Camber

[j14nsx]

This isn't a question about camber and the need for it.

I have adjusted my suspension for more camber. I've never driven it with higher than standard camber before. Straight ahead the steering is really light. Logic says this would happen.

It's quite un-nerving to drive, is it normal?

I have 1 deg of camber. Not as much as some.

 

[titaniumdave]

What did you do with toe and caster numbers?

Post the complete alignment spec.

 

[j14nsx]

Ah well, there lies the problem.

I have a camber gauge, and thought I'd have a play around with it. I realise now camber adjustments also affect toe. I have no idea what the toe now is, but it's more than it was.

No real harm done, I'll just have to take it to an alignment shop and get it straightened out.

Question still stands though, does your alignment specs, Dave, have an effect on the steering effort?

Mine is a non-power steering model.

 

[titaniumdave]

Ahhh, you have about 1" of toe out, no wonder it feels 'light' on straight lines...

Check the manual section on alignment and the order to do it, you will see it's quite a job. My local shop budgets 2 hours to do all 4 wheels on my car!

Increased caster will make the steering feel heavier at slow speeds, other than that I don't notice much difference. I have never driven with less than -0.8 degrees front camber, manual rack,so I might not be the best person to ask?!

 

[NSXDreamer2]

I went with 1 degree to 1.6 and I could noticed a big gain on initial turn in and grip. With my 215/35/18 front street tires, it eliminates a lot of push and I'm instantly happy with it. Strangely with R compounds, regardless of going from 205/50/15 to 235/40/17, I also noticed a lighter steering feel.

Before I got used to the grip, it does feel a little hairy, after couple laps... I loved it.

 

[titaniumdave]

I went with 1 degree to 1.6 and I could noticed a big gain on initial turn in and grip. With my 215/35/18 front street tires, it eliminates a lot of push and I'm instantly happy with it. Strangely with R compounds, regardless of going from 205/50/15 to 235/40/17, I also noticed a lighter steering feel.

Before I got used to the grip, it does feel a little hairy, after couple laps... I loved it.

:biggrin:

 

[nsxtasy]

Mine had been wearing out my front R compounds more along the outer shoulder than the rest of the tire. In order to reduce that, we set the camber in front to the negative end of the spec (still within spec, but almost to the max of the range specified). I haven't noticed any difference in steering effort.

 

[titaniumdave]

Mine had been wearing out my front R compounds more along the outer shoulder than the rest of the tire. In order to reduce that, we set the camber in front to the negative end of the spec (still within spec, but almost to the max of the range specified). I haven't noticed any difference in steering effort.

I found the increased - camber became more important when I went to 235 front tires. It really helps keep the tread in contact with the road under hard cornering.

 

[j14nsx]

Well today has been quite eventful. This thread is going to go a bit off-topic now though.....

After playing with and messing my front alignment my Honda dealer did me a great favour and got the car up on the ramps, and did the alignment properly. They didn't have time to really get things right, all they could do is get the toe back to something normal. It was at 1.3deg!! And yeah, the steering has weighted up a bit too.

Unfortunately I lost the printout. I'll get another.

So today ended up with a track evening. Like a track day except in the evening. It was at Silverstone, Grand Prix circuit.

It was also very very wet. Speeds were very slow, we were tip-toeing our way round.

So my handling today was terminal understeer. Absolutely no power could be applied in a corner. It was turn-in understeer, mid-corner understeer, all the way through understeer.

The car has TEIN RA with 10/10 springs. Dali new track sway bars front and rear. OS Giken LSD.

I drove my friend's NSX who was there. He has Bilstein dampers, otherwise standard. I got so much grip with his car I couldn't stop driving it!

Something is not right with my car. I have slowly been making changes over the 8 years of tracking it, and though I got it just right. The sway bars and LSD were the last things to go on.

 

[titaniumdave]

My guess is a messed up front alignment with the rear locker is the cause of the understeer on a wet track. Often in wet conditions, a softer set up with a looser diff will be much easier to drive and offer more grip.

Or, it's the you need to go faster and keep the car sideways, in drift mode...:biggrin:

 

[Onsoku]

Well today has been quite eventful. This thread is going to go a bit off-topic now though.....

After playing with and messing my front alignment my Honda dealer did me a great favour and got the car up on the ramps, and did the alignment properly. They didn't have time to really get things right, all they could do is get the toe back to something normal. It was at 1.3deg!! And yeah, the steering has weighted up a bit too.

Unfortunately I lost the printout. I'll get another.

So today ended up with a track evening. Like a track day except in the evening. It was at Silverstone, Grand Prix circuit.

It was also very very wet. Speeds were very slow, we were tip-toeing our way round.

So my handling today was terminal understeer. Absolutely no power could be applied in a corner. It was turn-in understeer, mid-corner understeer, all the way through understeer.

The car has TEIN RA with 10/10 springs. Dali new track sway bars front and rear. OS Giken LSD.

I drove my friend's NSX who was there. He has Bilstein dampers, otherwise standard. I got so much grip with his car I couldn't stop driving it!

Something is not right with my car. I have slowly been making changes over the 8 years of tracking it, and though I got it just right. The sway bars and LSD were the last things to go on.

Did you get this corrected? What specs did you finally settle on?

Based on a 215/17 and 275/18 on 8" and 10" wheels; I want to go with:

• • FRONT
    • Total toe: -3.0 mm.
    • Camber: -1.5 deg.
    • Caster: 8 deg.
  [*]
  
  • REAR
    • Total toe: +4.0 mm.
    • Camber: -2.0 deg.

 

[j14nsx]

Since the Honda dealer did an emergency alignment, which wasn't much, just straightened it out, I have had a decent job done.

I went with fairly conservative settings to start with;

Front: 1.0mm toe out, 1.0deg camber, 8deg castor.
Rear: 1.0mm toe in, 1.2deg camber

My new aligner allows me to sit in the car while it's being done too.

My go on track after these changes resulted in a great handling car. However I also changed tyres and wheels to:

Front 235/40/17 Rear 275/35/18 on Toyo R888s. It's my first time with real track tyres. No understeer now!

I know the tyres and the car will like more camber etc. When I get back into more regular track sessions at my local (and well known by me) track, I'll be able to experiment some more.

 

[Onsoku]

Is that total toe, front and rear?

Since the Honda dealer did an emergency alignment, which wasn't much, just straightened it out, I have had a decent job done.

I went with fairly conservative settings to start with;

Front: 1.0mm toe out, 1.0deg camber, 8deg castor.
Rear: 1.0mm toe in, 1.2deg camber

My new aligner allows me to sit in the car while it's being done too.

My go on track after these changes resulted in a great handling car. However I also changed tyres and wheels to:

Front 235/40/17 Rear 275/35/18 on Toyo R888s. It's my first time with real track tyres. No understeer now!

I know the tyres and the car will like more camber etc. When I get back into more regular track sessions at my local (and well known by me) track, I'll be able to experiment some more.

 

[j14nsx]

Yes, total.