I confess, this is my first 928 alignment. The new '86 shimmied at 70+, and was a little hesitant around corners, so I finally had it done.

No idea what the numbers mean, but it's whole different beast, now. Not only does it corner like I've done rails, but it even seems to hook up better when launching. I figured my Boges were totally shot, the way it handled before, but it was the alignment.

I did my favorite test this morning, the Germantown Road hillclimb through the forest. Dropped into [2], and foot to the floor on all the straights to 60-70, hard on the binders into posted 10 & 15 mph switchbacks, all up a steep grade. Awesome. Had the sunroof open, so I could hear the 32 valves 'sing' at 4000 rpm.

The Sperrdiff really worked, and was totally transparent. My '81 really burns the inside tire doing the same climb. I threw it into, and powered out of, the curves with abandon, and the car never was unsettled even with the little S4 225/245s. Perfect weather too, dry, overcast, low 50's; no knock light, coolant temp didn't go up at all.

A '96ish SAAB turbo tried to follow me... briefly, but his 185 chp/3000 lbs was no match for my 350ish/3400.



If I'd done my research beforehand, I would have told him to use 1991+ specs, which the WSM states can be used for 86.5 up. IIRC, caster goes to 4.0° +1.

 

you have changed your car to where mine is now, less the much higher camber settings I use. i was toed out about .36 degrees and am now .18 toe'd in. you have the same level of rear toe that i do as well, which is probably ok.

Ill know in a few weeks when i take it to the track, if .5 degree of toe change from toe out to toe in makes any difference. Im hoping the car wont go through race tires as fast up front.

mk

 

ken, on my 79 which is my road car ive put the camber as close to 2 degrees all round as i could and maxed out the front caster as well. the 28 really likes these settings, with as close to zero toe on the front as can be had.

 

Ken:

I think you should be happy. A lot of the results posted here are not so well balanced. Your tech worked hard, not to just get them in the range but to hit the exact targets. Those numbers are right on the money for the street.

 

Who'd you use?

 

So when can we expect the "Por K A Liner" ???? for a quick and easy 928 alignment made from a couple of strings and a few cans???? Maybe we should change your renn handle to McGyver LOL...

Wow...you're up to 350 HP in the 86 point five..wow..there is hope for those poor lost souls of the old body style LOL

 

Much better...

 

Oops, I'm still a little feverish from having the flu all week. I meant my new '86. I'll fix that.

Good to hear, Bill!

I went to my friend's Mercedes/Audi/VW shop (German Auto Repair, in Tigard), and the new 'kid' who is still in school did the alignment, so he didn't mind spending the time to do (and redo) it right.

Tom, careful, I pulled a Carl there with the numbers to match the crank horsepower of the SAAB. AFAIK, I haven't gotten over 320 rwhp... yet.

I keep thinking I've reached the max potential of my 928's, and then I realize that I still haven't finished restoring them even to the level they left the showroom! Noob!

 

Here's the alignment after putting on the 18's. (18x7.5 50et, 18x9 52et)

Caster and camber are maxed out, this is the best he could do. Must be the front wheels sticking out farther on the front (65 versus 50)?

I asked him to put the minimum toe on the back.

 

4.9" of caster is abit much, I would go a max of 4 or you will find more trammlining.

 

Actual = after adjustment = 3.5° caster

He did well in making each side equal, or nearto.

 

see??? the spec for the rear toe is .5 degrees max, but on the other sheets it shows .25 degrees max at the limit. why is that?

yours looks good now!
mk

 

ken, i like the before specs on the front better!

 

Both sheets show 0.5 degree MAX rear toe-in. The target is not shown. The WSM shows rear toe as a target of 10' +/- 5' each side, which would be 0.17 +/- 0.08 degree each side or 0.34 degree total as a target, and that could be extended to indicate a MAX of 0.5 degree. Anyway, the target setting should be 0.34 degree total toe-in with 0.17 degree per side. The WSM shows the front as total toe (both sides) at 15' or 0.25 degree toe-in.

What I don't get is how the rear toe on the left side got so far out of wack between the two alignments. 1.37 degrees is huge. I trust the rim is not bent. Calibration should have revealed that.

 

You're lucky it wasn't a full-pressure 2.3 liter turbo with solenoid disconnected; ~270chp and 3000lbs

Dan
'91 928GT S/C
'91 SAAB 9000 2.3T 5-spd w/30 second solenoid "modification"