Ideal alignment settings?

[V6]

What are the ideal settings for fast road use over less than perfect roads? Or is it just the factory settings?

Once I have finished playing with my dampers I need to get it done. I have the choice of going a looooong way down south to the place you recommended (I forget now), or finding somewhere just round the corner and giving them a brief. For speed it makes sense to do it locally and I can get it done today. 

Thanks!

[atlex]

skuzzle will have some - he helped dev them. just ask him.

[atlex]

I can get a copy of the printout for you, also, it just isn't to hand atm.

[V6]

Ok cool thanks!

I removed all the wheels to have a look at my Gaz Pro Gold dampers, to see how they work. I then raised the ride height another 1cm and increased the firmness - which is now 8 clicks up from the softest. The car is transformed and is now usable over fast flowing harsher roads. Ok it is a bit too hard on slow bumpy roads (makes my dash rattle a bit), but when you are going fast it is just great. Instead of easily bottoming out it now only did it on a very fast dip in the road. So I may go up a touch more again. I want it to be usable rather than worry about cosmetics too much,

What settings and height is everyone else on with Gaz?

[V6]

Third time lucky: I raised the height again. Now I can almost fit two fingers between the tyre and the arch. I may not win any stance points but the car drives much faster over bumpy real roads around here. It is also more comfy at low speeds. You can feel the whole car move more and the dampers working better. It now floats over lumps and bumps instead of crashing or bouncing. WAY more confidence inspiring!

[wannabe]

I need to do this with whatever my next setup is - fed up bouncing off bumpstops and being launched across the road!

[myothercarsa2cv]

Don't forget to get corner weights done as well! Chris at Kent MX5s did an amazing job on the handling of my car, probably got the stats somewhere... Will try dig them up.

[V6]

Good call! It is amazing how much difference even my twiddling has made. An expert should be able to make it amazing, I'd have thought.

[myothercarsa2cv]

Ok... Stats on my setup are as follows:



It's pretty similar to how Chris sets up his race cars, bar the toe - in makes it more stable at the expense of turn in. As I understand it...

[atlex]

These are the fast road settings on my white car, done by the soton wheel allignment centre. obviously only pay attention to the "after"

[V6]

Thanks guys!

[wannabe]

Aug 18, 2016 21:28:07 GMT myothercarsa2cv said:

Ok... Stats on my setup are as follows:



It's pretty similar to how Chris sets up his race cars, bar the toe - in makes it more stable at the expense of turn in. As I understand it...

Are you the 75kg of ballast?  lol


 at 6.5° castor, though - you must be absolutely maxed out, no??



I've posted them either here or on nutz in picture format but I've no idea where now, so these are the settings I came out with last time I had a 4-wheel laser alignment done, but written out:

LF:
-1° camber
4°26' Caster
0°06' Toe

RF:
-1° camber
4°51' Caster
0°06' Toe

Front Total Toe: 0°12'
Steer Ahead 0°00'


LR
-1°49' camber
0°10' Toe

RR
-1°50' camber
0°13' Toe

Rear Total Toe: 0°23'
Thrust Angle: -0°02'


It is my understanding that these are broadly similar to the settings recommended by the alignment chaps on nutz (whom I can't remember the name of now) as being well suited for road use - i.e. not too 'stick-like-glue then snap away' like a race car setup might, and not too 'safe' like an understeer-tastic old lady (OEM haha) setup.

I've found even with these 'less extreme' settings, it is very stable when driving around normally and giving it some right foot on country roads.  It does get a little more 'interesting' at high speed because it doesn't really 'settle' like a long distance cruiser might, but then I don't do long motorway journeys very often and would rather it was optimised to be nimble in the country lanes!  Tyre wear has been very even as well, no wear on the inside edge of the rears that I might expect with more camber, so that's a bonus

I did do a load of reading before getting mine done and found various recommendations.  The latest one I read the other day (on FM website, I think??) was that camber on the front should be more than the camber on the back  because then it's more 'fun' (i.e. oversteer-y).  I think I might leave that one till I've done some tracktime and learnt how to drift as well... lol

[V6]

Interesting additional info, so thanks for taking the time to post it all

[myothercarsa2cv]

Wannabee, I am indeed the 75kg of ballast although I'm a little more now...

On the caster, not really sure why they set it so extreme, but I will say it's crazy stable on the motorway at exactly 70mph and absolutely no higher A little less self centering than one might be used to but I dig it.

[V6]

So taking into account what everyone has said so far, if I were to brief someone to set up my car what numbers would you suggest?

My preferences:

1. Has to be ok on motorways for long trips and hold a straight line ok without constant fidgeting and adjustment.

2. More fun is ok, but I don't want it "snappy" at the limit! So forgiving for a newbie (who likes to push on!)

3. I have never been on a track in my life. Although I may give it a go next spring. So this is low down in priority.


Thanks!