Hey guys. I just ordered some F&F type 2's for my 2013 Fit sport. I wanted to install them myself because I honestly don't trust a normal shop to do the install correctly, and I want to set the height myself.

My question is, once I install them and lower it (dump it), will the toe be off so much that it will be immobile? When I did a damper install on my 02 RSX, the toe was so off that I was unable to drive it for the alignment. I know the Fit has the same McPherson style strut so I didn't know if I would run into the same issue after I lower the Fit.

Thanks in advance for the information!

 

Short answer NO. The only problem you may have if you run it for a long time without an alignment is tire wear.

There are ways to check for basic alignment using string and tape measures try searching the net for something like DIY front end alignment, or front end alignment using string and you should get some ideas.

Doing it that way should get you right in the ballpark.

 

You will need to align it after it's lowered. The lower the car goes, the more the toe's go out in the front. If it's significantly lower than stock, the toe's will be way off and will tear up the tires. Took me a couple of days before my tires had bad wear. Since I have airbags, the toe out is visible when the car is fully air'd out. You can do what loudbang says and use the string method to get you to where you need to go.

 

just get an alignment. It should only cost you about $75 and it's a helluva lot cheaper than a pair of tires

 

I planned on getting an alignment the same day or day after the install. I just wanted to make sure I would be able to drive it to the shop where I am going to have it aligned. Like I said with my RSX it was not mobile after I lowered it, so I just wanted to make sure that would not be the case with the Fit.

 

If your within 10-15 min drive of your alignment shop, you will be fine. Tire wear is the only real worry on the Fit.

You should pickup at least one set of camber bolts and throw them in the lower hole to get some negative camber in the front.

If you daily drive the car, -1.5 camber and 0 toe in the front will not only look and handle better, but will add some fender clearance AND decrease tire wear As mentioned above, the toe is what will eat your tires, setting the front to 0 is all you can do on a GE as the rear is non adjustable

 

already ahead of the game. I ordered the camber bolts the same day as the suspension And don't they make a shim kit for the rear that will allow it to be aligned as well? Would that be worth my money?

 

Sweet! you won't regret it

As far as I know, the rear stub axle is WELDED in place on the GE Fit's. ALL the adjustments for toe and camber on my GD require the stub axle to be un bolted and shimmed.... If some one tells you they CAN adjust the rear, get PROOF and a print out, then find out how for other inquiring minds...

 

I didnt get an alignment after dropping 2 and 1.5 F and R

Tires are wearing fine, but then I rotate them every 3-5k miles

I may take it to a shop after Im confident the springs are 100% settled (hasnt been 1k miles) and have them rack it up and see what my numbers are at. Homie connection means $20 if it needs it lol

 

^ If you don't install camber bolts and take your time on an install, especially if you only do springs, then you will EASILY stay within a few % of spec.

If you start playing with extremes of height or adding camber...

Honestly, Lowering Springs for the GE really should not "settle." The coil over springs on the new to me coils I just got with 30K+ miles and corrosion from SF weather had some sag, but that is a different story!

I used to get my alignments done for a 12 pack Not so much anymore with all the competition racing

 

I never did end up aligning my car after I installed springs ~40k miles ago. Tires wear to their advertised mileage, no weird tire wear, car tracks straight. I rotate every oil change. None of the springs for GE go low enough to throw anything off much.

Have been waiting for decent performance oriented shocks to come out to install, do camber bolts and align it. Stock shocks are surprisingly tough I will say.

 

^ Fingers crossed for a Koni Orange STR.T option ASAP

Dodge, Mustang and 8th gen Civic guy's seem to LOVE them... Like a step between OEM and Yellow's. Should be a DEAD ON match for fit owners with just springs.

Seems these "Orange's" are roughly fixed same as Yellow's at full soft setting... so Swift springs or GC sleeves, Orange's up front, and some single adjust mono tubes from Redshift out back.... Sounds like an AutoX winning reciepe to me

 

Yes, I am banking on that happening at least by the end of the year. Very excited and a good move for Koni IMO.

Oh I just saw the OP had coilovers and plans to dump it... yeah i'd get it aligned ASAP. You can ballpark toe with a tape measure and just use common points on the tires front and rear (of the front tires) to adjust it. It will not be exact but enough to get you around until you can get into a shop.

 

We have totally done the 2 tape measure's, chalk and a 2x4 in the parking lot before an AutoX on my friends CRX Not advised for a competition vehicle but it was better than where it started!

 

Appreciate the advice guys. I'm probably going to get the Honda dealer to do my alignment because I work at a body shop and we take cars there all the time so I will get a discount. On top of that, our shop is about a mile away so I'm going to put the Fit on our lift to install the coilovers and then limp over to the dealer for an alignment. Fingers crossed it will get on their rack after I lower it

 

Hey guys, I have one more quick question. I figured I would try posting in this thread first to see if I get any response before clouding up the forum with a new thread.

my coilovers arrived yesterday and they came with adjustable end links. My question is, will they adjust these for me when I have it aligned? I have never adjusted an end link before in my life lol so I am definitely clueless on how to go about that. If it's not a hard job, I don't mind doing it myself. I have searched to see what info I could come up with on adjusting them and nothing has been very helpful so far. If anyone has a link they could share or some insight, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys

 

usually the end links are adjusted by you. they do not mess with the alignment, but the positioning of the sway bar. normally make it as short as possible if you go really low. if not, start there and if you hear noise, then lengthen it until the noise is gone. noise is usually heard when hitting a bump.