[Apex_Missing_Ape]

I ask because I need an alignment again after 5 track days and about 4,000 miles. I'm not shy of the curbing on the tracks so I go over them with some speed and I'm guessing that's what is eventually knocking it out of alignment. The roads I drive on off of the track are generally pretty smooth.

What's everyone else's experience?

[Destroyer_1LE]

Typically they will last a couple track days depending on your driving style. I know people that get an alignment ever event. They will have different alignment spec's for what tire/ wheel setup they will be running to what track they will be at. I tend to get an alignment after 2-3 events and will make adjustment for what track I will be at and to change how it will handle. I also know people that haven't changed their alignment since they bought the car.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Apex_Missing_Ape

I ask because I need an alignment again after 5 track days and about 4,000 miles. I'm not shy of the curbing on the tracks so I go over them with some speed and I'm guessing that's what is eventually knocking it out of alignment. The roads I drive on off of the track are generally pretty smooth.

Have you marked the locations of the strut to knuckle fasteners so you can detect if slippage is occurring there? Or inspected those areas for witness marks indicating slippage? Reason I'm asking is because if it isn't a case of adjustment bolts slipping, you've probably bent something.


Norm

[NickyRacerBoy]

yeah not long here either!

[Ryephile]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Have you marked the locations of the strut to knuckle fasteners so you can detect if slippage is occurring there? Or inspected those areas for witness marks indicating slippage? Reason I'm asking is because if it isn't a case of adjustment bolts slipping, you've probably bent something.


Norm

Agreed. On the OP's car, an SS 1LE, the only components that could cause alignment shift are slipped adjusters or somehow stuck rear subframe bushings [which are spoked rubber]. Otherwise, yes something got bent from banging curbs harder than they should've. Some cars need their alignment eccentrics torqued higher than spec to hold [e.g. Miata is a common example], however I haven't found the Alpha platform to be one of those cases.

Marking the adjusters is smart and fairly common with competent mechanics.

I put my car on the alignment rack after a whole season of tracking and through a classic salty Michigan winter and the alignment hadn't moved at all.

[Mountain]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Agreed. On the OP's car, an SS 1LE, the only components that could cause alignment shift are slipped adjusters or somehow stuck rear subframe bushings [which are spoked rubber]. Otherwise, yes something got bent from banging curbs harder than they should've. Some cars need their alignment eccentrics torqued higher than spec to hold [e.g. Miata is a common example], however I haven't found the Alpha platform to be one of those cases.

Marking the adjusters is smart and fairly common with competent mechanics.

I put my car on the alignment rack after a whole season of tracking and through a classic salty Michigan winter and the alignment hadn't moved at all.

Making alignment marks with a paint pen or whiteout is very helpful in pre- and post-track inspection. I’ve done this with all my bolts.

I haven’t noticed any change on my car, either, once everything is set and torqued properly. The only thing I’ve seen change was my passenger front camber after nailing the curbing at one track hard with the passenger front - all bolts and attached links didn’t move and nothing was bent; driver side didn’t change. I figure it must have been a bushing that slightly got... “adjusted”. Camber change was like 0.3 degrees.

[driven2exceSS]

I do not have the ability to secure the car in my trailer using the over the tire method, and have been criss crossing with through the wheel ratchet straps F&R. I need to make some said marks and pay closer attention to see if I'm causing any changes. Ignorance is blind, not sure knowing will be good for me, unless it is not actually causing changes. I will not be back on an alignment rack till the Vorshlags eventually come my way.

[cdrptrks]

There are 4 rear bolts that are torque to yield that should be replaced every time the rear alignment is changed per Chevy service procedures but most shops/dealerships won't do this. If your rear alignment keeps changing after being set, reuse of these bolts could be the cause.

I don't have enough miles to bother with checking how my track alignment with new rear bolts has held up yet but the car still tracks straight.

[MatthewAMEL]

3x's per year on my car.


Main culprit for me is Sebring.

[Tim202]

My little experience says it depends on track & driving style. My first track day with the car was at the high speed roval at Auto Club Speedway. I did a lot of curbing there. When I had the alignment checked the next week, it was out enough for me to have them put it back.

My next track day was at the slower Chuckwalla track. I was curbing there too, but when I had the alignment checked it wasn't off at all.

So maybe the faster the track, the more out of alignment you could be?

[Pollock]

Mine lasted 3 track days. To be honest it was probably out on the second. I hit the curbs and mowed the grass a few times. My steering wheel even got crooked. My camber was okay just messed up the front and rear toe.

[rickybobby]

Well my alignment survived trackdays, but somehow is now knocked out from street driving. This is going to be expensive if I have to get her aligned multiple times a year.

[rlarsen462]

Reused TTY bolts, dropped wheel over the back of a curb ripping off front rubber aero pieces under the splitter and crushing the aluminum shear plate/brace.

Had it thrown on the rack today and all that moved was the rear toe slightly.

[Apex_Missing_Ape]

Turns out nothing was bent - apparently the track at Barber MSP is just hell on it. It's good to see that the ones that have had a few off-track excursions haven't broken anything too. This puts my mind at ease a bit. I'd much rather pay for alignments than replace fragile suspension parts.