I know this is a common problem with 911s. What is the best way to make more adjustment to front chamber. The right side will adjust to 0.0 but the left will only move out to -.8. I installed new tires and ordered an alignment. We switched the front tires after the alignment produced a pull to the left. The switch didn't work. Still pulls left. What part of the front fenders needs to be cut and what is the correct precedure for this alteration? Thanks in advance!

 

FWIW, and seriously, your 911 will drive a lot better w/-.8 to -1.1 camber in the front, -1.5 to -1.7 in the rear. I would never align my front end to 0...is that factory specs?? I don't remember, thought it was -.5 or something?

If you truly want more +camber adjustment, try the 11mm bolt on your A-arms and raise your car up a bit, it won't add much...but helps.

If -.8 is all you can get on one side, seriously, adjust the other side to -.8 and give a little adjust to the - side on the rears too...you'll thank me. Before you ask the question, in my opinion, you will not experience any SIGNIFICANT tire wear due to this adjustment - I did this for 7 years on my '82 SC which has the same suspension as your '88.

Now, I own a '91 C2, would you believe I run -1.75 up front and -2.0 in the rear? I also do a track event every month, after two months and 4k mi. of driving...I AM experiencing a noticable amount of tire wear! I may dial it back a bit, probably .5 all the way around.

These are just my experiences and/or opinions...as I started off "FWIW" - (for what it's worth)

Cheers and good luck on your alignment!

 

I align at least 2 911's each week. Jeff's recommended settings are a good track/street setting, heavy on the track part.
I know that the US specs say 0.0 F, but our usual street settings for an agressive driver are;
-.6 F camber, .25 toe
-1.1 R camber, .33 toe
I would be alot happier with -.8 F than 0.0
With the above settings, I've never seen any uneven tire wear unless the guy ended spending alot more time on the track than he first anticipated.

 

Steve,
This is a very interesting post. I've an 88 911 and rarely (1 per yr) go to D.E. I run SO2's w/ 7 and 8 Fuchs. What would be a good setting for optimal street wear and once a year D.E. ?
Thanks,
Mrdi

 

My opinion is to take your car to a reputable alignment shop and have it corner balanced and aligned with settings which will allow you to DE now and then, while minimizing tire wear. I run -3 degrees camber for the track,with 1/8 toe in. Ask the PCA or POC guys in your area for the name of a good shop. Good luck!

 

On my 81SC, which sees around 16 track days/year and around 5,000 miles/year, I run -1.25 degrees camber in front and around -1.5 to -1.75 in back (don't remember the exact number, offhand, but expect it's closer to -1.75). Tire wear is even on both my street/rain tires and track tires.

 

What is causing my pull to the right?

 

88 Carrera, the caster on the F of pre-C2/C4 Carreras has very little range of adjustment, it's not usually the problem unless there's a bent strut. Assuming that your tire pressures are correct, no bent strut, the car is somewhat aligned, the pull is probably a weight problem, or tires.
If it's a bad pull, ie the car drives right off of the side of the road, it's probably not the tires. What I've seen repeatedly is the car's ride height has been adjusted to compensate for worn bushings or a bad body repair, the car looks perfect, it aligns, but it still has a bad pull. When weighed, the car will have as much as 2/3 of it's weight on one diagonal. My clues, now, so I don't have to do a bunch of free alignments anymore, are 1. that the steering wheel will be noticeably harder to turn one way than the other when the car is on the turntables, and have a tendency to stay turned one way but not the other. 2. when I lift the car off of the floor, the steering wheel and F wheels may turn to the side, although the car is just going straight up.

MRDI, I would want about -.6 to -.8 F, -1.1 to-1.4 R. Without some modifications, you will be limited on nearly any car on at least one adjustment, it's a question of balance.

BTW, F strut bars such as a cambermeister will add alot of adjustment potential to the F, because you can bend the front of the car around to where you want it, and you shouldn't be on the track without one.