Alignment experts please chime in
Instructor
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: CT
Do cars come with that compensation from the factory?
My car will pull if I let go of the steering wheel and I'm on the right side of the road, but it will also pull if I'm on the left lane on the highway. Doesn't really bother me too much.
My car will pull if I let go of the steering wheel and I'm on the right side of the road, but it will also pull if I'm on the left lane on the highway. Doesn't really bother me too much.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2006
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alot of the factory specs are like that. The srt8's call for as much as 1.5 difference in caster from right to left.
Safety Car
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From: DFW This user does not support or recommend the product or service displayed in the ad to the right
I would make sure to set it even on both sides as roads around here are crowned in both directions.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2005
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From: CT
It helped. Car is a lot more responsive.
Still not enough weight to the steering though. It only went from 7.5 to 8.
I might have confused them by putting:
Caster MAX (8?)
Can it go further than 8?
Still not enough weight to the steering though. It only went from 7.5 to 8.
I might have confused them by putting:
Caster MAX (8?)
Can it go further than 8?
Safety Car
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From: DFW This user does not support or recommend the product or service displayed in the ad to the right
I think I have about -1.4 camber and 8 caster.
A little toe out really helps weight the wheel but, will cost you some tire wear.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
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From: CT
Safety Car
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Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2005
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I noticed that some of the recommended specs call for rear toe-out. My alignment experience comes from 4 years of racing a Spec Racer Ford in the SCCA. My understanding is the rear toe-out is to be avoided because it can lead to unexpected oversteer. If you consider that with toe-out the rear tire is pointing outward, it makes sense that it is trying to steer the rear end on a wider arc (oversteer) than the front. Toe-in has the opposite effect of trying to keep the rear end underneath the car. That is by pointing the rear tire inward, the tractive force of the tire is best able to counter the centrifigul force of cornering. From driving my C6 z51 MN6 at many track days, I certainly know that it doesn't need more oversteer.
I am happy to listen to opposing opinions that have a good theoretical explanation.
I am happy to listen to opposing opinions that have a good theoretical explanation.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2005
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Well, I agree that rear toe-out increases oversteer, but I think that it does it mostly during turn-in when that's generally a Good Thing in that it helps rotate the car. Once its coming out of the corner under thrust suspension flex allows the rear wheels to move slightly forward and toe-in a bit; the initial toe-out helps cancel this out.
Similarly, the fronts toe-out a bit under braking and a little initial toe-in there helps compensate and get the wheels nearly straight at full braking.
I do understand about the oversteer, but I think much of that (at least in my case) is due to a learning curve. There's enough torque available to steer the car with the right foot, and because of the high polar moment of inertia the time required to "plant" the rear is pretty long, so the braking/power transition in a corner is somewhat tricky and must be very smooth. But it sure flys out of the corner when you get it right!
Similarly, the fronts toe-out a bit under braking and a little initial toe-in there helps compensate and get the wheels nearly straight at full braking.
I do understand about the oversteer, but I think much of that (at least in my case) is due to a learning curve. There's enough torque available to steer the car with the right foot, and because of the high polar moment of inertia the time required to "plant" the rear is pretty long, so the braking/power transition in a corner is somewhat tricky and must be very smooth. But it sure flys out of the corner when you get it right!