FR & RR Suspension Alignment

[My S1]

Next project is to be a full suspension alignment.  As I understand it, I first need to set the ride height with sufficient weight in both seats then move on to camber, caster and toe.  Would you folks please explain to me what your usual cadence is and do you have any tools (other than the trusted string et al.) that are reasonably priced and worth buying?  Any major snafus to be wary of?
Many Thanks.

[BDA]

It's best to mimic your weight in the driver's seat then set your ride heights where you want them.

Use the string method to check your toe (check youtube if you are unsure how to do it). Enter your measurements in this webpage (https://robrobinette.com/DIYAlignmentCalculator.htm). To translate your toe angles to inches, use this webpage (https://robrobinette.com/ConvertToeDegreesToInches.htm)

You'll need a camber gauge to check your camber (!) and your caster. If you don't have one, here is how to make a simple one (https://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=3692.0). For some reason the S1 and S2 toe spec is different from the TC/TCS. I don't know why but you should use the correct spec.

Checking your caster requires you to measure the camber at basically full lock, then measure it again at opposite lock (the real difference in wheel orientation should be about 20° but I've found lock to lock is about the same. It's good to check this to see if anything is bent but if you're using the stock A-arms, there is little adjustment you can make.

Adjust in camber -> caster -> toe order. repeat as necessary. Your front caster should not need adjusting and the rear can't be.

Enjoy!

[Bryan Boyle]

Next project is to be a full suspension alignment.  As I understand it, I first need to set the ride height with sufficient weight in both seats then move on to camber, caster and toe.  Would you folks please explain to me what your usual cadence is and do you have any tools (other than the trusted string et al.) that are reasonably priced and worth buying?  Any major snafus to be wary of?
Many Thanks.

In my experience, what I did was weight down the front of the car evenly in the front plenum so that the necessary clearance from the front cross member was the stated 6" (154mm/15.4cm) was set on a level surface on 2 pieces of floor tile each side with heavy layer of grease so I could turn the wheels.  I then centered the steering wheel (turn lock to lock, then half way back).  Loosened up both tie rods, measured front and  rear of hub with steering centered.  Set hubs parallel (f+r equal measurement).  Then turned steering rods half turn same time to pull in to given toe-in.  I found when putting it on a hunter laser alignment at buddy's shop that I was where it should have been (I go for a little more toe in; my S2, if it was at the minimum toe, seemed a bit skittish).

Just to check my current ride, I invested in the Gyraline (you have an app on the phone, the phone mounts in the gizmo, and you measure side to side).  Had the TC checked at my local shop, again with a Hunter alignment setup, and it was the same measurement.  YMMV, but considering how much a 4 wheel alignment costs these days...it was worth it to have in the shop.  It even picked up that I have a bit more toe in on the rear than spec...will live with it for now until I can get the engine room emptied and I can replace the bushings in the frame, which I'm sure are compressed after half a century, since I don't see any work done on them in the voluminous records that came with the car. 

No financial interest in the Gyraline gizmo, etc.  Just pretty sure it's on when I checked against a pro setup. 

[My S1]

Great information and advice.  Thank you both. 

I'm actually looking forward to the exercise.  From previous forum discussions, I believe I need to get a set of Protech coil overs with the 1-7/8" springs so I'll have to source those first.  Also, the rear cross car beam is twisted and dented so I need to fabricate or buy a new one.  The really fun project will be making a set of adjustable rear lower links.  I've decided to make just one end adjustable on each link...perhaps modify the original ones. 

More questions to follow.  Very glad to have this forum for your expert answers.  Life was so different before the internet.  We used to rely more on suppliers, repair shops and going to car shows to meet fellow enthusiasts and of course reading books! 

[BDA]

I got my Protechs from SJ Sportscars (https://www.sjsportscars.com/). Keep in mind that Protech shocks don't take the stock front springs so you'll have to buy those. Spring rates vary by taste. Nobody ever complained about the handling of a Europa so it would make sense to keep the same rates and buying equivalent front springs. If you want to go a little stiffer, a popular combination is 150#F/115#R (give or take 5 or 10#) which is what I run. I got my springs from Dave Bean. The front springs were 10" and the rear were 12". I have my spring perches at the bottom of the shock so the car is as low as it will go with that setup. It's fine but I might have considered lowering it a little in which case I wish I had gotten shorter springs. I'm not that dissatisfied with it, though, so I probably won't bother. One thing I've noticed is that ride quality isn't affected by spring rates as much as you might expect. When I ran 250#F/140#R, it was more of a change on the margins. I reduced the spring rates because it was a bit more relaxing, especially on the highway but the difference was pretty subtle.

I would advise you to make your adjustable lower rear links with right and left hand thread rod ends. That way, you won't have to disconnect them to adjust them. It's a bit more expensive but it will make things easer in the future.

