Garage/Trackside Alignment - Possible or Pipe Dream?

[ZX3ST]

I'll try to keep this brief.

I roam the streets most of the time, but attend around 5 HPDEs per year. Been running my Focus ST for the last few years, but it does well on the OEM alignment. None yet on the Mustang (2018 GT350 non-R if it matters).

I don't have a way to haul the car, so I need to be able to drive to/from events, some of which are rather far away. I'm a little apprehensive putting 1000 street miles on a track alignment. So I'm trying to see if it's reasonably possible to make camber/toe adjustments when I arrive, and reset when I leave.

I already bought these camber adjustment pieces from Steeda:
https://www.steeda.com/steeda-s550-mustang-camber-plates-15-16-all-555-8139.html
https://www.steeda.com/rear-camber-adjustment-kit.html

I came across this Fastrax tool online, but it doesn't get great reviews.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000SIH2EG/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000O3VV1A/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Anyone in a similar situation and can offer some feedback on what works? Or am I barking up the wrong tree?

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[NightmareMoon]

What is your reservation about running track alignment specs on the street? Just running some extra camber isnt that bad if your toe is reasonable. FWIW I daily on >2.5 degrees in the front and 2.0 rear camber (zero toe up front and very slight toe in rear).

 

[ZX3ST]

What is your reservation about running track alignment specs on the street?

Wear. I'm not afraid to replace rubber, but I'd like to not contribute to it unnecessarily.

I'm planning on starting with the Ford-recommended settings and adjusting from there if needed.
-1.5* camber and 0.1* toe out FRONT
-1.0* camber and 0.3* toe in REAR

 

[NvrFinished]

I make over a 500 mile round trip when I go to my track events. I run almost 3 degrees of negative camber on my front street tires when I do. As long as you have the toe adjusted correctly it's not going to create any adverse wear on your tires.

I made my own camber gauge out of a piece of angle iron, using 1/4" bolts and nuts. I then purchased a magnetic digital angle gauge from Amazon. There is a YouTube video somewhere that shows how to make it. It's very easy.

https://www.amazon.com/AccuRemote-D...06&sr=8-7&keywords=digital+level+angle+finder

If you don't want to make your own, I would recommend the Smart Camber gauge. It works very well and is on my purchase list. I had a chance to use one once.

http://www.smartracingproducts.com/smartcamber.html

Also, I would recommend learning how to do your own string alignment. I learned to do it in a level spot of my garage. I can now set camber and toe for both the front and rear this way and I save a ton of money on alignments. I had initially purchased toe plates, but they were not as accurate.

 

[dmann]

What is your reservation about running track alignment specs on the street? Just running some extra camber isnt that bad if your toe is reasonable. FWIW I daily on >2.5 degrees in the front and 2.0 rear camber (zero toe up front and very slight toe in rear).

What kinda daily mileage do you see each week?

Great topic OP.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Wear. I'm not afraid to replace rubber, but I'd like to not contribute to it unnecessarily.

I'm planning on starting with the Ford-recommended settings and adjusting from there if needed.
-1.5* camber and 0.1* toe out FRONT
-1.0* camber and 0.3* toe in REAR

If you run those alignment numbers on a road course you're going to be replacing tires earlier than usual due to excessive outside shoulder wear. The car really needs more than 2-3 degrees of front camber and 1.5-2 in the rear. The rear doesn't seem too sensitive and wear is usually pretty even in that 1.5-2 range, but in the front you're going to notice a difference in both lateral grip and tire wear with too little camber.

0.3 total toe in is good for the rear. I'd recommend 0 front toe, but 0.1 total toe out isn't too extreme.

My car is a daily driver and I average 40 miles a day, or ~14,500 miles a year. Most of that has been on -2.4 front camber and -1.6 rear. My first set of MPSS tires lasted 20k miles before I had to replace them, and yeah they did cord on the inside shoulder edge which is probably a combination of air pressure, toe, and camber, but I'm happy with 20k out of a set of street tires.

 

[dmann]

If you run those alignment numbers on a road course you're going to be replacing tires earlier than usual due to excessive outside shoulder wear. The car really needs more than 2-3 degrees of front camber and 1.5-2 in the rear. The rear doesn't seem too sensitive and wear is usually pretty even in that 1.5-2 range, but in the front you're going to notice a difference in both lateral grip and tire wear with too little camber.

0.3 total toe in is good for the rear. I'd recommend 0 front toe, but 0.1 total toe out isn't too extreme.

My car is a daily driver and I average 40 miles a day, or ~14,500 miles a year. Most of that has been on -2.4 front camber and -1.6 rear. My first set of MPSS tires lasted 20k miles before I had to replace them, and yeah they did cord on the inside shoulder edge which is probably a combination of air pressure, toe, and camber, but I'm happy with 20k out of a set of street tires.

That is impressive! How many track days in there?

 

[Norm Peterson]

On the matter of trackside alignment . . . front is reasonably do-able, but don't forget that it'll add one more thing to your list of things to do to go from street driver to track car, and one more thing to do at the end of the day (or in the hotel parking lot the next morning). If you're careful with your choices of street and track camber, you can probably get away with never having to touch toe (it'll drift toward 'out' a little as you move cambers further negative). You'll absolutely want some sort of gauge blocks or other means of positively locating the strut shaft, which will take all of the measuring and iterating out of it.

I used to do this for autocross (not a Mustang).

I can't imagine adding rear camber and toe adjustments to the job.

If your street driving includes enough "enthusiastic cornering" you might not want front cambers much closer to zero than -2.0° even for that.


Norm

 

[NightmareMoon]

That is impressive! How many track days in there?

Not many track sessions on the MPSS street tires, I run a dedicated 2nd set of wheels with RE71Rs for track days. One of my 4 tires saw exactly 20 minutes on track in backup duty after I shredded a well worn RE71R, and of course they saw a bunch of back road canyon carving.

My current set of MP4S tires have seen more track time than the last set. They even got treated to 3 sessions at Circuit of the Americas (it was wet), and I've used them for a couple of 20 minute sessions at Driveway Austin. The MP4S does grip better than the MPSS seemed to do when hot and pushed to 10/10ths.

 

[Norm Peterson]

I've found MPSS tires surprisingly durable in track day service, though they are admittedly a bit past their prime after a dozen or so track days (I'll call it intermediate level) and 5000 or so street miles. Excellent wet tires.

Here's what the worst one looked like after the 10th track day. Looks like almost 50% left, though I don't expect them to make it to the 20th track day. You guys with more power will probably go through them a bit faster.

Norm

 

[dmann]

I've found MPSS tires surprisingly durable in track day service, though they are admittedly a bit past their prime after a dozen or so track days (I'll call it intermediate level) and 5000 or so street miles. Excellent wet tires.

Here's what the worst one looked like after the 10th track day. Looks like almost 50% left, though I don't expect them to make it to the 20th track day. You guys with more power will probably go through them a bit faster.

Norm

thats impressive

 

[ZX3ST]

What kinda daily mileage do you see each week?

Not sure who you're asking. Hard to say. This is my "when I feel like it" car.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I guess I'll start with just a bit more camber than Ford says and go from there. Sounds like this may not be something I'm prepared for.

 

[Niz55]

I use a digital angle gauge to set my camber before going in for alignment and it is always slot on.


Unfortunately no way possible to adjust your toe.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Unfortunately no way possible to adjust your toe.

Not sure why it couldn't be done up front anyway, other than it being something else to throw more time at.


Norm

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