[raamaudio]

As you can see the specs are wide ranging as in most all cars and can be considerably off and still considered properly aligned but anybody into racing knows that is just not acceptable in the least.

-1.9 in the rear is probably a pretty good setting but this car has -.4 and 1.8, way off of optimal.

I will probably want to be around -2.0 to -2.5, not sure yet, wish it was adjustable!

I want to either have shims machined to correct and increase rear camber or I will cut and reweld and fortify the rear twist beam hub carrier mounting point, prefer shims.

If I use shims I know about the ABS sensor, it would be pretty easy to remove a little off the face of it so it sits in far enough to read correctly.

Thanks
Rick

 

[reddog99]

Alignment specs from manual (link to Dropbox):
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tdyrjz08gw8b7fn/2014 Fiesta Alignment specs.pdf

 

[raamaudio]

Thanks, just what I needed

Now to figure out the best rear camber as having shims made might be costly but I feel safer doing so instead of cutting and welding the mounting area on the rear axle.

 

[wash]

I would max out the front camber and think about toe settings.

Unless you are oversteering too much, I don't think increasing camber at the rear is a good idea. When ford designed the ST suspension, they took out rear camber...

Toe in gives you stability at the expense of a little tire scrub. If you want a car that changes direction quickly, slight negative toe is probably the way to go. That might make it squirrely on the street.

 

[raamaudio]

Generally I have to agree but have read of reports of a loose rear end on high speed corners so looking at camber to get more rear bite

It would help fit the tires on the wide wheels under the fenders better but the rears look like they will not be to difficult unless I have to roll the fenders a bunch, then I might have to split the inner fenders and weld sheet metal into the gaps, I will if I have to.

I will put in all the front camber and caster I can get(up to a point of increased grip, not stance camber to tuck it, of course!)

I am going to look at what the turbo Matrix and SC Scion TC I built and ran autocross and track events, both were fast and easy to drive, very neutral.

I just checked:

TC was -0.9 stock but I am sure I increased it but do not recall how far I went but at least 2 degrees if not more and it had IRS and a massive custom rear sway bar, no front bar....

Matrix was -1.45 and it was left stock as it worked really well.

If increasing the front negative camber it would seem appropriate to increase the rear as well now that I look at the numbers and think about how well those last two cars handled.

Matrix was taking 3rd places, 1/100 out of second in Street Mod autocrosses in SoCal, that means one very fast Matrix!

TC was not autocrossed much but I think it took a 5th at a Pro Solo on unscuffed V710's in SM as well and on stock power before I boosted it.

Thanks
Rick

 

[raamaudio]

I have been testing the 225/45/R6 tires, not on wheels, just putting them over the brakes, lowering the lift, getting them as close as I can to what they would sit like and with 15x9's it might not be to tough a job in the rear but the front pokes a fair amount and I will really know once I have wheels on them and take out the springs to test full lock on compression and rebound. I might have to limit the steering angle a bit, do some sheet metal work, etc.....I just want the maximum grip I can get since can only fit 225 tires, at least they have 8.5 - 8.8 tread width, depending on the tires I end up running.

It will be cool if this works out, 15x9, 12.2 lbs, 225/45/15 tires, 19 lbs, 31.2 lbs plus balance weights and valve stems