DRIFTERS:Gen3 Drift Alignment Survey
 

Here's the scoop: I used to have a gen2 rx7. Fell in love, knew everything about a rotary, mastered the science, you know... that old chestnut. Wrecked it 7 months later and cried for weeks. Now I am in persuit of a gen3 to continue the legacy of the car that I love, for use as a drifter, capable of 1/4miling, and daily driving. I'm trying to formulate the perfect alignment setup for the rx7 that would suit all three uses.

Which brings me to the question at hand: What is the best combination of camber caster and toe to optimize the performance of 1 car for three purposes?
(I know... I should so be looking at adjustable components, right?)

<3 u!
-Natalie

Drifting is gay.

Front 3*
Rear 2-2.2* I think less is better but could mean more oversteer. Too much will eat the inside of rear tires too fast.

My recommendations are similar but its going to be hard to get a "one-for-all"

Front:
3 Camber
0 toe

Rear:
2 camber (up to 3 max with alot of hp)
slight toe (depends on how you want it to react and what feels good for you)

Have any of you drifters tried rear toe out? Just out of curiousity, it makes sense. Oh, I would imagine u need as much caster as you can.

Ah, so it's drifter's that are gay? Hm... I always thought it was guys who need pictures of a chicks ass as an avatar to remind them not to think of that corresponding part of a MAN'S body that were the gay ones. Could be wrong....

;)

The fact that you even ask this question means you won't understand the answers. It's impossible to optimize the alignment for more than one purpose.

My alignment is setup strictly for the track but in return I eat street tires twice as fast as I should. There's no free lunch.

Drifting is all about controllable oversteer, toe out on both sides of any car I have ever raced would not give you controllable oversteer. I have experienced racing two cars with toe out in the reardue to improper alignments and the results were lots of spin outs and uncontrollable oversteer. With toe out on a RWD car when you begin to turn the rear tire will want to keep pulling out in that direction. I would try my settings with a high camber in the front and slightly less camber in the rear with 0 toe or slight toe in on the rear. I had to go to 1/4 toe in on the rear of my Miata to get it to oversteer like I wanted it too. Suspension, sway bars, and the cars basic suspension geometry will all play a role in what alignment specs will work best. DamonB is right, if you are asking this question you need to learn the basics of racing and suspension first. In short you can try starting your alignment at -2 camber in the front -2 camber in the rear, 1/16 toe out in the front, 1/16 toe in in the rear and max caster. This will give you a good compromise between handling and tire wear. You should be able to try drifing with this setup but I can't say how well it will do drag racing because the camber specs are to give you maximum grip while cornering and the toe in the front will make the car twitchy for drag racing which could be real dangerous for a high power car.

That fact that you even made this comment means you don't understand my question. Optimizing alignment for three purposes doesn't mean that I want a super-macho drift setup that's PERFECT for sunday driving. I am simply asking how much of each unit I would compromise by trying to fit drift/drag/street all into one setup. So let me spell this out: I will sacrafice as much drift-style suspension as is necessary to be able to drive my car around town, as much as I will sacrafice any semblance of a smooth daily driver to have a few extra points towards drifting.

This concludes "Simple Everyday Speech" 101. Ass dismissed.

-Natalie

I'm quiet now. You schooled me good.