miamirice

I want to tap all the knowledge available in this forum ( you guys are very committed ). I have a stock suspension now and will start using the car for track days with 255s on each corner. What do you recommend for aligment, I know it varies with what the driver wants. I am looking for nuetral to a little oversteer.

robinson

I would not do 255's all around on a stock suspension.

Do you have any track experience, S2000, RWD?

124Spider

Whoa, Nellie! That's a recipe for a quick spin!

If you want to keep the rear end behind the front end (I've tried it both ways, and I recommend keeping the rear behind the front), keep the stagger unless you do a lot with the suspension.

For track days where it's not a competition, why bother with a more-demanding setup than you need? If you're experienced, get good tires, maybe a better front bar, some roll protection, and become the best you can be with that setup. If you're a newbie, don't even think about non-stagger with stock suspension.

ZDan

For alignment on a stock suspension S2k, you'll probably want maximum camber front and rear, zero front toe, and ~.3* to .5* total rear toe.

If you haven't already bought tires, you might consider 225/45-17 or 235/40-17 fronts with 255/40-17 rears.

If you already have 255's all around, go ahead and track it, I don't think it'll be the end of the world on an '04 AP2. You might go with rear toe closer to the high end.

miamirice

Yes, have years of experience with an m3 that was on coilovers, swaybars etc. I don't race but drive in the advanced group and run full sessions, probably 1 event a month. The m3 would understeer but was very easy to throttle steer with its torque. The S2000 not so much.

I am planning to put KW or HKS suspension but thought I would get out on the tires a few times first (Nitto N01's). I have always done things incrementally. I fully expect I will have to change the front sway bar, but want to ask the folks on this forum what they would start with for alignment. If you think the car is undrivable with out doing the sway bar first I will, but that is not what I hear.

124Spider

"Undrivable" is not the word I would use. You can drive a minivan on the track, if you're careful.

Autocrossers with the grippiest tires available, making very sharp turns, have gone to the non-staggered setup/very stiff front bar to avoid rear wheel lift. As I understand it, it's not that it's a faster setup were it not for rear wheel lift, but a remedial action necessary under the circumstances.

When I tracked my car, entirely stock other than a stiffer-than-stock front bar, I also was among the fastest in the "advanced" group, and I never had any indications of rear wheel lift on the track (I have experienced it in autocross, so I know what it is).

Be my guest; I just don't see any reason whatsoever to go non-staggered with the Nittos on the track, absent being pretty sure you're going to get rear wheel lift even with a good front bar. You absolutely would want a stiffer front bar with that setup anyway; why not start with it, and see what else you need?

miamirice

I have 225 front and 255 rear now. That is how I bought the car. On bridgestone RE 050's the car understeers. This is not for autocross. It is for lapping. The goal is :

Have tires that will maximize grip for a momentum car and to have a tire set up that allows me to rotate front to rear to improve life. I live in Sunny and hot South Florida. Street tires go away after 3-4 laps and staggered don't allow front to back rotation. I think that is a pretty straight forward reason.

124Spider

Suit yourself.

Rotating the rear end on these things really is not a problem, even with staggered setup, I can assure you.

miamirice

I think you don't understand. Rotate as in place the fronts to the rear and Rears to the front between sessions. This can significantly improve tire life.

124Spider

Again, suit yourself. As expensive as tracking a car is, I can't imagine seriously compromising the handling in order to save (perhaps) a little on tires, over time.