SPL - F8X Full Suite

[x.shell]

Just got the rest of my SPL arms in.

Here are some moody photos for the nerds.

[SYT_Shadow]

Very cool, thanks for posting! Do they tell you which lengths to start at? Can you get the car aligned at a regular place that can do a stock F8X?

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Very cool, thanks for posting! Do they tell you which lengths to start at? Can you get the car aligned at a regular place that can do a stock F8X?

I would start at the eye-to-eye lengths of the stock parts for the non-adjustable links, and point-to-point from chassis to knuckle for the adjustable ones.

Any competent alignment shop should have an easier time aligning the car with these links vs. stock.

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Very cool, thanks for posting! Do they tell you which lengths to start at? Can you get the car aligned at a regular place that can do a stock F8X?

In terms of installation, you just adjust everything to your OEM lengths when you put them in. Then take it to an alignment shop asap. All of these parts are fairly easy to install, but my alignment guy said he can do the install for me -- that way I can avoid driving to him with wacked out alignment.

As far as doing an alignment goes.... Technically, you can align it yourself at home with string and basic tools so "any" alignment shop "can" do it. But keep in mind that when you take your stock F80 in for alignment at a basic shop, they are expecting to adjust the follwing: front toe (no caster, no camber), rear camber and toe (no caster). So that $100 to $150 you spend on a basic alignment will only cover those arms because those are the only adjustable things on a stock F80.

When you go full monty with these adjustable arms, it helps to know how all the arms on a multilink suspension work together. Basically, every time you adjust one arm, the others go out of alignment. The rear suspension having 5 links, you will drive yourself crazy trying to get it all lined up.

So to answer your question, "YES, anyone can do alignment even with basic tools" and "NO, I wouldn't take my car to get aligned by any alignment shop if you have this fully adjustable set up" and "YES, I would take it to a well known shop that has experience aligning track cars".

In case you're feeling brave, FCP Euro has a great at home alignment DIY on their YouTube channel. The video even shows how it can be done on a staggered-fitment car. Check it out.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by x.shell

So to answer your question, "YES, anyone can do alignment even with basic tools" and "NO, I wouldn't take my car to get aligned by any alignment shop if you have this fully adjustable set up" and "YES, I would take it to a well known shop that has experience aligning track cars".

Why I said "competent" alignment shop.

Anyone who has any business aligning customers' cars should have no issue adjusting all of the angles using any available adjustment on any given vehicle.

As long as you're not dropping it off to a beginner tech at a shady tire shop, you should be good.

I did my basic setup in my driveway with strings, and then brought the car to a competent alignment shop for proper alignment. In my case I had to schedule a week out, and the car is my daily driver, so the initial string alignment was critical.

[x.shell]

Welp. Change of plans — looks like I'm gonna have to install these on my own. I'll keep you all updated.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by x.shell

Welp. Change of plans — looks like I'm gonna have to install these on my own. I'll keep you all updated.

It's all pretty straightforward.

Make sure you get your lengths as close as you possibly can. measure all the stock stuff at ride height if possible, since the rubber will flex and change the lengths when fully drooped. You are dealing with less than 1mm of tolerance for the toe adjustment, so take your time and be precise.

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

You are dealing with less than 1mm of tolerance for the toe adjustment…

What does that mean?

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by x.shell

What does that mean?

It means that that when they're aligning the car, the 'green' zone (the range of adjustment that is considered within specification for any given angle in the alignment) is about 0.5mm wide.

example: The spec for rear total toe on this car (the distance between the leading edges of the rear wheels) is 0.27 degrees, and the tolerance is 0.20 degrees. That means that the total toe in the rear can be between 0.07 and 0.47 and still be within acceptable range. (In other words it's 0.27* +/- 0.20*)
On each side, if my caveman math is correct based on my wheel/tire sizes, that translates to about 0.5mm toe out.

If you're going to try to align it with a string, I recommend that you set all of the toe adjustments to 0.00 and let the alignment shop dial it in. That will make your life much easier.
If you're going to just try to get everything back to the same length, just measure everything very carefully and do your best to put it all back exactly where it was. That will require precise measurement/adjustment on your part.

It's not a huge deal if you're able to drive it straight to the alignment shop after you install the parts, but you don't want to be driving all over town with the toe totally out of whack. So if you're not able to get it straight in for alignment, be as precise as possible in maintaining the original length of all of the arms and adjustments.

[x.shell]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

It means that that when they're aligning the car, the 'green' zone (the range of adjustment that is considered within specification for any given angle in the alignment) is about 0.5mm wide.

example: The spec for rear total toe on this car (the distance between the leading edges of the rear wheels) is 0.27 degrees, and the tolerance is 0.20 degrees. That means that the total toe in the rear can be between 0.07 and 0.47 and still be within acceptable range. (In other words it's 0.27* +/- 0.20*)
On each side, if my caveman math is correct based on my wheel/tire sizes, that translates to about 0.5mm toe out.

If you're going to try to align it with a string, I recommend that you set all of the toe adjustments to 0.00 and let the alignment shop dial it in. That will make your life much easier.
If you're going to just try to get everything back to the same length, just measure everything very carefully and do your best to put it all back exactly where it was. That will require precise measurement/adjustment on your part.

It's not a huge deal if you're able to drive it straight to the alignment shop after you install the parts, but you don't want to be driving all over town with the toe totally out of whack. So if you're not able to get it straight in for alignment, be as precise as possible in maintaining the original length of all of the arms and adjustments.

