How often do you check your track alignment?
11-04-2016, 02:43 AM
#1
Instructor
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How often do you check your track alignment?
Just put a new set of tires on my 991 gt3 rs after 5 track days on them. I'm thinking I'll recheck my alignment. How often do you check your alignment and when you do do you notice if there is any meaningful change? Thanks.
11-04-2016, 09:11 AM
#4
After an agricultural weekend or if I've had a hard curb strike. I also rotate tires between events and closely look for uneven or unusual wear. I will check it if I feel the car is getting squirrely.
-Mike
-Mike
11-04-2016, 11:04 AM
#6
11-04-2016, 05:07 PM
#7
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Have you tried using a pyrometer to understand how your alignment is working??
I have a belief that the internet has made people lazy(ignorant?) on proper set-up. Alignment specs for the same model car can't really be just copied unless everything else is the same... and everything else is never the same!! Great to use as a ballpark to get you close. There is a reason why fast teams in pro racing are out with alignment strings and turn plates often.
Understand what your alignment settings are, understand how your car reacts to changes, and think about how to optimize your car for you! Then get an alignment done when you want to make a change... I can't remember a track season where I didn't do at least 2 alignments. But I hit things often! ;-)
I have a belief that the internet has made people lazy(ignorant?) on proper set-up. Alignment specs for the same model car can't really be just copied unless everything else is the same... and everything else is never the same!! Great to use as a ballpark to get you close. There is a reason why fast teams in pro racing are out with alignment strings and turn plates often.
Understand what your alignment settings are, understand how your car reacts to changes, and think about how to optimize your car for you! Then get an alignment done when you want to make a change... I can't remember a track season where I didn't do at least 2 alignments. But I hit things often! ;-)
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11-04-2016, 07:14 PM
#9
Rennlist Member
11-04-2016, 09:46 PM
#12
Alignment is not rocket science. The tricky part is getting a reliable point of reference. There are many ways to do this. In my experience, the most important factor is how much the guy doing the alignment cares.
Leveled position in my driveway (I have to put a floor tile under the right rear). Digital level with very straight stick for measuring camber. Zero the level horizontally. Lay the level on the stick and lay the assembly top to bottom on the center of the wheel, read the camber (90 degrees means 0 camber).
For toe, plumb bob, string, sharpie, blue tape, and tape measure. Use the plumb bob and string to measure leading and trailing edges of tire sidewall or rim (someplace repeatable) and mark on blue tape placed on driveway with sharpy. Do both sides. Roll car back, measure difference in lengths from left to right to determine toe. For the front, I want zero. For the rear I want 1/8" toed in.
I can do it pretty quick. It's faster than putting the car on the trailer and taking it to shop. I've even done it at the track. Tire wear is nice and even and the measurements are very repeatable.
That tire doesn't look that bad to me.
-Mike
Leveled position in my driveway (I have to put a floor tile under the right rear). Digital level with very straight stick for measuring camber. Zero the level horizontally. Lay the level on the stick and lay the assembly top to bottom on the center of the wheel, read the camber (90 degrees means 0 camber).
For toe, plumb bob, string, sharpie, blue tape, and tape measure. Use the plumb bob and string to measure leading and trailing edges of tire sidewall or rim (someplace repeatable) and mark on blue tape placed on driveway with sharpy. Do both sides. Roll car back, measure difference in lengths from left to right to determine toe. For the front, I want zero. For the rear I want 1/8" toed in.
I can do it pretty quick. It's faster than putting the car on the trailer and taking it to shop. I've even done it at the track. Tire wear is nice and even and the measurements are very repeatable.
Iphone hehe
No wonder my tire looks like that
On a serious note, i just send the car to alignment shop, i dont have the proper tools
Attachment 1104940
No wonder my tire looks like that
On a serious note, i just send the car to alignment shop, i dont have the proper tools
Attachment 1104940
-Mike
11-04-2016, 10:17 PM
#13
Rennlist Member
Trig is a valuable tool to simply check toe and camber.
that 1/8" toe in, can take the width of the wheel . take the 1/8" and divide by that..... INV TAN on the calcultor and you get toe in in degrees
same thing with how far you are off vertical for camber.
pretty accurate actually.
mk
that 1/8" toe in, can take the width of the wheel . take the 1/8" and divide by that..... INV TAN on the calcultor and you get toe in in degrees
same thing with how far you are off vertical for camber.
pretty accurate actually.
mk
Alignment is not rocket science. The tricky part is getting a reliable point of reference. There are many ways to do this. In my experience, the most important factor is how much the guy doing the alignment cares.
Leveled position in my driveway (I have to put a floor tile under the right rear). Digital level with very straight stick for measuring camber. Zero the level horizontally. Lay the level on the stick and lay the assembly top to bottom on the center of the wheel, read the camber (90 degrees means 0 camber).
For toe, plumb bob, string, sharpie, blue tape, and tape measure. Use the plumb bob and string to measure leading and trailing edges of tire sidewall or rim (someplace repeatable) and mark on blue tape placed on driveway with sharpy. Do both sides. Roll car back, measure difference in lengths from left to right to determine toe. For the front, I want zero. For the rear I want 1/8" toed in.
I can do it pretty quick. It's faster than putting the car on the trailer and taking it to shop. I've even done it at the track. Tire wear is nice and even and the measurements are very repeatable.
That tire doesn't look that bad to me.
-Mike
Leveled position in my driveway (I have to put a floor tile under the right rear). Digital level with very straight stick for measuring camber. Zero the level horizontally. Lay the level on the stick and lay the assembly top to bottom on the center of the wheel, read the camber (90 degrees means 0 camber).
For toe, plumb bob, string, sharpie, blue tape, and tape measure. Use the plumb bob and string to measure leading and trailing edges of tire sidewall or rim (someplace repeatable) and mark on blue tape placed on driveway with sharpy. Do both sides. Roll car back, measure difference in lengths from left to right to determine toe. For the front, I want zero. For the rear I want 1/8" toed in.
I can do it pretty quick. It's faster than putting the car on the trailer and taking it to shop. I've even done it at the track. Tire wear is nice and even and the measurements are very repeatable.
That tire doesn't look that bad to me.
-Mike
11-04-2016, 10:24 PM
#14
Nordschleife Master
Nut and Bolt, after every race. Check alignment, after every race. Why? There is ALWAYS something loose and ALWAYS even with monoballs the alignment is off.
11-04-2016, 11:18 PM
#15
Rennlist Member
I do a visual after a race, each nut/bolt is marked so i can quickly scan to see if it has moved...Alignment checked once, or if tire wear accelerates and handling gets weird...My question would be "how often do you find your race car out of alignment" ? I can't imagine it happens too often ?
