Alignment Specs for Lowered SC

[SkunkWorks]

Hello Pelicanites, apologies if this has been posted before but I searched and couldn't seem to find any threads with what I'm looking for.

I've a 80 SC that's been lowered to ROW height. Did the factory alignment specifications differ between the US and ROW versions?

I would specifically like to hear feedback on changes to the alignment to accommodate different driving styles. I daily the car but will do a lot of canyon carving in it once the weather warms up. What is your alignment setup and what kind of driving do you do with it?

A few other tidbits, still on the 16" Fuchs running 205/55 and 225/50 tires in the rear. Is there a different alignment setup for when I swap to the summer set which would be 17" wheels with 225/45 and 245/40 tires respectively?

Appreciate all the help!

[targa44]

for the 17s, do you mean 225/50 front and 245/45 rear?... the way you have it would have a 25" diameter front and 26.7ish diameter rear. Not sure you mean that.

Either way, if you're planning on being aggressive, add some camber... there are plenty of books out there to aid in you decision. You'll find a hundred opinions here.

.. caution with the upsized 17 tires - be certain of clearance... not all tires will work and it's dependent upon camber and how much you can tuck under the fender and your particular car. There is some variability. In the rear watch the clearance for your oil lines inside.

On the surface, your choice to go upsized for the 17s will likely add about 1/2 inch to ride height - you may or may not noticed the diff. in your lateral grip by taking your CG back up (after it was lowered to the ROW ride height).

good luck,

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by SkunkWorks

Hello Pelicanites, apologies if this has been posted before but I searched and couldn't seem to find any threads with what I'm looking for.

I've a 80 SC that's been lowered to ROW height. Did the factory alignment specifications differ between the US and ROW versions?

I would specifically like to hear feedback on changes to the alignment to accommodate different driving styles. I daily the car but will do a lot of canyon carving in it once the weather warms up. What is your alignment setup and what kind of driving do you do with it?

A few other tidbits, still on the 16" Fuchs running 205/55 and 225/50 tires in the rear. Is there a different alignment setup for when I swap to the summer set which would be 17" wheels with 225/45 and 245/50 tires respectively?

Appreciate all the help!

RoW front camber spec is 0°+/-10' rear -1°+/-10' more neg is sportier but dartier
front toe is 0° pressed, rear is 0° to +20' a little toe in is preferred

16s or 17s won't make a difference

[Peter Zimmermann]

I like the following for my Euro-height '82 SC:

F: Camber = .5 degree neg. (each side)
F: Toe = 0
F: Caster = As close to 6 as you can get, usual number is about 5.5

R: Camber = 1.2 degree neg. (each side)
R: Toe = +1/32" (total) - this number is not consistent with many other posts, but I like it...


I use 30F/35R tire pressures on stock 6/7" set up. Car is corner-balanced, stock T-bars and Bilstein HDs. I align the car with a 1/2 tank of gasoline and 200 pounds in the driver's seat. The above settings are stable on the fwy/high speeds, and the turn in for medium to tight canyon turns is great.

[SkunkWorks]

Originally Posted by targa44

for the 17s, do you mean 225/50 front and 245/45 rear?... the way you have it would have a 25" diameter front and 26.7ish diameter rear. Not sure you mean that.

Thanks targa44, have edited my post.

Appreciate the replies Bill and Peter - Pelican is a far better resource than 'test & tuning' on Forza.

[scooterp7]

Peter, would these specs change for an 87 Carrera with the same suspension and wheel setup? Thanks.

Scott