Alignment Experimentation. Best performance alignment

[kenjiMR]

I'm looking to find the best alignment to extract the most grip capacity out of the tires of my car. Currently, I am using 17x7.5" front and 18x9" rims in the rear. I also am using Eibach springs that lower the car by 1.5", but will be soon changing to TEINs for its linear spring rates.

For those of you who use your NSX for tracking and racing, what alignment setting have you found to work the best? Tire life is not a concern. I currently am using Dali's middle grade anti-sway bar set to medium densitiy front and rear.

I'm looking to get a better turn-in feel and have slight oversteer tendancy if possible.

 

[Ponyboy]

I asked the question before, Kenji, and got a couple of replys. Of course, the alignment that'll work for you depends on your driving style. But to get you in the ballpark, I do 3mm of neg camber up front and 2mm of neg camber in back. I'm playing with toe out and in but I think I found a good set of numbers for me. 2.5 degrees out in front and 1 degree in in back. I think that's what I had it at. I'll most likely be going with the RA's next season so I'm sure it'll change a bit but not a whole lot. Maybe .5 here or there. Let me know if it works for you.

 

[sjs]

Ponyboy, I think you flipped the numbers around. Camber is generally measured in degrees and toe in mm (but sometimes degrees).

As for the question, as already stated it depends on other factors, but even with stiff springs and bars you will probably benefit from at least -3 degrees camber in back and -2 or more in front, but that will definitely cause uneven (and therefore rapid) tire wear unless most of the miles are at the track. I think the original stock toe settings are probably fine but a bit more front toe out may make turn-in crisper (at the expense of being a bit vague in a straight line.)

 

[DanO]

Keep in mind that negative camber is great for cornering (at the track) but at the expense of straight-line stability, especially under heavy braking and increased tire wear. Severe negative camber is really meant for a track-only car that spends lots of time in at-the-limit corners. I think that a highly negative camber setup would be a liability on the street for 99.99% of all driving situations.

DanO

 

[Ponyboy]

Yes, I think I did switch them around. My bad.

 

[Ponyboy]

Kenji, maybe call Comptech or get a hold of Benoit Theetge in Ontario to see what they recommend.

Or rather get some kind of performance meter that measures g's or find a skidpad for rent and tune your suspension that way.

 

[docjohn]

Kenji,I've been playing around with this for years and always come back to stock 91 settings,good luck.

 

[sjs]

Originally posted by kenjiMR:
I'm looking to find the best alignment to extract the most grip capacity out of the tires of my car... For those of you who use your NSX for tracking and racing, what alignment setting have you found to work the best? Tire life is not a concern.

I took the above to be the core of your questions. If that's accurate then I'll stick with my prior comments. Although I don't disagree with DanO (can't remember when I have for that matter

) I don't consider 3 degrees negative camber in back and 2 negative in the front to be severe. I run those on my daily driver and have run more than that on other cars. As I did say it will compromise tire life which you said that's OK, but I don't perceive it as a drivability or stability issue. On the other hand, extra front toe-out with non-OEM tires will definitely reduce directional stability quite noticeably.