4 wheel alignment, help please??

[bryntech]

Going to get my car 4 wheel aligned next week, after i have fitted a new set of exaltos.
This is to try and eradicate the twitchy, 'searching' feeling i'm getting under hard acceleration and braking.

Can anyone help me with the following:
1, What is exactly adjustable on the trophy? Front / rear toe and camber??
2, What are the optimum settings for these variables?

The place i'm taking it seem to know what they are talking about, none the less i would still like to go with the best knowledge possible.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Steve]

This is to try and eradicate the twitchy, 'searching' feeling i'm getting under hard acceleration and braking.

:lol: :lol: Are they going to fit RWD? :lol: :lol:


Sorry, from the words of George K;

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just go for standard settings with perhaps a tad more front negative - 1 - 1'30" will be fine. Some people seem to like a bit less toe - my came with 10" toe-out (a bit less than standard) and as straight line stability was fine I have left it at that. Because I compete with mine I run 2.0" negative and have only experienced positive effects - unless you do all your miles on motorways I doubt if even this much would be detrimental to tyre wear.

Unless the rear is not as per the book (1.75" negative and 0.20" toe in) I would leave well alone - these settings are very conservative and undoubtedly contribute to the car's predictability.

 

[g40steve]

This is to try and eradicate the twitchy, 'searching' feeling i'm getting under hard acceleration and braking.


It's alive

 

[bryntech]

nice one steve, is the 2.0" negative camber on the fronts achievable with standard bolts? or do i need to purchase some of these 'camber bolts'?

 

[Steve]

nice one steve, is the 2.0" negative camber on the fronts achievable with standard bolts? or do i need to purchase some of these 'camber bolts'?

I'm purely regurgitating posts from the technically minded indivuals on here as I know nothing about suspension modifications but from what I have gathered;

Modifying or machining the standard bolts should be left to an expert.

Adding shims is one option.

Using new bolts is a preferable method.

Over to you guys...

Edit - Found it!

http://cliotrophy.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2918

This should have all you need to know (as your search function is obviously malfunctioning :wink: )

 

[donkey]

the symptoms you describe could be something as simple as worn tyres, you might find a fresh set of boots transforms the car

geo wise

2 degree negative at the front (you will need camber adjusters)
10 mins toe out (anymore and personally I feel there is a detriment rather than improvement in feel - but thats down to taste)

rear as standard - its a pain and expensive to change the rear using shims

 

[bryntech]

So to summarise,

For the front i'm looking at -2.0" camber (using Camber bolts!!) with 10' of toe out.
The rears should be -1.75" camber with with 20' toe in (as per manufacturer settings).

Does this seem right, or have i grabbed the wrong end of the stick??

Any idea of best place to get camber bolts from, found some at K-tec for £51 delivered?

Bryntech

 

[donkey]

all correct

any 14mm camber bolts will do

K-Tec ones look fine

 

[Cue]

keep us posted on the results.

 

[bryntech]

Well the first step was completed today, fitted my new exaltos.
Tried our usual tyre suppliers (as the family are in the trade) however none of our suppliers could get hold of any, due to Michelin being out of stock, so i tried Mytyres, and guess what only 50p (including VAT and delivery) more than the best price i could get (trade) impressive!!
Anyhow, ordered the tyres on Monday and they arrived this morn, so slipped the beauts' on this evening.
Can't believe the transformation, car feels so much more stable under acceleration and braking. Still gonna get the geo done though, as soon as i get the camber bolts from
K-tec... stay tuned..

bryntech

 

[donkey]

I could say ' I told you so!'

but I won't

 

[Steve]

Can't wait to put my new front boots on, the car was slithering all over the place last night, experienced really nasty understeer at a mini-roundabout then was almost beaten at some lights by a chavved up astra van because of the lack of traction, then I put it in second. :lol:

 

[FunkyMunky]

was almost beaten at some lights by a chavved up astra van , then I put it in gear. :lol:

i find putting the car in gear always helps

 

[bryntech]

Something else i've done, is alter the tyre pressures, from the recommended 33/30 to 28/27, this along with the increased tread depth has transformed the ride.
Not sure though, whether 28 is a little too low, tyres not scrubbed in properly yet to really tell...
Just another thought, is it really worth getting the camber bolts?
how much negative camber can be achieved on the standard bolts?, there will be some slack, i'm sure.
Just thinking that if i'm only gonna gain 0.5 degrees of camber by fitting the bolts, is it really gonna be worth it? will i feel the difference?

 

[FunkyMunky]

Something else i've done, is alter the tyre pressures, from the recommended 33/30 to 28/27, this along with the increased tread depth has transformed the ride.
Not sure though, whether 28 is a little too low, tyres not scrubbed in properly yet to really tell...

i too run much lower tyre pressures - 29 front, 28 rear. on the other Trophy i had with the camber adjusted it handled superbly..... on my current Trophy the lower tyre pressures have improved the handling, but i still think there's more room for improvement (hence getting the camber setup again this weekend).

if you werent so far away i'd say come and have a drive and form your own opinions on whether it's worth altering the camber

 

[Steve]

Is it true you prefer biting the pillow G?

Oh yes, don't waste time with pretending to be the man

Homo.

 

[FunkyMunky]

[quote="Steve Gunnis":hjks90u8]Is it true you prefer biting the pillow G?

Oh yes, don't waste time with pretending to be the man

Homo.[/quote:hjks90u8]

i thought that was our special secret :wink:

way off topic we're going here!

 

[bryntech]

Gareth, so you'd recommend getting the camber done then? just the fronts -2 or would you suggest i get the rear done aswell or leave as factory?, i was thinking about getting the 4 wheel done, having toe adjusted and if different having the camber on the fronts set the same and with as much neg as the standard bolts would allow...

 

[FunkyMunky]

Gareth, so you'd recommend getting the camber done then? just the fronts -2 or would you suggest i get the rear done aswell or leave as factory?, i was thinking about getting the 4 wheel done, having toe adjusted and if different having the camber on the fronts set the same and with as much neg as the standard bolts would allow...

http://cliotrophy.co.uk/forum/viewtopic ... ght=camber

my post is about the fifth one down - that has the settings i had previously and i plan to go for a very similar setup again.

if you also do a search on 'camber' there's a few other useful threads with loads of good info and input from others that have had their cars setup. definitely worth a read - i know i spent a bit of time getting some useful info from them before doing anything to mine

 

[Steve]

Gareth, so you'd recommend getting the camber done then? just the fronts -2 or would you suggest i get the rear done aswell or leave as factory?, i was thinking about getting the 4 wheel done, having toe adjusted and if different having the camber on the fronts set the same and with as much neg as the standard bolts would allow...

http://cliotrophy.co.uk/forum/viewtopic ... ght=camber

my post is about the fifth one down - that has the settings i had previously and i plan to go for a very similar setup again.

if you also do a search on 'camber' there's a few other useful threads with loads of good info and input from others that have had their cars setup. definitely worth a read - i know i spent a bit of time getting some useful info from them before doing anything to mine

How are you going to differ the set-up this time around Batty Boy? Dial in a bit more oversteer so you can hit the fence posts side on and then just replace a door raher than the whole car?

Right, I'm going to stop now.

Bryntech - I've heard a few people say not to mess around with the rear setttings, just check that they're as they should be.