Alignment specs after leveling?

rsm688 · Nov 12, 2014

Okay guys, I leveled my 06 H3 and finally after several minor adjustments have it perfectly at 23.5" on both sides. Anyways, I am going to take it in and get an alignment done Friday. I know that the factory alignment specs will now be off since leveling it. Does anyone have the specs it should be aligned to once leveled? I did some searching and couldn't find much other than a link to a leveling kit with some specs for the ride height at 24.25" :no: (http://traxda.com/int/403010.pdf).

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks,
Spencer

digglesworth · Nov 12, 2014

bigunit has the specs i think. ive never brought specs in to the shop. i always just say here, align this. im kinda curious why we would need special specs and how they would differ from what a shop would do on their own. paging bigunit. bigunit, youre requested on the alignment thread.

Bigunit · Nov 12, 2014

Let me try finding them on my hard drive at home tonight after work and I'll post up what I have.

Best4x4 · Nov 12, 2014

Yeah I gotta get an alignment as well after replacing the uppers. I was just going to do a Firestone lifetime alignment. They've never had issues with any of my other lifted rigs.

digglesworth · Nov 12, 2014

Firestone is great. I've had my lifetime package since I bought my rig. They get a little annoyed sometimes at the frequency at which I bring it in. Either cause I replaced something or cause it seems off. But they really haven't said anything yet. Although I'm kinda waiting for it.

rsm688 · Nov 12, 2014

digglesworth said:
bigunit has the specs i think. ive never brought specs in to the shop. i always just say here, align this. im kinda curious why we would need special specs and how they would differ from what a shop would do on their own. paging bigunit. bigunit, youre requested on the alignment thread.

Most shops have lists of the specs for each vehicle to set the alignment. They are based on the factory ride height settings, cranking up the torsion bars changes the angles in the front end and throws off the alignment values. If you have a really good shop that is used to working on leveled vehicles they can adjust it correctly, however I don't trust many mechanics and don't have a super high end shop around here so I would like the values for a leveled vehicle to ensure "bubba" sets it as optimally as possible for it being leveled instead of just setting it to the factory specs. Even if it's set to factory specs there wouldn't be any problem, I just like things as optimal as possible especially after spending a big chunk of change for an entire new suspension, steering upgrades, and brand new tires

Bigunit, that would be greatly appreciated :thumbs:

Thanks,
Spencer

USMC_TOP · Nov 12, 2014

Do you have to put those trail duty bump stops in after leveling as well as alignment to correct the nose dive? Or can you just go 20 inches and retain the stock ones?

08H3 · Nov 12, 2014

Your caster, camber, and toe should be the same whether you are factory or leveled. That's why you get an alignment. To put them back in spec.

rsm688 · Nov 12, 2014

I didn't touch my bump stops, although I put in new Alpha torsion bars in to pretty much completely eliminate the nose dive. I can hit the brakes hard or take hard turns without hardly any nose dive now. It's a good idea to use them, especially if you have a good bit of nose dive. I will probably put them on whenever I get around to it

USMC_TOP, are you sure? I haven't spent the time to do all the physics work but I thought the values will be different after leveling because the trim values/control arm angles will be different after leveling so I was under the assumption the values would be a slight bit different. I know several of the leveling kit companies included different alignment specs to use after installing their leveling kit and have heard others mention changes in alignment specs after leveling other vehicles.

I very well could be wrong though, I am far from a technical expert on alignment haha

USMC_TOP · Nov 12, 2014

I was just asking the question from reading past posts about nose dive after leveling without installing the extended bump stops

rsm688 · Nov 13, 2014

Bigunit, did you happen to find those specs?

Bigunit · Nov 13, 2014

Here is a link to some of the spec info:

http://www.hummer4x4offroad.com/for...pecs-after-leveling&highlight=alignment+specs

Images to follow.

Bigunit · Nov 13, 2014

Here are the specs from 2 torsion bar "leveling" kits where you replace the factory keys with new keys and the third image is for the factory H3 2008 alignment. pre-torsion bar adjustment. If you have a '06 H3, don't know why but the factory specs are a little different. Hope this helps.

rsm688 · Nov 13, 2014

Thanks bigunit! Would you think it best to just stick with the factory specs instead of those from the leveling kits or use them?

I think i remember reading somewhere they changed them after the 06 model, I doubt any parts or anything changed so maybe GM decided those specs weren't optimal or something? I'll probably just use those 08 values instead of the 2006 model ones as I'm sure there is a reason GM changed it.

Bigunit · Nov 13, 2014

The Suspensionmaxx specs are based on a torsion bar lift at 23.5" with the replacement keys. That's where most of us "level" our rigs by turning our OEM torsion bar key adjustment bolts. So, those specs may be the ones to use but I'm not 100% certain. An experienced alignment person would know.

08H3 · Nov 13, 2014

From real world experience, I currently have 132,000 miles on mine riding at 23.5" and it has always been aligned to OEM specs. No odd tire wear, no odd handling, nothing out of the ordinary in all those miles.

Brent Whitfield · Nov 13, 2014

Just got mine aligned after torsion crank to 23.5 and new bilsteins and upper control arms.

Alignment specs after leveling?

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