Driving after lift and before alignment???

[Evan B]

How twitchy is the steering on a 4th gen after a 3" lift is installed on the front without having an alignment done? A friend of mine has offered the use of his heated garage to install my lift but he lives a 2 hour drive away.

Is it fairly dangerous to drive highway speeds before the alignment or should I be okay as long as I don't fall asleep at the wheel?

 

[superman3043]

After my 2.5" spacer lift, I didn't really notice any difference in the way it drove even though the alignment was out.

After my coilovers, it felt crazy loose and all over the place. I didn't feel like it was dangerous, but it was definitely different and I knew I needed to address it as soon as possible.

I'd just exercise caution, know that your tires might be paying a toll for you being out of alignment and get it done as soon as you can.

Hope that helps.

 

[sonerick]

Depends on how you install the lift. If you remove the 2 bolts separating the spindle from the LCA (and leave the eccentric bolts, tie rods, etc. untouched) and use a pry bar to push the LCA down, the alignment shouldn't be out too badly.

If you end up loosening the eccentric bolts on the LCA for more wiggle room, you should be fine as long as you mark their position beforehand and try to return them to the same position afterwards.

If you end up pulling the tie rod off, might be a different story.

FWIW, I drove to and from work for about a week before getting an alignment when I installed my lift (about an hr on the highway each way). It didn't handle the best, but it was good enough, esp. considering I was replacing the tires.

 

[Beertinted]

I just did my 3" OME lift and avoided highways until I got my alignment. It was twitchy as hell and didn't feel safe. One front tire would become 'dominant' and the runner would start pulling left, I'd correct, then the other front tire would be dominant and it'd pull to the right.
We didn't even try eyeballing the alignment though, so maybe if you put a little effort into it you could get close enough to get it home. I'd still do 55 in the slow lane, but I'm a little over-cautious.

 

[wnelax04sr5]

like superman, after my 3 inch spacer lift i had to drive it for 3 days before an alignment, and had to go on the highway once. while there was a noticeable pull to the left, it wasnt enough that i was serious concerned about controlling the vehicle. pay attention when you drive after the install and you should be fine

 

[murderface]

Just go get an alignment before driving home to be safe

 

[Evan B]

Thanks for all the input. He lives on a farm that's about 170 miles from the city so getting an alignment done before the drive home is not an option. I'll keep an eye on the alignment during the install and try not to mess it up too much. Sounds like it will be fine.

 

[Sungod]

If you are going to be replacing you tires, then it isn't a bad idea. You really should put a few miles on first to let things settle in.

 

[gaterose]

...be safe

Wouldn't have expected that advice based on your name...

 

[murderface]

Thanks for all the input. He lives on a farm that's about 170 miles from the city so getting an alignment done before the drive home is not an option. I'll keep an eye on the alignment during the install and try not to mess it up too much. Sounds like it will be fine.

You could always DIY
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