# TT alignment specs...rear toe...after 4 adj control arm install...



## RabbitGTDguy (Jul 9, 2002)

Well...if you have followed my saga...it all started with a broken control arm. In the end I went with the most adjustable option purchasing 4 Gruvenparts arms, rebuilt the rear trailing arms with new rose joints, and new wheel bearings on both sides too boot! So...pretty much, a new rear end. 
Well,took it to the alignment shop that I have loved using the last few years since I've been in this area. I was pretty damn sure that I would be able to get the zero'd specs that I wanted with the new setup, especially for track adjustments, etc. in the spring. Anyways, a bit dissappointed with the alignment specs they tuned in...








Granted...this is in winter mode...but

I feel as if the toe should have come in more towards zero. As it is...I don't want to have to worry about it... here are a few things though about the cars curren't suspension setup though that could help shed some light (all things which I told the shop)
Currently...
Running bilstein PSS9's, currently at stock right height (or maybe just slightly higher)
16" steelies on the car currently
Running 10mm and 20mm spacers respectively front and rear
Now, this shop does many of the autox cars in the area and track specs for a lot of the BMW's that run Watkins Glen...so I'd assume they know wat they are doing...and I've never had a prob before with them. Alignment guy said that the adjustment was maxed out on both the arms and the new adjustable units as well? Could that be right? Would the current configuration (be raised, running the steelies...spacers?) affect toe that much?
I'm not too particuarly worried about the tires since it is the winter setup...and of course in the summer I'll be lowering the car back down on the 18"s. So, think this spec now is something I should worry about? 
Any help would be appreciated. Would love to run a lower stance...but with the crap on the roads, potholes, etc. around here during the winter...it'd not be much fun! 
More pics to come of all the resto to the rear end. Hoping all of it was worth it!
Joe


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## jason bouchard (Aug 25, 2005)

*Re: TT alignment specs...rear toe...after 4 adj control arm install... (RabbitGTDguy)*

aren't they supposed to be equal left to right ? 
everything is close but the camber, they couldn't fix that ??


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## A4 1.8 Turbo (Feb 28, 2005)

*Re: TT alignment specs...rear toe...after 4 adj control arm install... (jason bouchard)*

i see camber adjusters scribbled on the sheet!! is that their reccomendation to you to buy some?


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## 8valvesofFURY (Dec 31, 2006)

go to a different place..


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## JohnLZ7W (Nov 23, 2003)

*Re: TT alignment specs...rear toe...after 4 adj control arm install... (RabbitGTDguy)*

Did they actually align it? That's so far off I thought it was a "before" sheet.


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## DurTTy (Aug 14, 2007)

adjustable control arms have no toe adjustment. (the 4 which go from the diff mount to the rear hub) 
the toe adjsutment is on the the top part of the rear control arm that bolts to the sub frame. (rear trailing arm) tehre is a 4 bolt ajustment with a bushing inside and a swivel. 
a VAG tool is recomended... but any1 with experience with audi/4motion etc wil be able to adjust those for you. 
i looked everywhere here for any1 who knew how to adjust toe aside from the dealer and ended up just going to dealer for alignment s from now on. 
good luck .


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## A4 1.8 Turbo (Feb 28, 2005)

*Re: (DurTTy)*


_Quote, originally posted by *DurTTy* »_
i looked everywhere here for any1 who knew how to adjust toe aside from the dealer and ended up just going to dealer for alignment s from now on. 
good luck . 

+1


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## Neb (Jan 25, 2005)

*Re: TT alignment specs...rear toe...after 4 adj control arm install... (JohnLZ7W)*


_Quote, originally posted by *JohnLZ7W* »_Did they actually align it? That's so far off I thought it was a "before" sheet.

x2. That's a terrible alignment.
for reference my car is lowered all the way to the bottom on the H&R coils. I purposely asked for -3 camber in the rear and aside from that everything was in spec. There's no reason yours should look like that ^^


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## JohnLZ7W (Nov 23, 2003)

*Re: (DurTTy)*

You can adjust toe with the control arms if both the upper and lower arms have adjustment. If you adjust them both in or out it will change the toe. If you adjust one or the other, or adjust in opposite directions it will change camber (and the toe also).


