Alignment issue & where to go?

[unclemikeys2001]

2 part question....... 1.. I just replaced the lower ball joints & strut inserts on my 83 944 na. Also new rotors & calipers. Well as imagined my alignment is now off. I dont know of any qualified mechanics to take it in for an alignment & dont want to go somewhere that isnt famalier with these cars. Im in the western Chicago suburbs (30 miles out) & dont want to travel too far. Anyone have any recomendations other than taking it to a Porsche dealer? ....2.. I lined everything up as good as possible to original when replacing the struts but aside from needing an alignment theres definately something not so right now. The steering kinda grabs/sticks when turning the wheel now. Kinda feels like something is binding up up cant figure it out. With the hood open & turning the wheels hard right & back hard left I can see the strut tower turning with the wheels. Didnt notice if this was normal before the replacement or not, if not what did I do wrong? ....Thanks in advance to all you who have helped me so much in the past.

[exitwound]

Not sure about the hardware issues. But I will tell you that there's very little in the 944 that's absurd in the steering mechanisms. Any competent shop should be able to align it without issue. For once, Porsche didn't make the steering mechanisms overly complicated. Standard alignment machines *should* be able to accomodate the 944 line.

[John_AZ]

Most shops will decline because of Porsche badge. If the shop does it, usually only the front because they do not have the rear "toe-in camber tool".

PEL-TOL-P221 Rear Suspension Toe-In Adjuster, 911 944 924 All $28.00

Call around to the major shops, Firestone and independent Porsche shops.

If you want to do it yourself----
http://www.oz951.com/public/alignment.htm

GL
John_AZ
1988 924S + 1987 924S

[flash968]

there is a lot more to a proper alignment on these cars than most shops are aware of - most just want to do a toe set, charge you 75 bucks and send you on our way - a proper alignment on these cars takes a good 2 hours, and will run about $200

i'm not sure about the 83 segment, but for the rest of the series:

the front has caster, camber, and toe

the rear has camber and toe, as well as ride height adjustment

there is also thrust angle

there are special tools required to do the job - a thin 36mm, 24mm, and a P221 tool for starters

also, the machine needs to be able to read in tenths of a degree, not fractions

when you do your alignment, go there with about a half tank of gas, tires properly inflated, the car loaded as it is normally driven, and if they won't let you sit in it, the equivalent of your weight in the driver seat