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View Full Version : S14 uneven adjustment in alignment.


NiSilS14
11-29-2014, 05:27 PM
I picked up a friend's s14 and got it aligned recently. I found it weird the passenger side arms are adjusted shorter than driver's side, specifically the RUCA, I measured the driver side RUCA at 13" where as passenger side is at 12 1/8". I couldn't find anything that was visually bent that hadn't already been replaced, I also had my S14 to compare with. Traction, RUCA and toe have all been replaced with aftermarket adjustable units. The car was involved in a accident, it slid into a highway barrier on the passenger side due to black ice. This leads me to think something is bent in the subframe that isn't visually noticeable. The front camber adjustment is also off. Passenger's is almost completely in toward the engine where as the driver's side is nearly completely out. I understand adjustments won't be symmetrical from one side to the other, but I feel like it shouldn't be this extreme. Any help, opinions, experience, etc to maybe confirm my suspicions? Some ideas would be great to hear before I go spending a few hundred in replacing subframes.


Cliff notes:
Acquired new car and took it to alignment.
Pass. side adjustment is shorter than driver side particularly camber.
Car was involved in accident involving highway barrier and black ice. Traction, Toe, RUCA, Pass. FLCA were replaced at one point.
Possible bent subframe? RLCA? FLCA? Frame?

Sleepy_Steve
12-01-2014, 01:05 PM
Possible, the reason we have alignments is to adjust out inconsistencies like that in the chassis. ie; from the factory things arent often perfectly straight, hell the 240's rear subframe doesn't sit symmetrical to the sheet metal in the fenders.

The FSM goes through (Start at BL-76.pdf, or the Body_Repair_Manual if you have that) how to check the front of the car for square via alignment pins which is what they do at body shops when you have work done. It's possible it's a little less straight than normal after the previous damage, but if it aligns out, I'm not sure I'd worry about it too much.