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Registered Users
Laser alignment question
Is the laser alignment something that lasts or do you need to redo it every time you hit a bump?
2014 Spyder ST-Limited - "Sally Ryde"
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Very Active Member
I think it has to do with hitting bumps. Your results may vary.
That said, We have about 5,000 miles on our last laser alignments and both track like on rails still. We have hit a couple easy potholes--but nothing major.
Currently Owned: 2019 F3 Limited, 2020 F3 Limited: SOLD BOTH LIMITEDS in October of 2023.
Previously : 2008 GS-SM5 (silver), 2009 RS-SE5 (red), 2010 RT-S Premier Editon #474 (black) 2011 RT A&C SE5 (magnesium) 2014 RTS-SE6 (yellow)
MY FINAL TALLY: 7 Spyders, 15 years, 205,500 miles
IT HAS BEEN A LONG, WONDERFUL, AND FUN RIDE.
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Very Active Member
Well..!!
nothing lasts forever...you do need to hit some knarrly (hitting curbs more likely) potholes to knock it out but happens. I would have it done with every rear tire change seeing as that is the referrence.
Gene and Ilana De Laney
Mt. Helix, California
2012 RS sm5
2012 RS sm5 , 998cc V-Twin 106hp DIY brake and park brake Classic Black
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SpyderLovers Sponsor
Originally Posted by Cognac
Is the laser alignment something that lasts or do you need to redo it every time you hit a bump?
Depends on the size of the bump!
Shop Ph: 423-609-7588 (M-F, 8-5, Eastern Time)
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Very Active Member
More likely to need redoing when suspension work like tie rods or ball joints are replaced. You would have to hit something hard enough to bend a componet in the suspension. Pretty darn hard. Or if you notice it pulling to one side, or tires wearing oddly.
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Very Active Member
Do I need to have laser alignment on brand new F3-S before dealer delivers to me?
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Darren111
Do I need to have laser alignment on brand new F3-S before dealer delivers to me?
If you do you should make the dealer pay for it
Tony From Los Angeles
Current
2015 Spyder RT
2012 Yamaha FZ6R
Previous
2008 Premier GS #588
2005 Suzuki C50
2007 Susuki S40
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Darren we have done over 450 alignments and only a handful did not need adjustment. I rechecked my Spyder after 40,000 miles and a trip on the Alaska Highway and it was still in spec.
2017 F3T-SM6 Squared Away Mirror Wedgies & Alignment
2014 RTS-SM6 123,600 miles Sold 11/2017
2014 RTL-SE6 8,600 miles
2011 RTS-SM5 5,000 miles
2013 RTS-SM5 burned up with 13,200 miles in 13 weeks
2010 RTS-SM5 59,148 miles
2010 RT- 622
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Very Active Member
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Originally Posted by latony007
If you do you should make the dealer pay for it
Dealer? Or BRP?
Question: Does such alignment correct the dealer's set-up work? Or the original factory set-up?
Y'know, when ya buy a brand-new 4-wheel cage or truck, the alignment is already perfect and no extra $ need to be spent right out of the delivery door. Why is that not true on a ~$30K Spyder?
Alignment service is properly known as re-alignment, after you have inadvertently compromised the original alignment - right?
NEW - 2015 RT Limited SE6 Intense Red Pearl - 07/21/15
Retained the old mirrors with TricLed Signals
General Altimax RT43 rear tire (at...17,000 miles) Ran for 36,500 miles
Michelin Defender.......rear tire (at...53,500 miles) Ran for 60,700 miles
Riken Raptor HR.........rear tire (at 114,200 miles)
Vredestein Quatrac 5 front tires (at 70,500 miles, first new fronts!)
Gear Brake Decelerometer Module
OLD - 2012 RT Limited SE5 Pearl White - 01/31/13 - Traded in at 32,600 miles.
BajaRon Anti-sway Bar
Kumho ECSTA AST rear tire (at 14,200 miles)
TricLed Turn Signals in Mirrors
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by missouriboy
Dealer? Or BRP?
Question: Does such alignment correct the dealer's set-up work? Or the original factory set-up?
Y'know, when ya buy a brand-new 4-wheel cage or truck, the alignment is already perfect and no extra $ need to be spent right out of the delivery door. Why is that not true on a ~$30K Spyder?
Alignment service is properly known as re-alignment, after you have inadvertently compromised the original alignment - right?
Many dealers look at alignment as a "factory done" thing on new vehicles. Add to that, some dealers that just "check the boxes" on the set up sheet and do nothing other than put on the wheels.
It seems to now be a proven fact, that factory set up does not a perfect alignment make. How customer oriented a particular dealer is, then is the next step.
This is why we occasionally (not as much lately), hear how the Spyder just purchased drives like a POS right out of the box.
Last edited by ARtraveler; 10-14-2015 at 01:36 PM.
Currently Owned: 2019 F3 Limited, 2020 F3 Limited: SOLD BOTH LIMITEDS in October of 2023.
Previously : 2008 GS-SM5 (silver), 2009 RS-SE5 (red), 2010 RT-S Premier Editon #474 (black) 2011 RT A&C SE5 (magnesium) 2014 RTS-SE6 (yellow)
MY FINAL TALLY: 7 Spyders, 15 years, 205,500 miles
IT HAS BEEN A LONG, WONDERFUL, AND FUN RIDE.
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Registered Users
Is checking the belt tension important to the laser alignment?
2014 Spyder ST-Limited - "Sally Ryde"
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making the dealer pay.........
