Camber and Alignment recommendation
 

Looking to get a more autox/track alignment on my 18 ts. Currently on factory suspension with factory 7.5 wheels with 225s mps4s.

Any recommendations ?

Based on a setup I had on my S550 mustang when I used to compete in FS, I think I want to max out as much camber in the front with camber bolts and zero toe all around.

Before I start throwing aftermarket suspension parts, I want to get some serious seat time so I’m starting with an alignment.

With SPC camber bolts (81305) in the lower hole and factory crash bolts in the upper whole you can gain about -2.5 in front. The lower bolts are the same as factory crash bolts, so you just move them to the upper hole after installing the SPC bolts. There are also Pedders tophats if you want even more.

An adjustable lca in the rear is the most common/easiest option for rear camber

Thanks for the advice on the front camber ! I’m gonna try to hold off on top hats until I go with coil overs after next season

How much rear camber do you recommend since I’m on factory suspension ? Wasn’t sure if I could get away with stock lca or if I should just go with the adjustable one now

Do you have recommendation on the toe specs ?

Are you going to get aftermarket camber bolts or only "crash bolts"? If you're only doing crash bolts, you might as well just stay in D Street this year. You can do the adjustable LCAs and camber bolts when you move to coilovers/STX.

I personally run 0-toe front and rear.

Ah, my apologies I didn’t clarify. I don’t care so much for the SCCA classing for now because I started to mostly do Pca/bmw events but will sometimes make it out to SCCA events. Also I think it would be C street not D Street for the ts


How do you like the zero toe all around ? Does the rear get twitchy for DD or at higher speeds ?

Just get adjustable lca now since you are staying stock height for the moment. You need them eventually and are already getting a proper alignment. You have basically no camber unless lowered otherwise.

Im not super experienced but I would max the front using the two bolts and go around .5 less in the rear. So roughly -2.5 F/ -2 R.

Zero toe is fine for most. Definitely start at that and adjust if needed.

Agree w zero toe all around, maximized front camber for sure. You might try Peddars offset top mounts for a bit more. Personally I wouldn’t bother with adj. rear control arms. Rear camber is not your issue…. Also stock has a bit of rear camber already and you gain outside camber with roll. And if you ultimately get coilovers and lower the car you’ll probably end up with trackworthy rear camber with stock arms anyway. I’m at -2.8deg rear camber with stock arms at -1.5” lower than stock.

Can you give us some more insight into your driving experience and preferences?

Hey Mike!

I autoxed mostly a few years back in a few cars:
-07 wrx (STX)
-13 focus st (GS)
-17 s550 GT (FS)

I used to do about 3-4 track days a year (the tracks I’ve tracked in so far:AMP, RA, Roebling, and TGP)

Took a few years of hiatus and now trying to get back in autox/track. I’m not a pro by any means. Just a regular car guy wanting to do race car things haha

I’m not sure what you mean by preferences lol.

When if any, do you prefer to have the rear end over-rotate? Are you comfortable countersteering and holding slides?

In all honestly this is the goal with the 86. I want to get to the point where I am comfortable with counter steering if necessary and holding slides (maybe on purpose as well). I forgot to mention that I do have Whiteline subframe inserts and diff inserts installed and os giken (which I ordered from you !) ready to be installed because I want to make the rear as predictable as possible. I know some people can naturally rotate/over rotate in stock form lol.

On the focus st, the car rotated beautifully with lift over oversteer and I just controlled the slide with the gas. The over rotation was a bit violent on the wrx (maybe due to the awd). On the mustang, it was honestly pretty gradual when over rotation happened as long as I was careful with the throttle but I wouldn’t say I ever got “comfortable” with the over rotation.

Not sure if this helps. I wouldn’t want a twitchy rear but a willing(?) rear for autox/track application. I autoxed with the 86 and the front end pushed in technical section and when the rear did come around, it felt snappy. I don’t think I would want to add more bar (maybe even get a smaller rear bar like most STX specced 86s)

Assuming you're not trying to build to a class, and want to learn car control rather than "go fast", get front lower control arms, one set of camber bolts, and go heavy on front camber. Keep the rear camber lower with RLCAs, and do 0 toe front and a touch of toe-in rear.

This will set you up for learning, and ultimately more driver mod, rather than an AutoX setup that is only good for AutoX and nothing else.

My 2017 is setup for DS, so this includes the OEM camber bolts (Subaru/Toyota part number) with mostly everything else stock. I was able to get -1.1 degrees camber up front. Rear camber is set at about -1.4 each side (non-adjustable from the factory).

If it wasn't stuck in SCCA's street class rules, I'd at least want aftermarket camber bolts up front in place of the OEM camber bolts they allow and increase camber from -1.1 to ~2.5 if possible. That's about what you'll get out of aftermarket bolts.

Other than that, if you're just getting start in some track driving, I'd leave it at that personally. Lots of learning to be done there and the front camber helps not obliterate the outside of the front tires on the track.