[My S1]

Thank you for that information BDA.  Sj does not sell the springs?

After studying my shop manual and parts manual I'm a bit surprised.  Am I to understand that on an S1, the FR caster, FR camber and RR Toe-in and RR camber are NOT adjustable and that only the FR toe-in is adjustable?  So I can check all the settings just for fun, however if in the event that there is a mismaladjustment then that would suggest damaged or worn parts need tending to?

And another question, the parts manual calls out a washer as being for RR toe-in adjusting...scratching my head I don't see how that washer on the outside (inboard of the arm) of the resilient mounting device could affect any adjustment.

[BDA]

Without modifications, only front and rear toe are adjustable. The front by adjusting the tie rods, the rear by shimming between the resilient mounting and the radius arm. Remember that the rear toe spec is for each wheel (the spec says 3/16” to 0” so the front of each rear tire is between 3/16” and 0” closer to the center line of the car than the rear of each rear tire).

People have modified their front suspension by slotting the A-arm to make it adjustable for camber. Rear camber would be adjustable with adjustable lower links.

The suspension had few adjustments on purpose. The fewer adjustments, the fewer mistakes and the easier the maintenance. The specs are given to determine if anything is bent.

[My S1]

Got it, thank you.  Seems like the washers can only be effective if they are positioned, as you describe, to push the arms outboard.

[Clifton]

The books excessive front toe in settings are shite unless your are limited to 50 mph or driving a 2500lb+ front engine car. Lotus got it right on the Elises though, S1's are only pounds heavier.

You don't need much if any toe in for front stability and too much toe in will wander just as too much toe out but it won't feel darty, just strange and wander. On the rear, toe in is a must, more on mid engine cars and even more if you want stability near or at the limit. 1/8" total is ok but 3/16" is better.

Total rear toe is not the same as the front. You can be 3/16" total IN with 1/4" IN on one side and 1/16" OUT on the other. It will not be fun driving that with 1/16" OUT on the off side. The only way to know is string it. Both rears must be equal.

This is how I do my alignments to get thrust angle (rear toe) and then I use 24" toe boards after. If toe gets off on the rear, I re string it.
https://www.lotuseuropa.org/LotusForum/index.php?topic=6184.msg66794#msg66794

I run this on the street and autocross. It is one hand, dead stable at speeds most Europa's never reach.
These are measured at 24"
Front,  Total: 1/32"in-Zero-1/32" out.
Rear, Total: 3/16" in, never less.


Calculator/converter https://robrobinette.com/DIYAlignmentCalculator.htm
Modern Lotus settings https://wiki.seloc.org/a/Geo_Setups#Elise.2FExige

Camber doesn't matter as much if you are just street driving. Just keep it equal side to side.

IMO, there is too much drag on the rack for a light car. I removed the shim spring but keep the shim pack just above drag.

[Fotog]

For the record, SJSportscars sells the Protech dampers with springs as 'coilovers.' 

[My S1]

Before I drop the car and do the maiden voyage, I did another hillbilly (please forgive the term my Appalachian friends) and sure enough the car has a 1-1/6" toe-OUT!  Is there anyway on God's green earth that the front would straighten out in load?  I wonder what the last alignment guy was thinking...maybe in a hurry?

[BDA]

I suspect that it will try to toe out more when you drive it. I doubt the PO drove it after he aligned it - if he aligned it.

[Clifton]

That board will get close but it's not accurate enough. I use two pieces of laminated board, cut out on the bottom for tire bulge and a 24" piece of square tube. I use two boards and two tapes so it's easier to use. It's too much swapping back and forth. There's enough room to do the front toe without turning a wheel and leaving the boards in place.

It may not show but this is 1/32" toe out.

[My S1]

BDA, you mentioned in an earlier reply that the REAR toe-in specification is actually -3/16" per each side for a total of -3/8".  The manual is not clear (as usual)...does the same hold true for the FRONT;  -3/16" per side for a total of -3/4"?

Clifton,  I like your measuring device as well.  Fotog convinced me to purchase a Tenhulzen Automotive 2-Wheel Alignment Tool to do the final dial in.  They have an ebay store as well as a web site.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/281779213264

[BDA]

BDA, you mentioned in an earlier reply that the REAR toe-in specification is actually -3/16" per each side for a total of -3/8".  The manual is not clear (as usual)...does the same hold true for the FRONT;  -3/16" per side for a total of -3/4"?

No. Front toe is specified as a relationship between both front tires but the rear toe spec often looks the same (though it is in relation to the center line of the car). If you set the rear toe to 3/8” (the front of the rear tires are 3/8” closer than the rear of the  rear tires). That doesn’t mean that that they are symmetric to the center line and if they aren’t, your car will “crab” down the road (you wouldn’t be able to detect it if that happens). One might think that it would be assumed to be symmetric around the center line… Maybe someone has a better reason for the difference in the interpretation of the specs.