Originally Posted by latony007
If you do you should make the dealer pay for it
't
Make him a bet: If he checks it for you and it doesn't need alignment, then you pay a small sum for his time. If it needs alignment, then he does it for free. Why in heck should you have to accept something BRP didn't catch in quality control???
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by Cognac
Is checking the belt tension important to the laser alignment?
Not really. The belt needs to be running correctly, IE straight and just off the inside flange. But the tension is not critical for the alignment.
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ALIGNMENT
I live in Louisiana and looking for a place to have mine aligned. Does anyone know of a place near me?? Thanks in advance
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by DakotaRae
I live in Louisiana and looking for a place to have mine aligned. Does anyone know of a place near me?? Thanks in advance
Laser alignment is available in Houston.
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Very Active Member
Originally Posted by DakotaRae
I live in Louisiana and looking for a place to have mine aligned. Does anyone know of a place near me?? Thanks in advance
If either of the AL dealers is within reasonble riding distance it would be well worth the trip and you'd see the difference immediately on way home.
http://www.spydercomfort.com/dealeral.htm
Artillery lends dignity to what would
otherwise be a vulgar brawl.
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Cognac 2014 RT-S
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I don't understand how the rear tire has anything to do with the front tire alignment as it only does the toe in and toe out??
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Registered Users
Originally Posted by MrBones
I don't understand how the rear tire has anything to do with the front tire alignment as it only does the toe in and toe out??
The laser alignment aligns the front wheels to the rear wheel rather than the frame.
Clifford Fargason
2013 Spyder RTL
2007 Royal Star Venture
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Very Active Member
Doing my homework
Firstly I would like to thank Cognac for this thread. I have found the thread helpful and useful.
For me as a newbie it was about doing my homework too in addition to reading responses to the laser alignment question.
Part of my homework was to ring supplying dealer for F3-S and ask the question "Do I need to have laser alignment done on my brand new F3-S before it's being delivered to me? The answer was "No", because laser alignment is carried out on their PDI (Pre delivery inspection) and there is no additional cost to me.
My next question was "Do you have your own laser alignment, if not who did laser alignment?"
They don't have their own laser alignment equipment but they said a company called Apex based in Peterborough carried out the laser alignment of my F3 and there was no negative problems to report.
The final part of my homework was to ring Apex and confirm they did a laser alignment on my F3 and to find out about associated costs of having laser alignment done if needed in the future.
Apex confirmed they did laser alignment for my F3. If camber and tracking needs doing in the future it will cost £40.00 (that's cheap) and if only the tracking needs doing it will cost £20.00.
If nothing needs doing, they won't touch it.
My homework is now completed and answers in my head have been answered.
Finally I would just like to thank you again Cognac for a thread that has answered my question on laser alignment
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Caster and camber are fixed, no adjustment, on the Spyder front ends. The only adjustment is toe-in/out.
The belt position on the pulleys is quite sensitive to adjustment. I would make sure the belt is properly adjusted for the first alignment. As long as the same belt remains aligned, the wheel alignment shouldn't be impacted, even if the rear tire has been changed.
One of the things that affects toe-in is the ride-level of the suspension. According to Mike Loescher, the relationship of the suspension components allows for variable toe-in/out as the suspension ranges through its motion limits. If I remember correctly, compressing the front suspension drives more toe-out into the system. A 50th percentile male ryder will have a different compressed dimension than no weight or a two-up 75th percentile ryder pair. I suspect the wheel alignment folks take that into consideration when setting the alignment.
Wayne
pauly1 - SpyderDeb's 'wrench'
2018 F3-T & 2015 F3-S Road Warrior Foundation Tribute customs
IBA #48220 SS1000 BB1500
2015 F3-S , OEM na Basic Black with Custom Wrap
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no extras
I now have 2500 miles on my 2012 RT-S(bought it new in Nov 2014), the last 900 miles were hard ones in the mountains of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. It took me a little while to adapt to the Y setup, but I now find I can keep up with my friends on two wheels, even in the twisties in the mountains. However, it is critical to keep the RPMs up in the 5-7k range which really hits the mileage. But I digress.........I have felt no need to do an alignment or add aftermarket sway bars or other "extras". I did have my dealer install the intake vents that were part of the 13 recall on BRPs dime which has helped with heat issues, but aside from that I haven't done a thing. I know folks like to fine tune their Spyders to fit their personal taste and personality but I wanted to provide my perspective to potential new owners that the Spyder is good right off the showroom floor and they shouldn't worry about having to spend any money to enjoy the ryde, I would rather spend my money on gas and hotel rooms!
Last edited by desertryder; 10-16-2015 at 12:03 AM.
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Registered Users
Originally Posted by desertryder
...that the Spyder is good right off the showroom floor and they shouldn't worry about having to spend any money to enjoy the ryde, I would rather spend my money on gas and hotel rooms!
Have you checked to ensure that your Spyder tracks straight without rider input? In other words, can you lift your hands slightly off the handlebars on a straight no crown road and have it continue without pulling to either side? The great majority of Spyders will not do that right out of the box. Some dealers are doing laser alignments as part of the dealer set-up. Yours may have been one of them.
Clifford Fargason
2013 Spyder RTL
2007 Royal Star Venture
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track
Originally Posted by Gray Ghost
Have you checked to ensure that your Spyder tracks straight without rider input? In other words, can you lift your hands slightly off the handlebars on a straight no crown road and have it continue without pulling to either side? The great majority of Spyders will not do that right out of the box. Some dealers are doing laser alignments as part of the dealer set-up. Yours may have been one of them.
Dealer did not do an alignment and it does track perfectly straight, no abnormal tire wear evident either. Aside from the poor mileage, especially when ridden hard I have been very happy with the RT-S.
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