The official alignment spec and review thread

[sd_boxster]

I wanted to start this thread so we have a place to post up our alignment numbers and how we feel that alignment has affected handling. Please refrain from posting anything EXCEPT your alignment specs and your "review" of each alignment. When you add / update your review of a specific alignment, please edit your original post. If you get a new alignment, please post a new reply to this thread. Mods, please delete replies that are off-topic - it would be great to have an exhaustive list of alignment settings for various purposes (autox, tire life, etc.).

[sd_boxster]

Black Forest did my alignment yesterday. Most significant change was max front camber. Rather than changing a bunch of settings at once (toe, caster, etc.), we'll start with one variable, see how that works, and try something else next time.

Front camber: -1.25
Caster: 6
Toe: 3.5
Total Toe: 1/16"

Rear camber: -1.75
Toe: 9
Total Toe: 1/8"

Review to come after tomorrow's AX.

[kabel]

Factory Alignment and the wear has been very even so far. I've got the stock 17" wheels wrapped in PS2's , I drive this car daily in a "spirited" fashion most of the time and autox it 9-12 a year.

Front
Toe: (L) +0.03 (R) +0.03
Camber: (L) -0.41 (R) +0.30
Caster: (L) +7.64 (R) +7.63

Rear
Toe: (L) +0.07 (R) +0.06
Camber: (L) -1.68 (R) -1.68

Factory recommended settings for reference:

[Adam]

Autocross about a dozen events a year, the rest just driving to work ect. I wanted more negative camber up front to reduce understeer but can't get more than half a degree without camber plates. I like the setup but feel it could be better with more front camber as it still pushes in slow, tight turns but not as much as it did.

Front:
Camber: -.5
Toe: 0
Caster: 7.5

Rear:
Camber: -1.5
Toe: .06 degrees in

[stuttgart1]

Got my alignment done today at Roger Kraus Racing. I was able to get -1.0 deg with little twist on the strut mount. My car is a '99 with stock US suspensions.

Here is my alignment spec:
Front
Camber: -1.0 deg
Toe: 0

Rear
Camber: -1.5 deg
Toe: 0

The car is much more spirited now. It handles the way a sport car suppose to be, no more understeer, turn-in is quick and willing to rotate in middle of corner. I love the way it handle now!

[j.fro]

I'm fortunate to have one of the Flying Lizard's team mechanics operating his own shop here in Charlottesville VA (Here's the plug: Werkstatt)
Using his stuff, we did the Smart Strings alignment on a set of scales. We set the toe for both front and rear at an absolute true zero. Front camber was set at -3.2; rear was at - 3.6.
The car has never driven more true!
It's primarily an AX car, but I do drive it on fun runs/PCA events, and the occasional Boxster-to-work fix.
BTW, K-sport coilovers w/ monoball mounts; tarrett rear toe links

[Topless]

Front
camber= -0.7 deg
toe= 0
max castor

Rear
camber= -1.5 deg
toe= 0

The car runs about 20 track days/year plus lots of spirited weekend canyon carving. Very few highway miles. It still has mild understeer which can mostly be overcome by apexing later. The car tracks straight and true under all conditions up to 135 mph. Noticeably more wear to the outer half of the tires especially in front. It would benefit by more neg. camber on track days but I am limited by current BSX class rules.

[gomarlins3]

I am not sure how helpful this thread is. The numbers are all over the place and no one has come back in to state what worked and what needed to be changed. Heck, one car has this as it's set up:
"Camber: (L) -0.41 (R) +0.30"

Why on God's green Earth would you want negative camber on one side and positive camber on the other side unless you are running on a circle track (and even then, it would be the other way around in America)?

I am still looking for some good advice on an AutoX set up on a '98 Boxster on stock suspension.

[Brad Roberts]

and no one has come back in to state what worked and what needed to be changed

um.. you know why? kickass alignments are done to YOUR DRIVING style not somebody else.

