Camber Query

[AxisMagi]

Hiyall,

I recently installed Ohlins Road & Track coilovers (love em!) with
Vorshlag camber plates and have a few questions regarding optimal camber
settings. I use my car as DD and also tracking once a month or so.
Currently running ZCP wheels with stock tire size Bridgstone RE-11's for
both street and track.

The guys at my shop told me that each time you change the camber
plate settings it will need a full alignment $ because the toe will also
be changed. If this is the case it probably makes sense to set things
once at a medium street friendly negative camber, I was thinking maybe -2.2 front would be good start?

I'd love to hear any recommendations for double duty camber settings.

Do you guys switch your camber plates back after each
event or just run higher neg camber on street?

Cheers,

~Axis

[M3SQRD]

Congrats on the new Ohlins R&T suspension. If you are using Vorshlag camber plates - What spring rates did you end up going with?

As for camber, yes, there's a chance the toe will change significantly if you make a large change in camber. While you were on the alignment rack you should have had the shop change your camber from your street setting to the track setting and then tell you how many turns of the tie rod it takes to get the toe to change from its street to track setting - some people mark the tie rod, others remember the number of turns for a given change in camber.

If you are running street tires on the track then you might be able to get away with a compromised steet-track camber-toe setting, however, if you are swapping to r-comp, etc tires on the track then you'll definitely need to run more camber.

[AxisMagi]

Thanks! I'll speak with the guys at the shop and relay your info to see if can
get a marking(turn count) system dialed in.

I'm using the springs that came with the kit, 60N/mm front and 120N/mm rear.
I don't have experience with tighter springs, but these rates sure
seem pretty nice for dual duty which is what I'm aiming for.
The car has much less roll and smoother/faster weight transfers than
the stock zcp but is quite comfy enough on street.

Planning on dedicated wheels/tires and R-comps as next step after
more track time.

~Axis

[radiantm3]

I'm running -2.4 in my fronts and I daily drive with it. Sure the insides are wearing faster than the middle, but so are the outsides from track days. I'd say it's about even with the middle having the most tread. For me it feels like a perfect compromise.

[CSBM5]

I would say you don't need to realign. Put it on the rack and set your daily driving camber to a reasonable amount, say -1.5 degrees. Set the toe to the midpoint of the factory range. Make marks on the camber plates for the -1.5 setting so that you can come back to it easily when changing camber.

Now move the camber to your track setting, max'd out perhaps. Maybe you get -3.0, so now look at where the toe-in went to. It will toe out with increasing camber, so you just might have the perfect toe setting for the track (near zero). If the toe isn't too far out, you're now set. Either move the plates to max or mark the new track camber setting position you've decided upon.

This is the process my daughter uses on her E46 ZHP with Ground Control coilovers, and it has worked great through many changes back and forth.

[M3SQRD]

Compared to the E46 M3, the E9x M3 is more sensitive to toe changes due to changes in camber settings. On an e9x M3 changing the camber from -1.5 deg to -3.0 deg produces a 0.36" (0.06" toe in to 0.30" toe out) change in toe.

[HP Autowerks]

Originally Posted by AxisMagi

Hiyall,

I recently installed Ohlins Road & Track coilovers (love em!) with
Vorshlag camber plates and have a few questions regarding optimal camber
settings. I use my car as DD and also tracking once a month or so.
Currently running ZCP wheels with stock tire size Bridgstone RE-11's for
both street and track.

The guys at my shop told me that each time you change the camber
plate settings it will need a full alignment $ because the toe will also
be changed. If this is the case it probably makes sense to set things
once at a medium street friendly negative camber, I was thinking maybe -2.2 front would be good start?

I'd love to hear any recommendations for double duty camber settings.

Do you guys switch your camber plates back after each
event or just run higher neg camber on street?

Cheers,

~Axis

What you want is -1.5 for street use, mark it, then push them all the way in for track days. Jacking up the entire front end will make the camber adjustment much easier. If you are looking for a double duty camber setting -2 is it, it is as much as you can run without eating up the inside edge of your front tires too badly.

[AxisMagi]

Originally Posted by HP Autowerks

What you want is -1.5 for street use, mark it, then push them all the way in for track days. Jacking up the entire front end will make the camber adjustment much easier. If you are looking for a double duty camber setting -2 is it, it is as much as you can run without eating up the inside edge of your front tires too badly.

What do you set the toe at for the 1.5 street camber? How much toe out
results from pushing all the way out for track setting?

[HP Autowerks]

Originally Posted by AxisMagi

What do you set the toe at for the 1.5 street camber? How much toe out
results from pushing all the way out for track setting?

1/16" in, total.

You will likely to be at 0 or 1/16" out at maximum camber.