Just got my brand new rear tires, getting them installed tonight. Tomorrow night, I'll be getting the rear toe check and adjusted to give me a warm fuzzy that these tires will last a little longer than my last ones.

Right now I'm running the factory spec 6mm total toe (3mm per side). I've done quite a bit of googling trying to find rear specs on other performance cars.

What I've found was that most performance cars, like Z06, Viper etc...run 2-4mm of rear toe MAX. I also read that the NSX originally ran 6mm, then after many consumer complaints, Honda changed the spec to 4mm in 1994.

Since I don't track my car, or auto-x, I think I'm going to tone down the rear toe. I'm thinking of running a very conservative 2mm of rear toe total. I know this will ruin my at-the-limit rear end stability, especially under heavy braking, but I'm willing to sacrifice that in the name of not having to spend $500 every 6 months for tires.

What do you think?

 

Well, that basically sums it up. Toe causes a lot of wear, but decreasing it reduces rear end stability. You're not going crazy with the change, so as long as you're prepared for the different handling and with your driving profile it's really no biggie.

You can try getting some rear anti-bumpsteer control arms. They reduce the aggressive rear toe change. IMO a lot of the rear toe is required in back because of this, so toe in doesn't go too low or even toe out under big time dive or roll. The anti-bumpsteer control arms reduces the toe curve, which allows the car to run less rear toe and still maintain some stability.

I got them and run a lot less rear toe now with little to no penalty in rear stability.

 

get a sebring convertible...

 

drop top Chrysler... Playa!

 

I think you will find the rear of the car does not want to stay behind as well as it did.

 

thanks for the help dumba$$......


I'm not complaining about the stock settings here - my s02's lasted over 20,000 kms. I would have no problem with that.

But my ES100's lasted 7000kms - that's 5000miles. Changing rear tires at every oil change isn't right, s2000, Sebring, Viper, whatever......


EDIT - Had the settings changed....I'm running stock front settings, 1.5 degrees of camber on the rear, and 3mm toe total in the rear.

THe car feels fine. I went to a parking lot just to make sure, and everything is pretty much the same as before - rear end feels fine under heavy braking.

I have a good feeling about these settings - after 200 kms, the little rubber "nubbies" are still on the tires - before, I'd have rubber filings peeling off after 200kms from all the scrubbing.