RobScreene

I am getting my front camber and toe checked 8am tomorrow (97MY 5-door UK Turbo).

Since having the *minimal* prodrive geometry set, wimping out on the max equal negative camber, I get great turn-in but some camber/ torque steer where the car wants to follow the camber of the road.

There was none of that on the previous (standard?) geometry settings.

What do you folks get?

I need replies urgently as I'm debating on going back to standard or going the full hog for max negative camber.

cheers,
Rob.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

After setting the car to 1.25 deg neg camber the car does follow the camber of the road somewhat - but this is more than compensated for by the lack of understeer - on an STI V.

Mark Barrett

Also finding on a MY98 UK car a bit of tramlining, especially on slow lanes of motorways where the lorries have been

Unfortunately, there will always be a trade off in some aspect of ride handling (I am prepared to be flamed!!) if you change an aspect of geometry.

Personally I find the tiny irritation of limited tramlining is more than compensated for by the fact the the bloody thing now turns in properly on wet roads and has a very smooth gradual shift from mild understeer (function of the tyres/physics, not a criticism of the car) to a nice power oversteer out of tight corners in second.

End of the day, it comes down to personal choice.

Also suggest that now all your wheels are pointing the same direction that you play with tyre pressures. This is one of the more sensitive cars I've played with over the years.

Currently I am running about 5lbs lower at the rear as I like the slight sidewall movement to help the transition from under to oversteer.

Again, personal choice, but try a few different pressure combinations before giving up on the Prodrive settings.

Otis

Hello Brendan and all,

Yup, Bridgestone Potenza RE010 is what they are. What's up with 'em. If it's wet handling I think I would like to know now before I find out the hard way!! Or is it just wear rates? I've no long term experience with them.

Where would it be best to get the geometry set? I live outside York. I think my dealer would look at me a bit strange but I suppose if he did/could do it then I would not have to pay if it was wrong. Alternatively, if it is a specialist thing how much would it cost?

Otis.

Mark Barrett

Got to agree with Rannoch on this.

Scoobies seem to come out of the factory with the wheels pointing any which way.

So even if Prodrive settings don't turn you on, I would recommend any owner to have their standard settings checked and adjusted to get rid of any odd behaviour.

My fronts had one positive camber and one negative when I got the car!!!

RobScreene

Thanks for the speedy replies guys.

I thought the tramlining might be because I didn't do the full monty on the negative camber. I sounds like that isn't the case.

I think I do agree that the turn-in improvement is worth a little effort on the straight ahead.

Otis, on my car which I've had from a little over 1 year old (so I can't vough for settings during it's first year, although it is a 5-door so noone would probably bother!);

Before adjustment to Prodrive geometry, my front camber was -0.10 and -0.40 degrees, toe +0.02 and -0.08

The rear camber was -1.10 and -0.90 degrees, toe +0.19 and +0.20

The above settings gave me no tramlining (that I ever noticed).

Does anyone know the standard settings for 97, 98, 99, etc.????

cheers,
Rob.

[This message has been edited by RobScreene (edited 03-12-1999).]

BHORT

Otis,

I had significant tramlining from new on my MY99 (now just 1400) miles. I found this very disturbing at first as the car seemed so unsettled all the time. I had tyre pressures of 33 front and 32 back at the time. I dropped the front to 30 and back to 28 (set also using an approved guage) and the decrease in tramlining was very significant and now to an acceptable level that I hardly notice. I use mostly country roads with very few ideal surfaces. I have not had any geometry changes yet but am considering it due to wet understeer, I am also looking forward to new tyres, does the MY 00 still have those hopeless RE010s fitted?

Brendan

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Otis,

you say that your car has MY00 geometry settings and that these may be new - however you also say that the car has a mind of it's own.

My car, when new, also had a mind of it's own, having been delivered to me after PDI and SVA. I had the alignment checked and all of the wheels were pointing in different directions - even when not moving

Anyway - as has been the subject of a number of previous threads, the majority of dealers will tell you that the PDI does not include geometry as this is 'set up in the factory'.

The geometry set up in the factory appears to include bolting on the suspension components and fitting wheels and tyres.

Unless you know for sure that your car has been set up correctly it is possible that it has a mind of its own due to poorly set geometry rather than new MY00 settings.

Just a thought.

David

Otis

Hello all,

This does not directly answer this posting but I thought I would mention it for information purposes.

My MY00 Turbo saloon most certainly has a mind of its own. On anything other than perfect roads it tramlines with disturbing regularity. All settings are standard. If you are only starting to get this reponse after modification, have they perhaps established new settings for the MY00?

I know you will probably reply with TYRE PRESSURES!! However I am methodical when it comes to this and check them at least weekly with the Halfords British Standard tyre gauge, which by the way is the best ten quid I have spent this year. I was running 33 front 29 rear but now increased the rears to 32 to address a kind of "wallowing" rear on a 70mph long bend and I couldn't feel what see was going to do. I thought the higher rears may stiffen it up as I can cope with a drift/slide comfortably but not a wallow. Have I gone the right way? Certainly feels better but I haven't done "the Bend" yet.

Otis.

andyp

Just had Prodrive suspension kit fitted and I asked for Prodrive "fast-driving" settings (whatever they are, but I sasked for the full-monte because I awlays scrub the outside edges). Get no more tramlining with new suspension and 16" wheels than I did with std settings and 15" wheels. Turn in and front end "bite" are much improved though.

BHORT

Otis,

I think that geometry settings are part of the PDI take a look in the service record book, I doubt whether many dealers bother thiough. I had mine checked at the 1K service for free by my dealer and altered slightly although I do not have the figures. I did not ask for prodrive settings as I wanted to try the car with standard checked Subaru ones.

The problem with RE010s as I see it (I'm no expert though) is that there is a lack of basic wet grip. From other peoples' postings it appears that changing the geometry to prodrive settings can help with this to some extent by adressing understeer which mainly affects me in the wet in this car. However, a change to a more recommended tyre in the long run should provide more actual grip according to others who have changed to TOYO etc.


This may be rubbish but it makes sense to me.

Still think that a drop in tyre pressures to 30/28 will improve your tramlining especially the front regardless of which geometry you have. Of course a drop may not suit other aspects of your personal driving so it is down to choice.

Brendan

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Otis,

you need to go somewhere where they do it with a laser - posh geom kit - I pay about £40 at Micheldever here in Hampshire - covers front and rear camber and toe - takes about 45mins to complete properly.

By the way before anyone gets excited - I know you can't custom align rear camber - but you can adjust the rear subframe to at least make sure that it is even

David

If you are in York, maybe Firefox will know somewhere - if he is listening

firefox

York ?

I dont know York.. I know its up north somewhere... lol

J.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Hey Jay,

you must know - you lift north of the Watford Gap!



David

PS Before you say it - I'm actually from NewcAstle

firefox

Haha..

I think I need to get out more... I spend to long on here....

York...hmmm.. is that where the Yorkie bar is made ?

J.

sunilp

Derby....is that where the horses run around?....LOL

Mike F

Sunilp...Derby is that little "village" that used to have a reasonable football team ....you know the one that's going to loose tomorrow !

;-)

mike f.

firefox

You guys crack me up.... you are just soooooo funny..

Whats football ? I dont follow it... sorry guys.. never did like it...

J.

ps - At last I know to avoid the stadium area tomorrow... the pigs always close the roads..