More caster also helps flaten the inside tire foot print when turning and ultimately increase front grip. On paper, it should help the non-flsd cars on corner exit.

Rick, what is your opinion?

Dave

 

Just about all the really competitive Subaru guys I've talked to have said that their cars can't have enough caster or camber. All front strut cars appear to be shooting up with the camber usage (3.5-4deg now), so there might be a trend.

-Jon

 

Yep, the reason for running more positive caster is that the outside wheel gains negative camber as the wheel turned - when you need it most.

This can allow you to run less neg static camber for better braking and acceleration traction.

Positive byproducts are slightly more return to center and steering force, and high speed stability. Also independent caster adjustment can allows correction of the car pulling to one side.

I wouldn't use the "clocking" method made popular by the Suby guys out here, they re-machine the holes and you're stuck with basically one setting, if you move caster you lose camber. Much better to go with dedicated caster/camber plates that allows individual adjustment of each setting.

 

How much, if any, caster adjustment can be made using the OEM adjustments? The reason being is that I am running a set of DSM front plates, which I got at a REALLY good price but, they are camber adjustable only. I like the idea of running less static camber as that would save my tires for daily driving ( I blow through a pair of RE01Rs in 3 months from running -3 camber and 1/16th toe out up front!!).

 

The toe settings had more to do with your wear than the camber settings I would bet.

 

True, camber though does play a role in tire wear, however, not as much as toe would I guess.

 

No caster adjustment can be made stock or with almost all of the aftermarket camber plates for that matter.

The plates I have allow ~ 3 deg more caster than stock.

Rick

 

Wow that is a good chunk more of caster adjustment. My current plates, DMS', don't allow any caster adjustment. If you don't mind, which plates are you running?

 

Of course you could do what I do and change your camber and toe settings between race and street. Just takes a cheap set of toe plates and maybe 5 extra minutes between wheel changes.

As far as too much camber and loosing braking performance, at our next test-n-tune at the end of the month we are going to try and do our own version of Myth-Busters. I really don't think that running 3.5 or 4 degress of negative camber makes a difference in your braking. We'll do some back-to-back testing measuring distance and the g-force on the DL-1. Results soon to follow.

 

What are you using for toe plates? Longacre's?

 

I've experienced more problems with tire heat and tire pressures than any fluctuations in camber, thus far. I'm very interested in your results, though.

Hopefully next year I'll be running a DL-1.

-Jon

 

This should depend heavily on your ride height and springrate. I've found on my car, which is relatively high and oversprung, that I don't need as much static camber. A magic number between -2 and -3 up front. My springs were originally chosen with v710s in mind so I don't get as much compression as I would expect from an optimized set of spring/dampers.

With the these specs, the car does very well in steady state cornering. My co-driver was simply floored this morning by how much overall grip there is. The datalogger clearly shows it beats the pants off his DS WRX on race tires.


d

 

Yep. Picked them up from racerpartswholesale for $56.

 

The same caster plates as some of the others here on this forum have.

They're from CiroDesign and they replace the top plate of other camber plates, or come with new bearings - pm me.

It's harder to swap camber at an event like the Subys do, where they have a street setting with 0 toe, and a toe out race setting - with just camber adjustment . The reason is the Evo's tie rods are on the back side, causing toe-in with more neg camber.

Rick

 

Do the CiroDesign plates resemble the Ground Control plates in the way they mount? Do either of these work with Ohilins?