944 alignment settings

[lrayner]

I just don't have enough time to track down new wheels for my 944, I don't think the existing tires are safe, so I am getting 225/50/15 yokohama's for the stock wheels and hope to align it before Saturday. What settings would you recommend for a four wheel alignment-- currently all stock suspension- use to be mostly AX. Thanks, Leigh

[harnishclan]

Take a look at the tech spec page of www.944spec.com There is a pretty good article on how Joe Paluch (a driver in that series) sets up his car, including alignment settings. Probably can not get as much neg camber without using camber plates though. I can tell you from experience that factory settings with an extra degree neg camber in the front is a pretty dramatically oversteering car!

[Dan Chambers]

Leigh:

Depending on your ride-height and other factors (spring rates, torsion bar diameter, shock's capabilities, etc) you can run a -2.0 to -2.5 front camber and -2.0 rear camber for very good AX handling on fairly stock springs/torsion bars and street tires. New shocks will also help. You can try a more agressive front setting (-3.0 is about as high as you can go negative without camber plates ... which are points), but without knowing what front springs and what ride height you're running, it's hard to recommend an optimum setting on your 944. I'd start with -2.0 camber and move negative if you still have understeer.

Also, if your going to primarily track the car, and use great caution on the highway, you can toe-out your front wheels (about 1 to 2 mm from 0) and toe-in your rear wheels (about 1 to 1.5 mm from 0). This combination (neg camber and toe-out in front) will help reduce the understeer many 944's have. Be careful. 944's can react to such settings with a surprising amount of over-steer, and that really shaves off speed in an under-powered car.

Just my 2 cents.

Good luck!