alignment

[GuyIII]

Does anyone have a different set of wheel alignment numbers for a Street only car vs. a track car or are they the same?
thanks
Guy

[McFred]

I'd have it set to how you want the car to behave. The alignment I have seems a little twitchy in a straight line (most street driving) but it feels great on the track with aggressive turn-in.

[GuyIII]

Thanks McFred, I think you are exactly right. My new/ used atom needs new tires and probably has the track set up. It also is very twitchy in a straight line.

[bolus]

this car is pretty sensitive to alignment so best to know where you are and then we can help you decide where you want to be.

Doing your own alignment is crazy simple on this car. So I'd recommend paying a little more up front for tools and save on having someone change it every time.

Camber tool
Longacre Racing - Online Catalog: Electronic Wheel Scales, Gauges, Pyrometers, Chassis Setup and More!

Toe tool
Longacre Racing - Online Catalog: Electronic Wheel Scales, Gauges, Pyrometers, Chassis Setup and More!

Do you have a atom 2 or 3? These are the video's for the Atom 2. For the atom 3 the camber adjustment requires removing the top A arm since there isnt an adjustment thimble on them

Here is my "Toe" adjustment video



Camber adjustment

[McFred]

He's got an AA2, Bolus.

Guy, it's been a while since I messed with it but I think I've got ~1/16" toe out in the rear and maybe an 1/16"-1/8" in up front. Camber was dictated by tire temps/wear on the track. Camber's in the neighborhood of -1˚ front and -1.5˚ rear. If you want it to behave nicer in a straight line then remove all toe-out in favor of a little toe-in. It will never be like a Cadillac that will float over the bumpiest of roads at 100mph and hold a straight line, but you can make it a little less darty. Smooth pavement will really help that.

[GuyIII]

Thanks guys.

[GuyIII]

Great videos Bolus, I will look into a set of tools. Thanks

[timcking]

Measuring toe-in while the car is in the air is only accurate if there's zero bump-steer. I'd add a step and put the car on the ground and then compare the distances between tires front/rear.

[bolus]

Measuring toe-in while the car is in the air is only accurate if there's zero bump-steer. I'd add a step and put the car on the ground and then compare the distances between tires front/rear.

The toe was the same once back on the ground.

[MadMaxAtom]

"Measuring toe-in while the car is in the air is only accurate if there's zero bump-steer."
Or,if the car has minimal to no front suspension sag,toe setting will barely change. The Atom has very little bump steer,but it also has very little sag.
That being said,measuring alignment off the tire itself is not accurate or consistent and a good alignment should only be performed from the rim surface to be precise.
Measuring off the tire is better than doing nothing, but when you are talking about thousanths of an inch..guessing the centerline of the tire as a starting point makes any chance of accuracy a case of chance.