I didn't know what your 1mm tolerance note was in relation to. I get it now. Thanks for the detailed response! I'm just gonna try to get it all lined up as close as possible to my needs with the string method. Then let the car sit until I can drive it over to the alignment shop.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by x.shell

I didn't know what your 1mm tolerance note was in relation to. I get it now. Thanks for the detailed response! I'm just gonna try to get it all lined up as close as possible to my needs with the string method. Then let the car sit until I can drive it over to the alignment shop.

No prob. Just shoot for zero on the toe and everything else the same length as stock.

I initially tried to get fancy with mine and the car was so scary to drive that I made it about a block before I took it home and drove my wife's car to work 😆
It takes surprisingly little to make the car behave completely differently.

[irunalot]

I have the full SPL setup and it took a three alignments from a good race to get it close to right. The rear is still not perfect in certain compression situations but its much better then the first alignment. The static alignment looked good om paper with each alignment but when driving it compression caused some odd toe issues in the rear.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by irunalot

I have the full SPL setup and it took a three alignments from a good race to get it close to right. The rear is still not perfect in certain compression situations but its much better then the first alignment. The static alignment looked good om paper with each alignment but when driving it compression caused some odd toe issues in the rear.

Maybe you're just picky 😋

It seems to me that setting everything non-adjustable to the same lengths as stock should prevent any weird behavior not attributable to the change in materials (bushings to rod ends)

Is there an engineer in the house who can explain why that might not be true?

[irunalot]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

Maybe you're just picky ��

It seems to me that setting everything non-adjustable to the same lengths as stock should prevent any weird behavior not attributable to the change in materials (bushings to rod ends)

Is there an engineer in the house who can explain why that might not be true?

I am very picky, no doubt about it

I did have a really annoying issue in the rear in which it would pull to the right under heavy compression when driving over uneven pavement such as a bridge. It turned out to be a rear toe issue.

Overall its a great upgrade, the cars feels 1000x sharper and more responsive. The handling is down right amazing after this upgrade.

How that I'm back in Miami, I have a suspension guru I can take the car to and get it properly sorted.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by irunalot

I am very picky, no doubt about it

I did have a really annoying issue in the rear in which it would pull to the right under heavy compression when driving over uneven pavement such as a bridge. It turned out to be a rear toe issue.

Overall its a great upgrade, the cars feels 1000x sharper and more responsive. The handling is down right amazing after this upgrade.

How that I'm back in Miami, I have a suspension guru I can take the car to and get it properly sorted.

The toe will make it do weird things for sure.

Shown below is my alignment sheet.
The top section is the 'before measurement and shows the results of my driveway string alignment, before they corrected it. I got the left rear toe to exactly zero, which I'm kinda proud of even though it's out of spec, because that's exactly what I was aiming for.
On the right I was out by 5/32", which is a shitload.
The car went perfectly straight with my adjustments unless it was really loaded up and squatting while accelerating, in which case it crab walked to the right a little.
It's surprising to think how such minute adjustment can affect the car's behavior so drastically, until you remember how those small increments are multiplied over distance as you drive.

[x.shell]

Alright! I'm finally done installing everything and doing my initial alignment. I got an appointment tomorrow at the alignment shop to get it properly aligned.

I took my time for my sanity's sake. The job is pretty straightforward — it's just a pita to get at some bolts.

The whole purpose in doing this install was to shorten the track width of my F80 so I can fit wider wheels/tires — and these SPL parts accomplished that for me. I'm really pleased with the outcome.

I'll keep you guys updated on how it drives and if there is any perceptible NVH that gets introduced.

Thanks to 1000hp for helping me figure out the rear traction arm.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by x.shell

Thanks to 1000hp for helping me figure out the rear traction arm.

No prob. Looking forward to hearing the final results.

[x.shell]

Took it for a test drive. It definitely needs a proper alignment.

My initial reaction is…. Everything feels so tight with no "play". No more wheel hop or chatter. It feels predictable and not sloppy with the factory bushings. Steering feels hydraulic now — so weird on an F80 but I like it.

[1000hp]

Originally Posted by x.shell

Took it for a test drive. It definitely needs a proper alignment.

My initial reaction is…. Everything feels so tight with no "play". No more wheel hop or chatter. It feels predictable and not sloppy with the factory bushings. Steering feels hydraulic now — so weird on an F80 but I like it.

I need to drive one of these setups. I'm curious how different it is from what I have now.

It will feel MUCH better when they align it. I wish I had timed it right so that it was aligned immediately after I did the work to get the real night and day difference back to back.

[rborane]

Originally Posted by 1000hp

I need to drive one of these setups. I'm curious how different it is from what I have now.

It will feel MUCH better when they align it. I wish I had timed it right so that it was aligned immediately after I did the work to get the real night and day difference back to back.

What setup do you have now?

[x.shell]

Okay. Alignment is done.

Ended up with: 7 degrees caster, -2.0 degrees of camber all the way around, zero toe front, 1/16th toe-in rear.

Apparently, my passenger side front fender sits lower by 1/16th of an inch.

On the rack.

[1000hp]

Nice car! How does it handle now?

Originally Posted by rborane

What setup do you have now?

ZCP front dampers
CS damping coding
Eibach "V2" springs
ZCP rear sway bar
Turner monoball front tension strut bushings
Fall Line rear toe and trailing links.


So as compared to x.shell's setup, I have stock arms/links except for the rear toe and trailing links, and front tension strut bushings.