I set up my four wheel align ment for next week. I had a quea

[Tom Kirkham]

Originally Posted by big-boss

...That is why all the new cool machines and BMW and all the other cool guys are simply using degrees now and actually degrees based on each side to further the complex issue.

Yes.

Originally Posted by big-boss

At the end of the day it really is about the tire patch on the road right? So if your tire pressue is up or down a couple of PSI all the laser ball scratching is for not anyway right? Our poor old Cobras were never meant for this type of percision-

Yes. Garbage in = garbage out. Yes, like most things there is a point of diminishing returns. But a poor alignment can make a sow's ear from a silk purse.

Originally Posted by big-boss

Those guys at lemans "back in the day" were just glad the tires were not being eaten off as they used their tape measures and those kool little pipe things with welding rod inside with a little clampy thing.

Actually the more I learn about the old guys the more impressed I am with them. I know they must have been taking very good measurements on their cars. At Miller Motorsports Museum they have the set up notes from the race teams when they raced the GT40s, and how each driver wanted their car set up. Over a long race a small disadvantage becomes a big disadvantage. Look at what Ford spent just on testing for the GT40 program...Accurate measurements would have been critical to maximize the results of their testing.

Originally Posted by big-boss

I took mine to a little shop with a 100K machine gave him all the specs and it was great. I have about 6K miles on it now- but things are different I feel it - I keep the tires the same as then but it drives different. So I plan on in the next week or so to take it back and get it redon to the same specs as before. I am sure it settled in I will report back. I did screw around with corner weights at first- I got them close and gave up. I just drive on the street anyway.

Yes a good machine can make aligning a car much, much faster and easier. But a lot a very fast race cars are still done with a string and a ruler. IMO the most important thing about an alignment is the person doing it. Yes, a good alignment can do wonders, especially if the old alignment wasn't very good.

[scottj]

Originally Posted by Tom Kirkham

...a lot a very fast race cars are still done with a string and a ruler. IMO the most important thing about an alignment is the person doing it.