when lowering a jetta

[lostjetta3]

ok so my friend says that when lowering any car that the toe and camber gets all out of wack. but when looking at my rear end it doesnt look like the toe or camber would go wacky on me (hes a HONDA guy) can someone help me i cant figure it out im used to trucks. This is my first VW and i cant be more happier with it


but please help

[mk-4gasm]

Yes changing the ride height on any vehicle will alter the alignment values. I dont understand what your looking at on the car that you think it wont change?

[Fourt1thirty]

Nothing will change. The suspension design doesn't lend itself to alignment changes in lowering.

[lostjetta3]

ty very much. i thought that when i had the car jacked up that the rear of the car would not be all out of wack but HONDA guys are used to independent rear end, instead of a "solid rear end".

now i can shove it in his face and feel on top of the world m

lol

[zero1dhd]

The toe and camber of the front wheels would be the only thing to change. Toe can be adjusted pretty easily, but camber cannot be adjusted (on most cars)
The alignment of the back wheels would stay exacly the same.

[Fourt1thirty]

Camber at the front wheels can absolutely be adjusted... in fact you mess it all up changing out the springs.

[mk-4gasm]

Originally Posted by Fourt1thirty

Camber at the front wheels can absolutely be adjusted... in fact you mess it all up changing out the springs.

Thats what I was saying? You have me confused now.

[twenty4valve]

Lol, put the damn springs on, get the front end aligned and you will be good to go. The shop will just adjust the camber and toe in the front as in any alignment, and caster isnt adjustable in the front, and the rear isnt adjustable at all, and isnt going to change much anyway.

[Fourt1thirty]

Originally Posted by mk-4gasm

Thats what I was saying? You have me confused now.

Little easier to understand. The removal of the springs requires disassembling the adjustable components that dictate alignment. The factory adjustments span far enough to overcome any lowering.

[lostjetta3]

cars lowered but for some crapy reason the rear and is warped a lil bit and the alignment is out. but i found the owner before me and he used to autocross it and im guessing thats why or he cant drive and screwed everything up, that wouldnt suprize me any

[zero1dhd]

you say the back is out of whack - Most auto manufacturers that use a solid rear end in a Front Wheel drive car will set the rear wheels with a little toe in (usually about an 1/8" over-all) to keep the back of the car planted.

If you change this to 0 toe or even toe out by bending the bar, the back end of the car will be much more loose, but it is also alot easier to spin the car out.

When I had my nissan there was a bunch of guys who would bend their rear bar in a special JIG they had made for that exact reason. Supposedly the car is much more fun to drive with 0 toe in the back ( I never tried it personally )

And as far as getting an aligment when you're done - it's a must, but I have never taken my car in to a shop to do it- I've always done my alignment myself.

[lostjetta3]

ok so the read out on my alignment is .94 degrees on the back right and .50 degrees on the back left (toe)

the camber is about 1 inch out on each side im having to get it shemed so im looking at about $200 in the end