H2

I was just talking with a friend who owns a BWM M5, M3, new 'Vette, and a couple of formula race cars (as well as the obligatory truck for pulling the race trailer, and wifey's car). He says that he has his wheel alignment people follow his spec...which, essentially, is to increase the "toe out" of the tires slightly beyond manufacturer recommended. This increases tread mileage on his street cars...but admittedly does make the car a bit more squirrley for driving. He's a race car driver so he doesn't mind a "loose car." The stock spec for toe in tends to increase manageability but kinda "plows" as it goes down the road, with increased wear on the inside of the tire.

In fact, on the Formula cars, he does this on the rear tires as well but I'm not sure such an adjustment would be possible (reasonable) on the 928.

Any thoughts on this?

Harvey

SteveG

Does he also have those magnets on the fuel lines to get better gas mileage?
Next.

Shark Attack

No, but i heard he has an electric supercharger that also works great

IMO... putting a car toe out, i dont care who you are, would make a car a hazzard in a critical instance where a little panic may play in to it. If the tires are wearing evenly across the tread.. I would say its adjusted for maximum mileage. I may be wrong......

fabric

Isn't camber more of an issue for tire life than toe? Isn't that generally the problem with a 928 that is aligned without having the suspension settled - you end up with a bald inside shoulder?

Obviously excessive toe results in the tire scrubbing, but I'd think it wouldn't be as drastic as poor camber.

tv

I have been amazed at my alignment/set-up. I have over 10k hard miles on the dunlops on the front of mine and they show no wear. They have been on since the po. Deep tread, even and you can let go of the wheel and it tracks straight. What its set at i don't know and i don't want to mess with it even though i want new suspension bits.

marton

if you are worried about tire wear then put the car on axle stands

Marton

Jim bailey - 928 International

Toe is the most important having the wheels pointed roughly the same direction. Static toe setting is what you get on a machine BUT as soon as you are moving the forces on the tires , scrub radius etc all change the alignment. Then under braking it REALLY changes !

Joe '87 S4

I would think the basics would promote optimal tire wear. A proper 928 alignment, proper tire inflation, and a good set of shocks. On the other side working against it are poor roads and the one I'm most guilty of... the never ending need to take those 35 mph turns at 60 mph just because you know you can. My Pirellis are at 21,000 miles and are just now starting to show some wear.

Schocki

Follow the recommended specs from the factory and you will be just fine for daily driving.

hacker-pschorr

If you want to save the life of your tires, buy a Buick.

Jim bailey - 928 International

The front wheels only point nominaly in the same direction when going straight ahead as soon as you turn the wheel all bets are off and some strange things happen

ZEUS+

Jim is 100% correct. There is toe out on turns. One feature of a proper alignment is good tire wear.

Bill Ball

Harv:

Excessive toe-in wears the OUTSIDE of the tires. If aligned to spec (very slight toe-in), my fronts wear evenly. Maybe very slight toe-out would wear evenly too, but anything more and you'd wear the inside. It's common to have unintended toe-out due to aligment before the car has settled. I've seen AWFUL inside tire wear from toe out - ask Nicole.

IcemanG17

I also vote for stock alignment......assuming nothing is seriously worn (shocks-tie rods-etc) and ride height is correct....tire wear shouldn't be that bad...on the front anyway.....the rears will wear faster, especially if you drive like Bill :>)

I haven't aligned my 928 yet...but it drives straight and smooth & the tires don't show any odd wear patterns...other than the rears are wearing faster

GUMBALL

H2:
Your friend is partially correct - I have done something similar with the alignment on my 928.
BUT, on a street car...NEVER, NEVER toe out..!!

The factory alignment spec for the 928 is slightly "track oriented" (note, I said "slightly") Because 90% of my driving is highway, I modified the specs for that application.

Factory spec for Front camber is - 3/4 to -1 degree...I run -1/2 degree.
Rear spec is -1 degree...I run -1/2 degree.

Factory spec for caster is 3 to 3.5 degrees, I run 5 degrees.

Factory spec for front toe is 1/2 degree in, I run 1/4 degree, factory rear spec is 1/4 degree, which I do run.


I have found that these settings make the car extremely stable in a straight line (...highway..!!) with very good tire wear.

But, for those owners who do track events, obviously these settings are the "wrong direction"