ALIGNMENT TIME! WHAT I SHOULD SHOOT 4?
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 122
From: Illinois
ALIGNMENT TIME! WHAT I SHOULD SHOOT 4?
Need some help in deciding what I should shoot for in alignment. Not familiar but just installed a Steeda X2 balljoints and bumpsteer kit and now its time for the alignment. I have H&R springs, Tokico shocks and J&M caster/camber plates. What should I look to get. I would really like the car to corner better but not have to bad of effect on the tires. Not too worried about it tho.. Any suggestions? Also I have 17x10 with 285 in rear and 17x8 with 275 in front.
Thanks!
Thanks!
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 122
From: Illinois
hey trueblue when u say adjust ALL caster...is there a number? i want to be specific with the guy when i get it done. thanks not very familiar and the more specific i can be the better the outcome Thanks!
4th Gear Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 1,229
From:
I'm running -1.4 camber on my car, so far the inner tire wear is ok but I haven't had too too many miles on it like this. Depending on the tires you get they might hold up better too. A lot of the european cars have that automatic camber when you turn (I'm sure you've see it, when they turn and the wheels tilt) and they tend to eat up the inner edges of tires because of this.
Do some research and see which tires are better for this. Some manufactures design in hard outer edges to help with this issue, maybe go with a set of tires like that if it's a big issue. I think Conti's are one of them.
Do some research and see which tires are better for this. Some manufactures design in hard outer edges to help with this issue, maybe go with a set of tires like that if it's a big issue. I think Conti's are one of them.
4th Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,481
From: NC
OP,
You want the tech to adjust the caster until he runs out of travel on one side and then set the other side to match that. No number, just all that he can put in it. What number that turns out to be isn't critical, but you want all that your car is able to give you.
-1.5 degrees of camber will provide a decent balance between wear and handling, with a slight bias toward handling.
A tiny bit of static toe-in is desired because when your car is in motion the deflection of bushings will allow the wheels to move outward. The end result should be a dynamic position of near zero toe. This would be ideal for a DD set-up. You can improve the turn in on your car by running a little toe-out, but the result will be more tire wear and tramlining on crowned road surfaces. My opinion is that it is NOT worth the negative side effects for the small gain when you try to throw your car into a corner.
A decent alignment tech will ask you to sit in the driver's seat while he makes all the adjustments. This will take into account your weight upon the suspension.
Good luck!
You want the tech to adjust the caster until he runs out of travel on one side and then set the other side to match that. No number, just all that he can put in it. What number that turns out to be isn't critical, but you want all that your car is able to give you.
-1.5 degrees of camber will provide a decent balance between wear and handling, with a slight bias toward handling.
A tiny bit of static toe-in is desired because when your car is in motion the deflection of bushings will allow the wheels to move outward. The end result should be a dynamic position of near zero toe. This would be ideal for a DD set-up. You can improve the turn in on your car by running a little toe-out, but the result will be more tire wear and tramlining on crowned road surfaces. My opinion is that it is NOT worth the negative side effects for the small gain when you try to throw your car into a corner.
A decent alignment tech will ask you to sit in the driver's seat while he makes all the adjustments. This will take into account your weight upon the suspension.
Good luck!
TECH SAVANT
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,937
From: Saint Augustine, FL
^+10,
TrueBlue' has hit it all right on the money. The stock spec for camber is -0.75° +/- 0.50°; a range of -0.25° to -1.25°. At the low end (-0.25°) the car will plow through turns and feel like the tires are going to roll off the wheels--worse than a Chevy Caprice.
At the high-end (-1.25°), handling will be good and you'll be at the beginning of the tires' inner edge wearing faster than normal.
I was running -1.50° when still commuting 80 miles a day and it probably cost me 2500 miles of tire life on 20k mile tires (Falcon Azenis RT-615s). Now that I am retired I bumped it to -2.00° and the difference in cornering is an "in-your-face" improvement.
Also, make them let you sit in the car. Depending on how much you weigh it well alter the driver's side camber by as much as -0.50° to even -1.00°.
You want 5.0° or more caster. 5.0° to 6.0° (or more if you can get it) is best. At less than 4.0° positive camber will be added as the wheels are turned--this is not good...
TrueBlue' has hit it all right on the money. The stock spec for camber is -0.75° +/- 0.50°; a range of -0.25° to -1.25°. At the low end (-0.25°) the car will plow through turns and feel like the tires are going to roll off the wheels--worse than a Chevy Caprice.
At the high-end (-1.25°), handling will be good and you'll be at the beginning of the tires' inner edge wearing faster than normal.
I was running -1.50° when still commuting 80 miles a day and it probably cost me 2500 miles of tire life on 20k mile tires (Falcon Azenis RT-615s). Now that I am retired I bumped it to -2.00° and the difference in cornering is an "in-your-face" improvement.
Also, make them let you sit in the car. Depending on how much you weigh it well alter the driver's side camber by as much as -0.50° to even -1.00°.
You want 5.0° or more caster. 5.0° to 6.0° (or more if you can get it) is best. At less than 4.0° positive camber will be added as the wheels are turned--this is not good...
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 122
From: Illinois
Awesome guys! Thanks! Any suggestions on where to take it ? Last time i took it to pep boys and the guy was not used to the CC plates. He was cool and figured them out. At the time i did not know much about it so he just aligned it as best as he could to stock. now that i have some numbers i can relay what Im looking for.
