Need help with alignment settings
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Pro
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 592
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From: Surf City, USA
Need help with alignment settings
I had my '04 Z06 lowered all the way down on the stock bolts at A&A Corvette (thanks Andy) and now I need an alignment.
I will only be doing 3-4 track events a year (2 day events) and maybe a few autocrosses. Otherwise it's street and canyon running.
After searching the archives, I concluded I should go for:
-1.4 front/-1.0 rear, zero toe in front, 1/32 toe in, in rear? Need y'alls expert opinions, thanks.
Any comments are appreciated.
I will only be doing 3-4 track events a year (2 day events) and maybe a few autocrosses. Otherwise it's street and canyon running.
After searching the archives, I concluded I should go for:
-1.4 front/-1.0 rear, zero toe in front, 1/32 toe in, in rear? Need y'alls expert opinions, thanks.
Any comments are appreciated.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 375
Likes: 0
From: Germantown MD
-1.4 camber in the front sounds like a little much to me if you are just doing 3-4 events a year and drive a significant number of miles on the street. Might eat the inside corner of your tires rather quick. I run -1.1 on the fronts and -0.9 in the rear.
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 5,364
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From: King George VA
I think either of the above would be fine. Lowering front camber is a trade off between tire wear and handling. There is no one right answer. What is more important to you? If it is tire wear, go lower, maybe -1.2 which is the max negative for the Z06 and still within factory specs. Even at that camber, the car is going to handle very well.
Your toe settings are reasonable.
Your toe settings are reasonable.
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Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 53
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From: Falls Church VA
I run autocrosses all year and DE's (about 2-6 year)
front
-2.0 camber, 0.0 toe, and stock caster
rear
-1.0 camber, total 1/16 toe in, and stock caster
I put about 8K on my car a year and have no wear problems, everything is even and working good.
toe in or out in the front will cause a vibration/unsure stability at high speeds.
the difference in camber that you are talking about is only going to be important to you under extreme conditions, I would recommend -1.5, and -.9 and stock caster and 0.0 toe front, and 1/16 total toe in rear (this will help with adding in turn-in)
Must be very accurate though, Toe can distroy your tires before camber ever will...
front
-2.0 camber, 0.0 toe, and stock caster
rear
-1.0 camber, total 1/16 toe in, and stock caster
I put about 8K on my car a year and have no wear problems, everything is even and working good.
toe in or out in the front will cause a vibration/unsure stability at high speeds.
the difference in camber that you are talking about is only going to be important to you under extreme conditions, I would recommend -1.5, and -.9 and stock caster and 0.0 toe front, and 1/16 total toe in rear (this will help with adding in turn-in)
Must be very accurate though, Toe can distroy your tires before camber ever will...
Drifting
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: Clemmons NC
Hans Delbruck, you are very close in your initial post for a street/track setup. I would toe in 1/32 front and toe in 1/4 (both total numbers) in the back. 1.4 camber front is fine you could go with 1.25 negative.
The reason I'm recommending a touch of toe in and a little less camber in the front is that on the street the front end will hunt on irregular surfaces. If you have confidence (and that's a big if) in the alignment shop you could go with 1.5 neg front, max caster, 1/32 total toe in, 1.00 neg rear, 1/4 total toe in which is where mine is right now and runs great on the track. Then if it's to much for the street you can always go backwards.
Note this setup is with a lowered, roughly 1" all the way around, and is corner weighted and runs the WC tire and wheel setup with '04 Z06 shocks wiith the bump stops removed.
The reason I'm recommending a touch of toe in and a little less camber in the front is that on the street the front end will hunt on irregular surfaces. If you have confidence (and that's a big if) in the alignment shop you could go with 1.5 neg front, max caster, 1/32 total toe in, 1.00 neg rear, 1/4 total toe in which is where mine is right now and runs great on the track. Then if it's to much for the street you can always go backwards.
Note this setup is with a lowered, roughly 1" all the way around, and is corner weighted and runs the WC tire and wheel setup with '04 Z06 shocks wiith the bump stops removed.
Last edited by z060ntrack; Aug 11, 2004 at 10:40 AM.
Racer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 389
Likes: 15
From: Escondido CA
Originally Posted by z060ntrack
runs the WC tire and wheel setup with '04 Z06 shocks wiith the bump stops removed.
which bump stops - chassis or shocks? I guess this is to counter the lowering and prevent bottoming out on the stock stops? TIA..
Pro
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 746
Likes: 1
From: salem or
At $300.00 a pop for tires you might want to consider doing what I do:
Spend 70.00 and get the car aligned aggressively for the track days...2.0 neg camber, 3/16 toe out and 6-7 caster up front and 1.5 neg camber, 1/8 toe in on the rear...go blast around the track and experience great handling...then go realign to stock Z06 specs for highway driving.
If you try to make compromises with camber and toe, then you won't be as happy with your performance at the track. Also, your tires will wear unevenly and you'll hate the way your car darts form side to side and follows the ruts for highway/street driving.
In my opinion, the money spent is more than offset by acceptable tire wear and appropriate street manners.
ps: Do the same thing with your brakes/rotors...try Hawk Ht-10's up front and Blues on the rear...if you run stock pads, then you'll just need to change them out by the lunch break anyway. sj
Spend 70.00 and get the car aligned aggressively for the track days...2.0 neg camber, 3/16 toe out and 6-7 caster up front and 1.5 neg camber, 1/8 toe in on the rear...go blast around the track and experience great handling...then go realign to stock Z06 specs for highway driving.
If you try to make compromises with camber and toe, then you won't be as happy with your performance at the track. Also, your tires will wear unevenly and you'll hate the way your car darts form side to side and follows the ruts for highway/street driving.
In my opinion, the money spent is more than offset by acceptable tire wear and appropriate street manners.
ps: Do the same thing with your brakes/rotors...try Hawk Ht-10's up front and Blues on the rear...if you run stock pads, then you'll just need to change them out by the lunch break anyway. sj
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Drifting
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,936
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From: Clemmons NC
Originally Posted by sd7ss
WC tire and wheel setup??
which bump stops - chassis or shocks? I guess this is to counter the lowering and prevent bottoming out on the stock stops? TIA..
which bump stops - chassis or shocks? I guess this is to counter the lowering and prevent bottoming out on the stock stops? TIA..