I dropped my car off at the alignment place today and they just got back to me with the readings, -4.11 on the left and -1.41 on the right.

How is this even possible? My car is at ~25.5" ground to fender, so it's not even that low. I changed my control arms and installed the coilovers at the same time before this alignment so there is a huge margin for error on my part.

the guys said that even when they raised the car, the camber didn't straighten itself out. Is it possible that I got the wrong parts? Could I have installed the lower control arms backwards or something?

I'm going to pick it up right now so I'll get pics of the control arms to compare with pictures online.

Any input or ideas you guys have would be great.
Kyle

 

Its not possible to get over 3 degrees negative camber on one side in the front. They apparently don't know what they are doing with the alignment machine. Its also possible that you don't have each side equal with your coilover set up. Take off the wheels and use a tape measure and compare both sides. Even if you messed up big time there is no way you could register a -4.11 on either side. That would indicate your spindle is bent something fierce.

 

Did you corner weight it when you installed the coilovers?

 

Here's the alignment sheet-


Drivers side-


Passengers side-


The alignment place said that they didn't know why my alignment was so off, they think I need adjustable upper control arms or shorter lower control arms.

The local Euro shop told me a few things:
1.) our cars require a 'raised toe' alignment. I've never heard of this before, he said that the only place around here that can do it would be the VW shop an hour away, and they charge $380 for an alignment.

2.) he said not to let anybody shift the subframe, and that it should stay the way it was set from the factory. according to him I'm supposed to just get camber plates to correct my camber. I've never heard of camber plates on an A4, and everybody that I've heard says that shifting the subframe is the way to correct our alignment. What's the deal here?


edit-
CLX, no, I didn't corner weight the coilovers.

 

Raised toe is for bump steer, it almost never has to be adjusted un-less the tie rods were changed. Meaning if you hit a bump the steering wheel would try to turn on you if it were out.

Shifting the subframe is how you adjust the camber, but i think they put the wrong settings in the machine which is why it looks like its out a lot. Looking at you pictures i would say its closer to 2 degrees negative on both sides.

In any case, that shop doesn't have a freaking clue what they are doing so your gonna have to take it to another shop. When someone else prints out the alignment for you bring it to the old shop so you can get a re-fund.

 

ahh. I did change my tie rods when I swapped out my control arms. How much do I have to worry about the raised toe problem?

Apparently that is the best shop in town to take it to, should I take it back and just have them get the camber equal on both sides?

If I drive down to Sac will you align my car for me?

 

Raised toe isn't even worth mentioning IMO.

I don't work on cars anymore, or at least right now. There are a couple of guys that can align lowered audi's at my old shop. Jared, and Dave can.

I wouldn't go back to that same shop, by what you've told me, they seem like knuckle heads.

 

I'm really considering just stopping by a shop in Sac either this weekend when I'm driving through there, or next thursday when I'm flying out of there.

Could you PM me or post up here the name of a shop or a couple shops to check with?

 

I just went in on Monday morning to have an alignment done to my car. I got the same setup as you (Pyropenguin) - the Stasis Street coilovers, and I replaced all the front control arms, outer tie rods, and sway bar links. I did this just a month ago, and the shop found one of the ball joints has slop in it already. FCP Groton shipped me out a new front lower passenger side control arm, and it came yesterday. I'll be replacing it this weekend and bring the car in for the alignment again next week. I'm also seriously gonna get that Panzer Plate from DieselGeek.com. I scraped the oil pan (below the drain plug) on some concrete pulling into a gas station on Sunday. I found a little oil on my driveway, and I never had a leak before that. I hope I don't have to replace the oil pan. I'll check it out fully in my garage this weekend when I do the control arm.

 

I bet you installed your outer tie rods upside down..check it out