So i'm planning to get an alignment later this week on the SW20.
 
What alignment specs do you guys recommend? I had the AW11 sorted but aren't sure if they would apply to the SW20. I'm not sure on what camber/castor and toe you can get without coilovers on these.
 
Any recommendations or experience you've had with setting them up would be greatly appreciated.
 

That's actually a really good question as i need to get mine set up as well

Stock specs will probably give you best tyre wear.
 
With the stock struts a useful range of camber adjustment can be made with camber/crash bolts, but only use the genuine Toyota ones (3 different sizes apart from stock)
 
I found that a couple of mm front toe out will give quicker steering, but front tyres will scrub on the inside.
 
A bit more front caster might help reduce understeer. You can get at least 4 degrees with the early model stock adjustable caster rods.

I found that negative camber works best for cornering and more prone to neutral for aceleration. Bare in mind that with excessive negative camber that would make you car corner very well would have very high wear.
just done my and the final measurements are:
Caster : 4 11
Camber  front : - 1 07
              rear : -1 50
 
Toe front and rear : 0.9mm
 
As said before, I stick to factory measurements but like everything is a personal choice and or usage of the car.
I can scan and send you the results if you wish.
cheers
Pan

What i set the race car up with :-
 
Front toe 0.1mm toe out
Front camber -3 degrees
Castor equalled both sides slightly more than highest stock number.
 
Rear toe 0.3mm toe in
Rear camber 1.5mm
 
 
This gives a very neutral car that gives great turn in and is easy to control in a oversteer situation.
 
This would work fine on the street, however for tge street i would run:-
 
Front toe 0.1mm toe in
Front camber -2 degrees
Castor the same as the race setup
 
Rear toe 0.5mm toe in
Rear camber -1 degree
 
That would give a great handling car, and limit tyre wear.

Reddtarga
Stock specs will probably give you best tyre wear.
I found that a couple of mm front toe out will give quicker steering, but front tyres will scrub on the inside.

@reddtarga  - (hmm, only just noticed, 2 d's) 
 In your attached standard alignment figures, rear toe-in is 5mm!!  seems wrong, too much and the others who posted here are using around 0-1mm.
 
 Re the scrub on the inside of the tyres - were your camber, caster and ride height stock ?
 All of those effect the SAI which is a factor in tyre scrub, I think.
Also what offsets were your front wheels ? which effects scrub also.  Possibly your "couple of mm" was right for
whatever other settings you had... I'm thinking as soon as one thing changes, everything changes   :o)
I guess that's what track days are for.
 
In general, I realise that some static toe-in is recommended and proven to work, but I'm wondering why ?
Is it because as the car rolls the toe moves out slightly to a neutral 0 ? or does it remain toed in and assists the
rear to turn?  or ???
 
cheers
Nigel

 
 

TwoDogs

Reddtarga
Stock specs will probably give you best tyre wear.
I found that a couple of mm front toe out will give quicker steering, but front tyres will scrub on the inside.

@reddtarga  - (hmm, only just noticed, 2 d's) 
 In your attached standard alignment figures, rear toe-in is 5mm!!  seems wrong, too much and the others who posted here are using around 0-1mm.
 

Be aware that many alignment recommendations given on the forum would be for the track rather than for normal road use, where the priority would be faster lap times - things like tyre wear wouldn't matter.
 
The alignment specs I posted are what I use, and are right out of the '91 service manual so would be intended for good handling for normal road use with minimum tyre wear. However, the later models have suspension changes so I believe the service manual settings are slightly different.
 
 

Thanks RT,
I've read and re-read the analyses that Wilhelm racing has done, and now I believe the reason for 5mm of rear toe-in is to compensate for the problematic toe-out movement that occurs as the rear suspension lengthens under brakes, ie to reduce the likelihood of losing the rear. The changes in 93, cause the rear toe to turn in on both compression and lengthening, so would have a different static toe setting, I presume.
Alex Wilhelms adjustment kit reduces the change in toe to about 20% (IIRC) of the stock 91 rear suspension, which would mean that less toe is required for same cornering grip, but benefit in tyre wear and reduced tendency to snap loose as well. Possibly more important for road driving, where unexpected situations can arise around blind turns.
 
 http://wilhelmraceworks.com/suspension-analysis-links has contributions from other people who also use modelling and real-world experience at the track to discuss the geometry. Interesting reading, I'm sure you would have read them already.
 cheers,

I have read them, but some of it is a bit hard to get your head around.
It's interesting reading with a lot of discussion about the SW20 early/ later rear suspension. However, "real-world experience at the track" tells you what those guys are all about, and that is racing.
 
I use my car for road use so my priorities are different, however I did decide to get rid of the early x-member, and fit the later model one with the longer track rods after researching the subject. (an easy swap BTW)
It noticeably improved straight line tracking.
The car seemed less twitcy and less affected by rough surfaces with the car being less fatiguing to drive on long trips on typical rough country roads, and I believe it is a great mod for normal road use.
I might add that the 'snap oversteer' thing has never been an issue for me, and that was not my motive for fitting it.
 

Thanks RT, I had considered swapping the crossbrace for the late model one.
Good to know it bolts straight in.
 cheers for now,
Nigel