Factory alignment spec and areas for improvement

donefor · Jul 14, 2019

I was able to have a look at an early 2016 version of the 2015 Golf (& Variant) service manuals, here is the alignment spec recreated in excel. Curious to hear from track rats who've measured their deviations from stock, intended or otherwise, especially with camber plates, lowered suspensions, etc.

yirayira · Jul 15, 2019

I've been running -2.4, 8.2 caster, and 0 toe.
Outer shoulder wear is still more than I'd like so I'll see how much lower I can get the camber

Cliff · Jul 15, 2019

This has been my approximate alignment since the Ground Control camber plates and coilover conversion kit went on the car in Feb 2016 (Hunter rack printout from last December). I plan to move to coilovers next year and the reduced spring diameter should allow me to get a bit more camber up front. I have about 45 track days on this setup with no complaints.

donefor · Jul 17, 2019

Thank you kindly for the data points!

D_o_S1 · Jul 18, 2019

I run 034 camber plates

0.02 deg toe OUT on the fronts

-1.8 deg camber on the rears

0.08 deg toe IN on the rears IIRC

sean.mason.75873 · Jul 18, 2019

I have stock camber up front, run .10 toe out front, zero toe rear, -1.8 camber rear and 26mm H&R rear bar for autocross.

It's much easier on the front tires like this.

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Cliff · Jul 18, 2019

sean.mason.75873 said:
I have stock camber up front, run .10 toe out front, zero toe rear, -1.8 camber rear and 26mm H&R rear bar for autocross.

It's much easier on the front tires like this.

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I got 13 days out of my last set of track tires. Zero toe up front is the way to go. A bit of toe-in in the rear to help with stability.

sean.mason.75873 · Jul 18, 2019

Cliff said:
I got 13 days out of my last set of track tires. Zero toe up front is the way to go. A bit of toe-in in the rear to help with stability.

Yep, no doubt, but autocross and track have different setup needs.

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Cliff · Jul 18, 2019

blunted_brick said:
Curious to hear from track rats who've measured their deviations from stock, intended or otherwise, especially with camber plates, lowered suspensions, etc.

sean.mason.75873 said:
Yep, no doubt, but autocross and track have different setup needs.

Ok. Not what was asked, but ok.

For my needs, the only difference between a track setup and an autocross setup is tires (other than classing rules - my car is STU with daily driver realities that take precedence). ZIII's for the track because 1) they last forever, 2) I am not racing, and 3) I have to pay for this stuff out of my own pocket. After I burn through a set of NT01's at Laguna Seca next week I will replace that set of tires with RE71R's for autocross only use. I got 5 track days out of the last set of RE71R tires I ran on track, so that tire definitely does not fit into my HPDE budget. Autocross is easy on gear compared to track use.

R Golf · Jul 18, 2019

I use my car as DD (~15K miles per year) and 8-10 track days in advanced.

Latest setting is:

-2.2 camber front. Would like 2.5 or more, but that's all she can get without spending more $$.
-1.7 camber rear
-0.3 Toe front
+0.29 Toe rear

Tires are 245 PS4S. Car sets up and exits nicely in corners as well as holding high speed turns on track. As far as DD, just drove home over 100 miles in a downpour with zero issues, so pretty happy with this setup.

sean.mason.75873 · Jul 18, 2019

Cliff said:
Ok. Not what was asked, but ok.

For my needs, the only difference between a track setup and an autocross setup is tires (other than classing rules - my car is STU with daily driver realities that take precedence). ZIII's for the track because 1) they last forever, 2) I am not racing, and 3) I have to pay for this stuff out of my own pocket. After I burn through a set of NT01's at Laguna Seca next week I will replace that set of tires with RE71R's for autocross only use. I got 5 track days out of the last set of RE71R tires I ran on track, so that tire definitely does not fit into my HPDE budget. Autocross is easy on gear compared to track use.

My bad, missed the track rat part. That's what I get for skimming.

Street classes are always a comprise, I just don't want to do another ST build. I've done 3 in the post and it's easy to eat up $10k before you realize it.

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donefor · Jul 18, 2019

Cliff said:
I got 5 track days out of the last set of RE71R tires I ran on track, so that tire definitely does not fit into my HPDE budget.

This makes me feel better about getting 8 hours out of R888R's (in 225/45/17).

R Golf · Jul 18, 2019

Originally Posted by Cliff
I got 5 track days out of the last set of RE71R tires I ran on track, so that tire definitely does not fit into my HPDE budget.

blunted_brick said:
This makes me feel better about getting 8 hours out of R888R's (in 225/45/17).

Just yesterday I switched back to MP4S from the RE71R's for the same reason. I only got 3 1/2 days out of my RE71R, thus back to MP4S as of my next track day (Wednesday, Lime Rock). I loved the Bridgestones on track but not surprisingly they were terrible on the street and as Cliff mentioned, very limited life. Time differences were pretty minimal and not worth the trade-offs on longevity and DD.

I don't have the option for two separate sets.

donefor · Jul 19, 2019

R Golf said:
Originally Posted by Cliff
I got 5 track days out of the last set of RE71R tires I ran on track, so that tire definitely does not fit into my HPDE budget.

Just yesterday I switched back to MP4S from the RE71R's for the same reason. I only got 3 1/2 days out of my RE71R, thus back to MP4S as of my next track day (Wednesday, Lime Rock). I loved the Bridgestones on track but not surprisingly they were terrible on the street and as Cliff mentioned, very limited life. Time differences were pretty minimal and not worth the trade-offs on longevity and DD.

I don't have the option for two separate sets.

What kind of longevity are you seeing in the MP4S? I've come to accept the absurdly short life of the R888R's because they can be leaned on, but if they're only marginally better than the Michelins and the latter are substantially better wear-wise, then maybe it's a good time to try them. Not changing wheels at the track would be... amazing.

sean.mason.75873 · Jul 19, 2019

Why not something like the RS4? They seem to hold up really well among the 200tw tires.

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Factory alignment spec and areas for improvement

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