32 replies to this topic

[gerglmuff2]

ive used a level to do alignments on a non-level floor and calculated out the correction factor using a spreadsheet i made. however, this is not to be used if you are corner weighting the car. if you are corner weighting the car, and adjusting ride height, use a level floor. 

[FTodaro]

 

Your toe numbers are misleading. Are you using toe plates or strings that measure off the wheels. Toe plates will give you about a 30% higher toe reading than strings.

 

Dave

Good point Dave. I used to capture toe using the strings, but i think the toe plates are more precise, and plates are what we check with at the track so, I mostly just use toe plates in the shop to set the final toe.

[SaulSpeedwell]

Having watched the Flying Lizard guys doing scale work on teetering scales in the grass, one of the best pieces of advice I have is to simply give the car what it is asking for, in terms of % cross.  If a wedge adjustment will make your worst corner better, then just do it.  Learn to feel what a 1/4 turn does, and optimize it, even without scales.  No trophy for scale numbers. 

 

I went to bed with the car on the setup stands one time.  Came back out and everything was way off - like an extra 0.5 camber due to being lower, and the toe was off because of our hideous bump steer.  These cars "settle" over time, presumably because the gas in the dampers stops providing some supplemental spring load?  For that reason, I'm a fan of "bouncing" the car throughout the setup procedure. 

 

When I first got an NB, I was flummoxed at how unrepeatable it was on the scales.  And how quickly it blew out shocks.  Then I took a lower shock bolt out while the car was at setup height, and watched the shock absorber "boinggggggg" outward about an inch.  With no degree of freedom in the original MazdaSpeed shock hats, the shock absorber was partly being used as a leaf spring.  Terrible. 

[Steve Scheifler]

Having watched the Flying Lizard guys doing scale work on teetering scales in the grass, one of the best pieces of advice I have is to simply give the car what it is asking for, in terms of % cross. If a wedge adjustment will make your worst corner better, then just do it. Learn to feel what a 1/4 turn does, and optimize it, even without scales. No trophy for scale numbers. ...

Agree with all you said, but it’s still important to have a reproducible baseline, preferably for a given track but at least a generic one. It seems that most events these days don’t have even a single test session and often no test day. When is a person supposed to learn a track, scrub tires or bed brakes let alone ask the car what it “wants” in terms of setup? So if you can’t even get the setup back to where it was happy last time you are pretty much screwed. Event schedules today are just a horrible deal for someone getting started or trying to up their game by learning to adjust setup at the track, making the ability to recreate a baseline all the more important.

[LarryKing]

 

often no test day

 

Must be specific to your region/division. In my experience the Great Lakes and SE Divisions almost always have a test day.

[Steve Scheifler]

Must be specific to your region/division. In my experience the Great Lakes and SE Divisions almost always have a test day.

Then you are fortunate, but even with one should I be required to take an extra day off work, pay an additional entry fee and hotel bill so I can scrub tires, shake down the car after repairs, refresh my memory of a track, whatever, before I’m expected to qualify? The problem the club has recognized and talked about for decades just keeps getting worse, too many classes and too many run groups.

[Tom Sager]

Then you are fortunate, but even with one should I be required to take an extra day off work, pay an additional entry fee and hotel bill so I can scrub tires, shake down the car after repairs, refresh my memory of a track, whatever, before I’m expected to qualify? The problem the club has recognized and talked about for decades just keeps getting worse, too many classes and too many run groups.

 

Yes too many classes. 

[LarryKing]

Required? Expected?

 

I don't think you're getting the whole 'hobby' thing.  

[RazerX]

Many factors go into a set up but because I know you Alberto, I know your car, I know the tracks you drive and I know the tires you drive...here is my advice. Cross at 50-50.3, front camber at 3.0-3.2, Rear camber 3.2-3.4(.2 higher than front), 1/8" total toe out in front. 1/16" total toe in in rear. Ride height equal front to rear(no rake)and error on the side of a little higher than to low(Maybe 4.5" off pinch weld or 3/4" from shock top to bump...assuming you have fatcats). After all this is done re-connect your swaybar link(you should have disconnected 1 side when you started) once the car is back under full load. Soft/soft on your car! This is the hole furthest from the 90 degree bend!

 

As mentioned by others...getting weight to specific corners should not be a concern. Weight forward or rearward is more important depending on how the car handles in general. Lots of little ways to move this around if you need to...to many to go into here.

 

Once you get back on track with your new set-up here is the 1 piece of advice I will give you...as you go back to the throttle at turn in and your car starts to rotate...TRUST that it will only rotate so far as it loads and you are on to the next corner pedal to the metal!

Alberto,  I totally agree with Ron on his target numbers.  I raced a '90 for 5 years, which I sold to Matt C, who won the championship on my setup.  Every car is a little different but that setup should be very close if the rest of the car is operating properly.  

[OctaneNation]

First time I've seen a recommendation for more camber in the rear versus the front. Any insight as to why?

[Danica Davison]

Wait, you guys check setup? I checked my toe twice in the last three race weekends

[Danica Davison]

Wait, you guys check setup? I checked my toe twice in the last three race weekends

 

Oh, and it could use a pedi

[RazerX]

NAs handle very differently than NBs, notably they don't push as much and thus less focus on making the rear rotate.  There is some track specific setup for N. Cal.