Camber angle and toe in ...................

[mark030358]

HAving adjustable shocks on the front I was wondering on the optimum cabber angle. Would I be right in looking at 1 deg negative? Also the manual gives a range for the front toe in, what is the best setting?

cheers
Mark

[simonriley11]

Although my car is a Plus 2 I can comment on the toe in and how it affected my car. When I bought the car a few months ago it seemed slow to turn in, so amongst other things I checked the front toe in and found that it was toeing out by 5mm. I don't have direct access to tracking equipment so I used the method taught to me by an old friend who was, amongst many other drivers, Ronnie Peterson's race mechanic (his comment being that if it was good enough for Ronnie Peterson then it is certainly good enough for me!) . This involves lengths of string and oil drums. It sounds crude but it seems to work. Obviously if you can access proper tracking equipment then all the better.
I then adjusted the toe in to minus 4 mm (from memory the maximum toe in stated in the manual) and the car was transformed. However it now seemed to turn in too quickly and made the car feel a little nervous. I have now set it to zero toe in and it feels just right.
I am sure that there are many other factors to bear in mind such as tyres, tyre pressures, suspension etc. but I was amazed how much diiference these settings made to the feel of the car. I suggest you play around within the factory settings and get it how you like it. I have been driving Elans large and small for over 25 years now and this recent exercise has reminded me how sensitive they are to tyre choice, tyre pressures, and suspension condition and set up.