You are asking the impossible. I have hundreds and hundreds of setup notes.. each driver may like something different. It comes down to what YOU like.. not what somebody "told you"

also.. stock? really? you are limited to about 90% of what was posted above!!

Are you new to this? Do you have 20+ years of driving experience? There is NO magic setup that will compensate for a slow driver!!


B

[Brad Roberts]

Ready? start here:

max negative on the front, then match the side that comes in with the least amount

run 2mm total toe out in the front and 2mm total toe in on the rear

on the rear, run .5 less camber in the rear than you manage to get out of the front.

example: end up with -.5 in the front, run 0.00 in the rear, end up with -1.0 in the front? run -.5 in the rear

Is that a lot of toe? yes, but you are probably on worn ass out 100k mile rubber suspension bushings that flex all over the place under braking and turn in... which requires us to run more static toe than normal (for autoX)

You know from all 1million + posts that running autoX on stock suspension does nothing but eat the sh_t out of front tires do to lack of negative camber achieved by the front struts...

Good luck..

[gomarlins3]

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

Ready? start here:

max negative on the front, then match the side that comes in with the least amount

run 2mm total toe out in the front and 2mm total toe in on the rear

on the rear, run .5 less camber in the rear than you manage to get out of the front.

example: end up with -.5 in the front, run 0.00 in the rear, end up with -1.0 in the front? run -.5 in the rear

Is that a lot of toe? yes, but you are probably on worn ass out 100k mile rubber suspension bushings that flex all over the place under braking and turn in... which requires us to run more static toe than normal (for autoX)

You know from all 1million + posts that running autoX on stock suspension does nothing but eat the sh_t out of front tires do to lack of negative camber achieved by the front struts...

Good luck..

Thanks. I have 28,700 miles on the car, but yes, it is sitting on 14+ year old bushings. I will be headed into the alignment shop in a couple of weeks and have taken notes. Thanks again.

[gomarlins3]

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

um.. you know why? kickass alignments are done to YOUR DRIVING style not somebody else.

You are asking the impossible. I have hundreds and hundreds of setup notes.. each driver may like something different. It comes down to what YOU like.. not what somebody "told you"

I was looking for a good starting point since the OEM set up (the one presently on the car I believe) doesn't have the turn in that I am use to.

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

also.. stock? really? you are limited to about 90% of what was posted above!!

Yes stock. I have run SM2/SSM/EM in a SCed S2000 for years and switched over to a CR-Z in HS last year. I have a new (to me) Boxster and would like to run in CS this year to see where I stand against the M3's that have been winning that class for years here.

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

Are you new to this? Do you have 20+ years of driving experience? There is NO magic setup that will compensate for a slow driver!!


B

Yes I do, 30 actually and 10 autoXing. With the S2000, people found that the UK alignment specs made a HUGE difference in the way the car responded. I was hoping that there was a setting for the Boxster that would do the same.

[Brad Roberts]

oh.. thank you

Then you do know what you are doing

Ping me offline.. I'll tell you how to take 90% of the slop out of the stock suspension and not replace a single part and still be legal for SCCA stock classes.



B

[Brad Roberts]

Marlin,

will you attend the National Tour in Washington? I'll have two cars there this year, probably 3 cars at San Diego National and 4-5 at Lincoln Nationals.


B

[shadrach74]

Hi Brad,

My 2002 S (58K) is going in for an alignment this week and I would really appreciate your insight regarding the comment quoted below!

Originally Posted by Brad Roberts

Ping me offline.. I'll tell you how to take 90% of the slop out of the stock suspension and not replace a single part and still be legal for SCCA stock classes.

B

[woodsman]

I don't think Brad's been around for a while now. I've been wondering about that same issue for about the last week! Short of pressing out the metal locating inserts and having sleeves machined, I can't think of anything. Does anyone know if the rubber is solid from one side to the other???