back today because I installed eibach springs in the rear, and the car was still pretty close, only the right rear toe was a little off.

 

[NS_Stinger]

If I had to guess its probably the Megan arms causing the issues.

 

[andybob]

How were the camber arms installed? I’ve always read suspension components should be fully torqued when the weight of the vehicle is on the ground/suspension. If tightened while the vehicle is in the air, the suspension components can have bind in the bushings when lowered onto the ground which could create some strange alignment issues.

 

[socalvn]

The Megan arms are really easy install it's just two bolts but you need a tow arm too if you read back in my posting on the Megan Arms just the camber arm will throw the toe off, I learned this the hard way doing one at a time.
and unfortunately in order to ajjust the camber one you have to pull the wheel off, the factory camber and tow on my car those bolts are set at zero in the middle they were adjusted with the bars

 

[socalvn]

How were the camber arms installed? I’ve always read suspension components should be fully torqued when the weight of the vehicle is on the ground/suspension. If tightened while the vehicle is in the air, the suspension components can have bind in the bushings when lowered onto the ground which could create some strange alignment issues.

no need to do it on the ground and you're unable to for access anyway You're thinking of coilovers or struts it's necessary with those

 

[andybob]

no need to do it on the ground and you're unable to for access anyway You're thinking of coilovers or struts it's necessary with those

Anything with a rubber bushing should be final torqued in it’s “normal” position. It wouldn’t hurt to throw the car on jack stands, loosen the bolts, then use a jack to raise the suspension to ride height before tightening them down.

Since the OP’s car keeps losing alignment, it leads me to believe it’s due to some sort of bushing issue. Whether they’re worn, binding, or something else.

 

[rcorona]

The Megan arms are really easy install it's just two bolts but you need a tow arm too if you read back in my posting on the Megan Arms just the camber arm will throw the toe off, I learned this the hard way doing one at a time.
and unfortunately in order to ajjust the camber one you have to pull the wheel off, the factory camber and tow on my car those bolts are set at zero in the middle they were adjusted with the bars

I was worried about this lol. On my alignment sheets it looks like the rear toe kept coming out of alignment. If they can adjust it to spec, not sure why it would be losing alignment afterwards

 

[socalvn]

I was worried about this lol. On my alignment sheets it looks like the rear toe kept coming out of alignment. If they can adjust it to spec, not sure why it would be losing alignment afterwards

yeah that's really strange something's got to be loose if it's losing alignment

 

[G-623604]

i would go through all the bolts and check torque and apply blue locktite, then i would get the sway bar zero-ed out so there no preload, then take it back and request a full aligment