I have a low mile <26K 996 Turbo Cab. My tires are fairly fresh and on 18" wheels. I just today installed a set of new KW V1 coilovers and set them to the maximum lowered position. I drove around for about 15 miles. Hub center to fender measures 12 5/8" all around.

The car felt quite good, alignment feels OK as the car handles quite well and goes straight as an arrow. I'm uncertain about camber and toe and plan to have an extremely capable indy shop that has done SCCA racers cars for decades and all my previous sports cars as well do a 4 wheel alignment.

I'm asking for recommendations on alignment numbers. Tire wear is most important followed by good handling. I will never track or race this car.

 

in very general terms i *would* have suggested that you begin with the gt2 or x73 numbers given your properly running on 18's? but the kw's might change all that given there is much more adjustment that can be had, than with the x73 or gt2 setups ( stock )

if i can offer one piece of advice if you ever DO decide to go rwd as i just have? don't even think about it without some kind of lsd to deal with the rt rear wheel spin that will invariably result. it's nasty without an lsd and i tried it for a week! lol

once you've nailed that? it is a COMPLETELY different car. handling/power to ground-wise. hands down best mod possible, regardless of intended use or driving style condition(s).

 

Thanks!

So the open diff without a LSD is not worth it? I would not mind pulling my front diff and removing my front axles at the CV joint, but I don't think I'm ready to get inside the rear diff and fit an LSD unit. I wrench all day and don't mind a bit here and there, but it can be never ending. That's why my TT has remained bone stock until I fit the KWs.

 

I increased the ride height from max low, up 4 turns on the front spring collars, 5 on the rear. This decreased my neg camber and I think changed my toe as well and gave me more rake. Car tracks better, steering seems quicker, handling is great. No alignment as of yet. I've not put 50 miles on the car since the shock change.

I'm in the process of building my own dogbones which are nearly done, did a test fit yesterday. I will be fabbing my adjustable rear toe links as well with bump steer correction pins. If I decide to leave the car raised up a bit from the max drop I may not need these to get correct alignment.

I have researched the alignment and have an idea where I want to be.

 

nick no it's def not worth it to keep it open diff without a lsd, but given your capabilities with wrenching? i would just pull the cardan one weekend and spin around awhile lol.. and if you're like me, you feel the capabilities and end up springing for the full setup. it will require puling the g'box obviously, and i had some issues that necessitated my opening all that stuff up. so once there? this was a no brainer but the one i got was 1300 delivered. it is next to a tune? the best mod i can even imagine. it's that good.

all the cpl weeks running it open did was convince me to go the wavertrac tbd..and i studied as quick as i could on the different types of "real" lsd's eg guards vs giken/oem gt3 etc etc, and anyone says that isn't the sh*t for a multi puprose car? just hasn't run it yet!

ps... i also realize i have zero business posting in this section of the forum LOL. but i do hope the info helps. but take the cardan out for a week and run a cpl canyons

cheers.

 

Here is what I did after lowering the car. Made a table in excel of ride height vs factory alignment specs. Found that my car was even lower than GT2 spec ( lowest factory spec). So I extrapolated those values that were linear, others were step functions, and I was close enough to GT2 height that they were fine. Gave numbers to shop, they dialed it all in on the Hunter. If you want the spreadsheet, pm me.

 

PMed

How did you lower? What other components did you change? And are you happy with the results of your alignment?

Any issues with bump steer? Did you check it and or address it?

Thanks, Nick

 

Could you post the hunter alignment printout?

 

FWIW, I had my car pro aligned by the best shop in the city. Used them for over 20 years for problematic vehicles. My car drives perfect in every respect. I understand alignments pretty darned well, aligned my old Jag XKE after rebuilding the suspension and also my lifted Jeeps in the driveway. Did may others over the last 40 years as well.

So, I did make my adj dogbones for the upper rear and roughed them in as well as my other specs. The pro shop did the final and the results are L&R:

F Caster 8.46
8.51
F Camber - 0.71
- 0.73
F Toe 0.04
0.04
total 0.08

R Camber -1.22
-1.20
R Toe 0.13
0.14
Total 0.27

The above are all in degrees

Secondary

Setback F -0.11"
R -0.29"

Wheelbase diff 0.18"

My car feels very neutral with light steering and no hint of bump steer. I thought I may have to make adj r toe links but did not.

 

Here is my current 2004 turbo x50 cab alignment.

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/JkpzFNi3aH60gZJuM8dAT2En4Gwk7IT3R5-q_lyXWOw?feat=directlink