kpctoy

After spending way more time than I'd like to admit, I took my car to an alignment shop to cross reference what I had done with a Smart Camber gauge and Hardbar's toe plates. Since I had purchased new tires from them last month, I passed on the free alignment at time of installation so I could make my own adjustments and then go back to have them verified.

I have a question on rear toe. After telling the shop I only wanted them to adjust toe front (0 Degrees) and rear (1/16th total) along with thrust angle, the car came back with the following:

Rear Toe
.12L .15R

Now, if I'm not mistaken isn't that just a little over 1/4 total toe? I also understand that 1/16 total toe is recommended for street with 1/4 being towards the extreme for autocross.

So, if everything above is correct, what does each flat equal in regards to toe? I'd like to keep the 1/4 as I do MANY autocross but I also don't want to eat my tires up since I put on 8-10K per season.

My final numbers with me in the car are:

My Settings vs. Alignment Shop Settings

LF Camber -1.9 -2.2
RF Camber -2.0 -2.0
LF Caster 6.4 6.4
RF Caster 6.9 6.9
LF Toe .00 .03
RF Toe .00 .01
Total Toe .00 .04

LR Camber -1.1 -1.3
RR Camber -1.4 -1.2
LR Toe 0.625 .12
RR Tow 0.625 .15
Total Toe .125 .27

So, how may "flats" to take it back to 1/16 total toe or is it suppose to be 1/16 per side for a total of 1/8th for street?

Feedback on the alignment?

Thanks,
Kevin

davidfarmer

1.5flats is about 1/32", and .1deg is about 1/32". So 1.5 flats on each side is about 1/16". Once I get my thrust angle correct, I do everything symetrically, so I think of 3 flats=1/16" or .2deg.

You should really get a straight edge and tape, and learn to measure toe. That way you always know what you have, and can check the shops' work.

http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/

davidfarmer

btw, the way I read your numbers, you have about .3deg total toe in the rear, which is just under 1/8" measured at the rim edge.

0RAAMaudio

I have had many alignments done and have done many more myself even with very basic tools and I am more accurate than shops are, why?

Because of the mounting method they use to place the "gauges" on the wheels, really not that accurate on any units I have ever seen.

Then again, 99.9% of their work does not have to be all that accurate, just a ball park figure is all most manfs list as in spec anyway.

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I verify my work by how the car feels on the track and what the tire temps and wear patterns show and make adjustments accordingly.

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