TangoVTEC

I just found that my most local (and trusted) tyre place now has a hunter hawkeye system.

I was planning on getting my geo done there rather than make the 150 mile round trip to WIM etc.

This thread has put me off a little however.

I have oem size wheels and tyres (Yokohama advans), Meister R coilies ( approx 1" drop) hardrace rear toe arms, polybushes etc.

Will the OEM settings (which I was gonna ask em to do) not do me justice then?

r8byb

Don't let it put you off just check that the alignment is as it should be.

And check the thrust axis is correct! Which is usualy not mentioned but quite important.

Be prepared that some companies use minutes and degrees for toe etc and some use MM. I find MM much easier to work with but I'm uses to stringing cars.

r8byb

Ps-I think alot of these specialist places are overpriced. Tdi north charge 90 pounds for alignment. My local ATS where I do everything admitedly I only have the manager do the work but they have hunter equipment and charge 20 pounds Per adjustment to just check is free.

The equipment caters for lowered cars and the wheel seats sit on the rim and not over the tyre.

Ultra_Nexus

Tango - Start with the 2004 OEM settings. They are quite soft in comparison to what I was running, but they are as good a place as any to start. Once you have an idea, then you can come back and we can point you in the right direction. Who knows, you might like the OEM.

Oh, and whether soft or agressive - you should set it up to how you like it. Ultimately agressive will be faster, but it will punish mistakes more and will be slower in the wet. Not to mention that the biggest performance factor will be driver confidence

Dembo

I have about that much toe now, and on the one hand I miss the rear-end stability I used to have with more rear toe and the fact the steering doesn't feel as good because the rear always feel loose. But on the other hand, with the back sliding it now feels like you have great acres of time to play and that you'd have to be a hugely talentless heavy right-footed oaf to lose it.

I suspect the OP now has less toe (perhaps because they used the settings from the newer car), which to start with feels like it's loose all the time, but really once you gain the confidence that it isn't going to kill you probably is better.

zagamuffin

Thks for the replys ,

I have had the car about three years and have enjoyed road and a little track time in this car, have had a few 2wd cossies which taught me how to drive a rwd very quickly....lol loads of power but not race car handling as STD,can be made to handle tho for a taxi
I have enjoyed how well the s handled as STD but had to get used to the rear wheel steer effect.I believe there is compliant bush steer built in afaik.
With the new settings the car has stepped out on corners I previously could have taken at 20/30 mph faster, the car was always tolerant to slight lift off/fethering mid throttle , now ain't happy with this at all.

I am waiting on the alignment sheet but would love to see a STD 02 on 16". V. 04/ on 17"s

Also post your fav road settings for neutral handling

Cheers again

zagamuffin

Alignment center comes recommended, know the owner from years ago and always dealt with performance cars so knows his stuff,
Haunt been to the shop but once I have his settings and your recommendations I'll be paying them a visit

lovegroova

There's little difference between the settings for 16s and 17s.

Here's my settings when I asked for a car that didn't slide around too much at the rear

Front
Camber 1 deg
Castor 6 deg
Toe 0 deg

Rear
Camber 2 deg (though 1deg 30' is probably fine too)
Toe 30' each side

Rock steady and only slid around with a fair bit of provocation.

r8byb

Thing with alignment systems is the operator will look up manfacturer values it will say for example:

target -1 +-0.5

The operator should get it as close to target, however if they're a bit lazy they could leave it at -0.51 and it would techncally still be in spec. In reality that .5 would make quite a substantial difference.

m1bjr

This car will feel loose as there is a lot of bump steer.
Easily confuesd by the novice for the tyres letting go, they probbaly are not.
The oem car with an oem geometry will out handle most owners.