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Re: Looking for Negative Camber settings

To: "Miller, Don" <MillerD2@idhw.state.id.us>,
Subject: Re: Looking for Negative Camber settings
From: Ronnie Day <rday@airmail.net>
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 1999 11:14:08 -0500
>Alright all you race fans, I am in need of some camber recommendations. From
>looking at my car I can tell that the camber is not the same on each side of
>the car. What I am trying to find out is the max amount of neg camber
>someone has dialed in to their car. Here is the setup so far: Standard front
>springs, KYB GR2 shocks, 15x6.5 300 ZX wheels with 1/2" spacer to eliminate
>rubbing on A-Arm. Driver side has 1/2 deg neg and passenger side has 1/4 deg
>(driveway measurement). Any recommendations before I go to the alignment
>shop? Thanks all!

This is gonna sound like a cop out, but (I think) there are too many 
variables to make other than general suggestions. For instance, for 
autocrossing you'd probably use more negative camber and maybe less 
caster, too. You'd also want the car to tend toward oversteer, be a 
little tail happy. This would tend to make the car VERY responsive, maybe 
even a bit twitchy? However for the normally short duration runs in 
autocrossing, you could learn to deal with the squirrely handling if it 
translated into fast times.

These settings would make the car a real handful on a road course, where 
you'd probably want settings, less negative camber/more caster, that 
would produce more neutral handling.

Regardless of which direction you're headed I would suggest that you have 
any alignment done with ballast added, in the driver's seat, roughly 
equal to your weight, and with the same amount of gas load that you 
normally run with. In a 2000 lb car, 200 lbs in the driver's seat can 
alter static alignment if the weight's not compensated for. in addition, 
gas weights around 6,5 lbs/gal(US), so different gas loads can have some 
effect, too.

Take the car to a shop that is familiar and comfortable with non-stock 
setups. Realize that it may take longer and cost more than Sears or NTB. 
Having said that, you might check with your local Discount Tire, if they 
exist in your area. They support SCCA activities and can get (usually 
spec. order) comp oriented tires. Several of them here in D/FW have good 
reps for comp alignment work.

FWIW,
Ron


________________
Ronnie Day
rday@airmail.net
Dallas/Ft. Worth
'71 510 2-dr (Prepared class autocrosser)
'73 510 2-dr (Street Toy)


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