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## RabbitGTDguy (Jul 9, 2002)

*Re: (JohnLZ7W)*

_*TT Forum is very quiet over here...solved this problem a week ago...but here goes my post from QW *_
Well...today was another day. Pretty happy with the results given the car being at stock ride height at the moment and in "winter mode". 
Really shows the difference experienced professionals can make vs. just relying on a machine. The guy that put the car on the rack today was pretty seasoned, having worked on a lot of the high end stuff that comes into the shop. Left me wondering where in the hell he was the other day! Oh well, was a holiday...probably rushed, etc. but here goes...
First attempt the other day...








Yeah...not good...
1st attempt today in putting the car back on the machine and making minor adjustments...








and the FINAL result...looking so much better (and feeling much better on the road...)








Told them when I brought it back yesterday that I didn't mean to be a pain...but I know how my car feels and what it should feel like compared to even the specs they printed and something was def. wrong. Like I said before. Ended up talking to two shop techs and the main rack guy and they assured me they'd "get it right"! 
Joe


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## A4 1.8 Turbo (Feb 28, 2005)

nice looks much better on the third time around!!!!


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## jason bouchard (Aug 25, 2005)

*Re: (A4 1.8 Turbo)*

So those specs on the 3rd time around are the stock alignment settings?
i have a completely stock one that i havent brought out for an alignment yet (ive owned and drove it hard for 2 years)


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## RabbitGTDguy (Jul 9, 2002)

*Re: (jason bouchard)*

yes...close to stock...I set my PSS9's close to stock ride height for winter...
Joe


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## TT_Power (Apr 5, 2006)

I just raised my TT back up for the winter. I recently installed adjustable rear control arms (neuspeed). The only number that really concerns me is the rear camber shows as 0.4° on the left and 0.5° on the right. It this okay? Shouldn't it be a negative number? Thanks for the feedback!


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## PLAYED TT (Oct 17, 2010)

Wow that looks much better now:thumbup:


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## M this 1! (May 17, 2000)

yes, you should be in negative camber in rear. -1.5 to -1.8. -1.8 is factory, -1.5 handles more aggressively and will break free easier. tire wear is flat in rear at -1.5 as well.


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## EuroStyle (Jun 24, 2000)

That rear toe seems very high....I don't have it in front of me, but I kinda remember the stock setting for rear toe should be pretty close to "0". I had quite the saga when we bought ours, first shop said it wasn't adjustable, even after I showed them the Bently manual with instructions....the dealer we tried next used the VAG "tool" and it made it worse. Finally found an indie Porsche shop by me that said you don't pay untill we hit the numbers you give us. Not only did they get ours well within spec, you could also feel the car being so much more solid in rain and snow when the rear toe is down low were it should be. Of course, this is all on stock suspension.....and maybe you don't plan on driving in snow, but you should do some research into your rear toe...


Sean


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## rastta (Feb 22, 1999)

Rear toe should be no more than 1/16" OUT as the car toes in as the suspension compresses in the rear. 

Personally - I would go with more front camber - as much as you can get even on both sides and less rear camber. The what it is set up now - it's setup to understeer. I run no more than -1.5 in the rear and currently at about -1.4 or so in front after removing my camber plates.

In the front i'd run 0 toe or even 1/32" toe IN - it helps with keeping the car tracking straight and limits the amount of inner tire wear. Toe OUT in the front will assist in turn in - but will increase tire wear as well. It will also make the car feel a bit loose when cruising down the freeway.

I've run probably 25 different alignment configurations on my TT - both set for the street as well as on the track. The car NEEDS more front camber and less rear.


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## madmax199 (Oct 28, 2009)

Not to be argumentative, but I would advise against running any kind of toe out in the rear regardless of toe gains on compression. That makes for a car twitchy car that would be a handful at throttle lift and in the rain, and if the driver is not very experienced it could lead to trouble. On a street car 0 toe is as far I would dare push it in the rear and 1/32th of toe in is advisable and makes the car stable and enjoyable.

I totally agree with Joe's camber suggestions.


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## rastta (Feb 22, 1999)

madmax199 said:


> Not to be argumentative, but I would advise against running any kind of toe out in the rear regardless of toe gains on compression. That makes for a car twitchy car that would be a handful at throttle lift and in the rain, and if the driver is not very experienced it could lead to trouble. On a street car 0 toe is as far I would dare push it in the rear and 1/32th of toe in is advisable and makes the car stable and enjoyable.
> 
> I totally agree with Joe's camber suggestions.


I agree - that is why I said no more than 1/16th out and I ran 1/32" toe in on the rear. When I was running lower front camber - I ran a bit of toe in - but when I ran -2.5 I ran 1/32" out.


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