Front alignment specs - opinions on mine please

[Pablo M]

Now that the car is running and I’m driving it around a bit I took it to my local alignment shop. Good shop, Hunter alignment machine, owner races and has aligned my race car in addition to all my performance cars. Suffice, I trust them. 
 

They put me up on the rack and this is what they got. The outer tie rods were rusted frozen, but were able to adjust the left side a bit. Nothing moved on the right. So I’ll be back. 
 

Currently, front has IE stage 2 springs, Bilstein B8 shocks, new strut bushings and rubber bits, new ball joints, new center link, new poly bushings, offset roll center spacers (good for -2° camber), old steering bushing (I have a new one to install) , old steering arm bushings. 
Rear has Bilstein B8, H&R springs, all new poly bushings except subframe mount, which are new rubber with stiffening insert. 
14x5.5 w30 steelies, 195/60/14 Falken tires. 
 

These are the settings they got:

He said the front is excessively toe in. Appears to be the case. 
 

Steering feels very light going straight, and seems to wander left and right. Actually, I feel the steering wheel wobble a tiny bit (for lack of better word) as I’m moving forward. 
Turning has some effort involved, even at speed, a surprising amount but I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like. 
 

I’ll replace the outer tie rods and get it aligned. Any other observations or suggestions based on this? 
Car is fun canyon driver, eventually some possible trackdays. 

[tzei]

Tire profile is bit high to get all out of suspension response but that is not the intention here so lets go with that.

Some thoughts, thinghs i’d like to address

1. Front camber. Too little & uneven. Aim to 1-1,5 neg.

2. Front toe. Set to zero or a tad toe-out. You’ll find it turns better. Start there and adjust to personal taste (tyre wear).

3. Rear camber. If acc.traction is good then leave, if more traction is preferred maybe little less camber.

4. Rear toe. Axle wants to go left. Don’t like it. Set so that both are little in toe-in direction. Start there to play.

[TobyB]

Given that toe is all you can adjust anyway, fix your tie rod end, toe it to 1/8" inside straight ahead, and on until sunset.

 

t

 

['76mintgrün'02]

It's going to feel a lot different with the tire pressure set to 32, compared to the 24-26 you were running.

 

I'd probably try a couple heat cycles with a torch on the stuck tie rod end, followed by penetrating oil.  It's a shame to mar the surface, but pipe wrenches will put some leverage on it if it's stubborn.

 

I spent $80 for an alignment (measurement + toe adjustment) when I swapped in new suspension/steering bits.  Now, I just adjust the toe-in myself using a couple pieces of wood tied to the wheel with rubber bands and a cut-up tape measure I attached to one stick.  It takes about one minute to unfold it and attach it to the wheels and doesn't even require a perfectly flat floor.

 

 

 

 

 

It makes me smile, knowing I am saving $80 and a bunch of time every time I use it.

Tom

[RichenFamous]

Tom - ‘76mintgrün ‘02 (can’t tag you for some reason!),

There are several amazing contributors on this forum, but I am always so very impressed by your skill set and problem solving. The tools you make to the complete understanding of how to solve an issue. If you did not work for NASA, you should have! When I am hiring staff, I always hope to come across people that may have a percentage of what you display - they are far and few between. 

I would contribute $$ to a fund if you were to start some sort of class/video series on how think critically and promote your thought process, starring your 76 Mintgrün of course!

Cheers to you sir. 
Rich

[steve k.]

 

Just an article we have here