Hi all,

I've typically always taken the Evo to motorsport shops for alignment, but being only a few days from xmas, and that I want to install new coilovers ahead of my two-day track event this weekend, I'll likely only be able to find a "regular" auto shop open to do the alignment. Is there anything special about the Evo alignment that a basic shop guy (e.g. Pepboys, Americas Tires, etc) couldn't figure out? I'll be fitting the coilovers myself and eyeballing the alignment to get it to the shop, but I need to get some precise calibration done before the weekend.

Thanks!

S.

 

Precise calibration is not what you are going to get at a run of the mill shop.

 

If they have an experienced alignment guy that understands coilovers, he will be able to set you up providing you give him the alignment specs

I would trust the machines that are used by most Pepboys or similar high volume shops. Im sure they are up to date & properly calibrated (ask the manager the last time they calibrated)

 

Yea, but I don't think I'll find a specialist on Christmas Eve... As long as their computers say it's right.. I'll be calibrating the height, etc, myself - just need the toe/camber/caster set right, which should be coilover-independent...

Thanks - that's what I thought, but wasn't sure if there was anything Evo-specific that might throw one of these regular shops off..

Thanks guys!

S.

 

What's the handling of the lotus like compared to the Evo?

 

Very different characteristics...

Lotus is like a go-kart - you can feel everything, steering feedback is precise and very talkative, and it's super light - you can manhandle it around the corners and it responds instantly. It's mid-engined and rear-drive, so pivots better too.

Evo on the other hand defies physics... The AWD traction, the computer assistance, etc (which can't be turned off), helps immensely, giving a lot of confidence - but it does "feel" much heavier than the Lotus, and less track focused.

The Lotus needs a lot more skill to get around a track quickly, but stock Evo vs stock Lotus, the Lotus would be quicker (Top Gear shows the Elise at 1:28.2 and the Evo 8MR at 1:28.9 - and the Top Gear track isn't that technical, with a lot of long straights benefiting higher horsepower/torque cars).

My only real criticism of the Lotus is the slow straight line speed. The Exige helps with that (supercharged), and you can add power to the Elise too - just not as easily as you can to the Evo, of course! Once you add a couple hundred more HP to the Evo, its shear brute force is going to make it faster, and with the right suspension components, it will handle closer to the Lotus, but the size, weight, shape and engine/AWD layout of the Evo will never let it handle quite as crisply as the Lotus on a tarmac technical road track.

Thanks!

S.

 

EVO suspension is fairly basic. McPherson up front & a multi-link in the rear. Nothing too complicated.
A couple of years ago I was aligned by a Pro EVO race shop. They align the old fashion way using gauges & stings. After checking their alignment w/the new Hunter equip found at Firestone, the front toe was way way off