Track Day Alignment Specs?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: SoCal
Track Day Alignment Specs?
I need to get an alignment before my first track day in my '96 LT4. The suspension is bone-stock and pretty old, I guess. I will be doing suspension upgrades later, but for now, I just want a fairly aggressive track-day alignment.
Can anyone recommend alignment specs for camber/caster/toe for running stock C4 on a road course? Thanks.
Can anyone recommend alignment specs for camber/caster/toe for running stock C4 on a road course? Thanks.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,253
Likes: 2
From: Castro Valley CA
Be sure to bookmark this link because you will need it shortly:
http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=864
but to answer your question, I would(and have) run max front camber possible(I did not run mine symettrically) 1/32 toe out, max castor; in the rear -1, 1/16 toe in.
http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=864
but to answer your question, I would(and have) run max front camber possible(I did not run mine symettrically) 1/32 toe out, max castor; in the rear -1, 1/16 toe in.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 719
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From: SoCal
Be sure to bookmark this link because you will need it shortly:
http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=864
but to answer your question, I would(and have) run max front camber possible(I did not run mine symettrically) 1/32 toe out, max castor; in the rear -1, 1/16 toe in.
http://www.vbandp.com/detail.aspx?ID=864
but to answer your question, I would(and have) run max front camber possible(I did not run mine symettrically) 1/32 toe out, max castor; in the rear -1, 1/16 toe in.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 13,960
Likes: 707
From: WI
Some shops are total garbage so I hope you get a decent place. This is what I use:
1.5° neg per side, front. This is with all the shims removed.
6° caster per side.
1/32" toe out per side.
Rear:
1.0° neg camber per side.
1/16" toe in per side.
You may want to take the spacers out ahead of time and save them the labor and you the cost of it. A normal alignment at the good place I found is $80 and they only charged me $5 extra for all the extra they put into it. They were able to get it exact.
1.5° neg per side, front. This is with all the shims removed.
6° caster per side.
1/32" toe out per side.
Rear:
1.0° neg camber per side.
1/16" toe in per side.
You may want to take the spacers out ahead of time and save them the labor and you the cost of it. A normal alignment at the good place I found is $80 and they only charged me $5 extra for all the extra they put into it. They were able to get it exact.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,010
Likes: 26
From: Somewhere nowhere
your first track day: buy suntan lotion, and enjoy the day.
your 2nd track day: flush the brake fluid with ATE blue
your 3rd track day: get some decent pads.
your 4th track day: yank all the aligment shims.
your 2nd track day: flush the brake fluid with ATE blue
your 3rd track day: get some decent pads.
your 4th track day: yank all the aligment shims.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: SoCal
I have been running track days for 6 years, and road racing for 2 years -- I hold an SCCA National Competition License and a NASA Competition License. What I'm talking about is my Corvette's first track day, not mine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: DrunkDefender
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
CI-IV AutoX Champ
CI-IV Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '07-'10
I run 1/4 total toe out in front [1/8 per side]
6 castor
1.4 neg camber front
rear 1/4 total toe in
1.3 neg camber.
Per your other post: try to locate a pair of used 17x9.5 sawblades or equiv to run on front so you can rotate. Its a cheap alternative to buying zo6 wheels or having to deal with different size wheels and tires front/rear. You should be able to locate a pair of stock 17x9.5s for $100 no problem. Heck, if you were closer I have a pair of 90 model 17x9.5s that are very ugly, but round and true I'd let go for next to nothing.
6 castor
1.4 neg camber front
rear 1/4 total toe in
1.3 neg camber.
Per your other post: try to locate a pair of used 17x9.5 sawblades or equiv to run on front so you can rotate. Its a cheap alternative to buying zo6 wheels or having to deal with different size wheels and tires front/rear. You should be able to locate a pair of stock 17x9.5s for $100 no problem. Heck, if you were closer I have a pair of 90 model 17x9.5s that are very ugly, but round and true I'd let go for next to nothing.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 4,010
Likes: 26
From: Somewhere nowhere
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
rear 1/4 total toe in
1.3 neg camber.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
way too much rear camber. my car was unstable with that much.
I backed it off, and was much happier.
I think I settled with -0.8
rear 1/4 total toe in
1.3 neg camber.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
way too much rear camber. my car was unstable with that much.
I backed it off, and was much happier.
I think I settled with -0.8
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 878
Likes: 2
From: BC
I look forward to following your progress! Lets see what an Ol' C4 can do in the hands of a driver with some good experience. Do you document any of your track work? Video's etc?
Good luck
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
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From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
It's a compromise for handling and still getting decent tire wear. Zero toe would work for some tracks and still not want to be twitchy on the street. Maybe 1/8" total toe-out would be OK on the street. Roads that have ruts from heavy traffic will be a PITA to drive with too much toe-out.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: SoCal
Is is a street-driven car? If so, I wouldn't go too far away from the VB&P "Advanced Street" settings until you get a feel for what the car is doing. Expect some understeer with this alignment, but even just adding poly bushings in the sway bars will be a big help ans would something like Bilstein Z51 shocks. You didn't say, but does your car have the Z51 suspension??
It's a compromise for handling and still getting decent tire wear. Zero toe would work for some tracks and still not want to be twitchy on the street. Maybe 1/8" total toe-out would be OK on the street. Roads that have ruts from heavy traffic will be a PITA to drive with too much toe-out.
It's a compromise for handling and still getting decent tire wear. Zero toe would work for some tracks and still not want to be twitchy on the street. Maybe 1/8" total toe-out would be OK on the street. Roads that have ruts from heavy traffic will be a PITA to drive with too much toe-out.
No, I don't think it has the Z51 suspension, the seller didn't say anything about that and he would have said so if it had Z51. I'm going to track the suspension the way it is with a good alignment for a little while, until suspension mods are in my budget (which they are not at the moment with the other things I have to do).
Le Mans Master
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From: DrunkDefender
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8 Veteran
CI-IV AutoX Champ
CI-IV Burnout Champ
St. Jude Donor '07-'10
I've tried it several ways. I do way more autox than track days and this keeps it twitchy and helps induce oversteer. I guess I could have been more specific that this is the way I like mine set up.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Life is just one big track event. Everything before and after is prep and warm-up and cool-down laps
Cruise-In III Veteran
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '12
Good luck, the most negative camber I can get on my 92 is -0.3.
I want more!
What is your location?
If you are close the NASA-SE folks have lots of great events comming up.
I want more!
What is your location?
If you are close the NASA-SE folks have lots of great events comming up.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: SoCal
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 30,856
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From: Boston, Dallas, Detroit, SoCal, back to Boston MA
I tried yanking the cones out and layed the a-arms right up against the frame.
Great for cornering, but my braking was compromised.
Autox'ers run offset bushing in the bottom to gain camber.
Or they mix early and late control arms.
I'm getting fully adjustable a-arms instead.
http://www.guldstrand.com/scripts/pr...?idproduct=181
(NOTE early vs late cars have a different part #)
Great for cornering, but my braking was compromised.
Autox'ers run offset bushing in the bottom to gain camber.
Or they mix early and late control arms.
I'm getting fully adjustable a-arms instead.
http://www.guldstrand.com/scripts/pr...?idproduct=181
(NOTE early vs late cars have a different part #)
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: SoCal
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,759
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With regards to that VBP alignment page, which would be better for a Z51 1989 Auto driven on the weekends. Daily driver, or advanced street? I'm thinking daily driver, as I'm guessing that is probably close to stock.
I'm gonna get a tire replaced, tire rotation, and a 4 wheel alignment.
I'm gonna get a tire replaced, tire rotation, and a 4 wheel alignment.