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alignment question

1K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  Avalanche325 
#1 ·
Going in for alignment soon. I never have liked the neg. camber look with the top of the tire tilted in and the added wear on the inside of the tire. How would it drive with 0 or +1/2 deg. camber? Will be a street car only. !5" tires. Will it hurt cornering that much?
Thanks
 
#2 ·
Go for 1/2 negative, barely tilted in for best wear. Wont be noticeable to most. 0 to 1/2 positive and the outside will wear out first.
 
#3 ·
Agree with Sanford. .5 degree negative camber is good for a street car, not really visually noticable and if coupled with 1/16" to 3/32" total toe IN won't wear the tires prematurely or abnormally. Negative camber and toe out will cut the tires (inside) as will positive camber combined with toe in (outside).

Jeff
 
#4 ·
I wouldn't have a problem going to zero camber at all. One thing to note is that the effect of camber on cornering is only felt right near the cornering traction limit. It has no effect on normal cruising type driving other than, as you note, wearing out the tires unevenly.
 
#5 ·
The look that Dave is noticing is much more an Open Track/Race alignment look. We typically run much more Camber and Caster to help on the track. Typically we have much more suspension compression and tire loads, so the additional Camber actually has the tire footprint level with the road surface in hard cornering. Typically 1 1/2 to 2 degrees is used, with more just in extreme circumstances. We also keep the toe at Zero, or very close. Adding Caster by leaning the centerline of the spindle back slows down the steering action, and makes the cars less "darty" at higher speeds. With Power Steering, I have heard of as much as 8 degrees Caster. Manual, 4 seems to be an average number.

With my set-up at zero toe, 1.5 degrees Camber, and 4.5 degrees Caster, I saw no uneven tire wear, and the car handles great.


The kids in their ricers just go overboard, and it usually produces a car with the look, but handles like crap, and kills tires.
 
#8 ·
Pretty much what Doc said although I like a touch more toe in to help with straight line stability.

For manual steering:
.5 degree negative camber
3 to 4 degrees positive caster (more=higher steering effort but better tracking and return to center)
3/32" total toe in

For power steering:
.5 degree negative camber
7 to 8 degrees positive caster
3/32" total toe in

Cheers,
Jeff
 
#7 ·
Camber, caster & Toe

Al,

I run a bigger tire then most on my fronts (275x40x17) and have many, many miles on my setup: +3.0° caster (no power assist), -1/2° camber, 1/16" toe-IN.
Tire wear pattern is non-existent with even wear all across the tread - tire pressure kept at 23# up front.

These numbers have worked well with my [basically] street/highway driven car.
While I don't track the car at all, I do drive rather "spirited" on mountain roads.

Car handles as expected without anti-sway bars and the factory supplied front/rear tubular suspension with [non-adjustable] Pro shocks all around, rear end is F5 3-Link.

Hope that gives you a starting point . . .

Doc :beerchug:
 
#9 ·
Most of your alignment machines have toe measured in degrees...not inches.

What is a good toe setting in degrees?
 
#14 ·
Looks like a fish out of water! LOL
 
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