Newbie Alignment Recommendations? [GTPP, SP083, FRPP Track Shocks, Steeda RCC, PS4S 285/35r19]

[SlowstangGT]

Hi All! First post here

I have a 2017 GTPP and have recently installed FRPP Track Struts with BMR SP083s and the BMR front sway bar (keeping stock PP rear sway bar), along with the MM CC Plates.
I've also installed the Steeda Roll Center Correction kit as well, and have a spacer in the back to raise the rear up .25 of an inch (total drop: 7/8 in front, 1/2 in back).
My tires are Michelin PS4S in 285/35r19 on SVE S350 19x10s, square setup.

I intend to use the car for roughly 5 track days a year, but also as a daily with a relatively short commute (~10 miles round trip). I also do a fair amount of spirited driving through the hills and canyons about once a week, probably equating around 300 miles a month driving at around 6/10ths. This meaning each year: ~4000mi spirited, ~3000mi daily, and ~500mi track driving

I'm currently deciding on an alignment, and was wondering what a good place to start would be. I was thinking around:
Front:
- Camber: -2.2 degrees
- Caster: 7.2 degrees
- Toe: 0.01 degrees (Aim for zero toe, but prefer slight toe in rather than toe out)
Rear:
- Camber: -1.7 degrees
- Toe: 0.1 degrees per side (slight toe in), total 0.2 degrees (not to exceed 0.25)
- Thrust Angle: Zero

I've heavily debated the amount of camber to run, as I do not want to have too much wear to the inside edge of the tires from non-track use. I am unsure if -2.2 in the front will be too aggressive...

I'm also curious as how the front sway bar settings will affect tire wear and handling. I've read that a stiffer front sway bar setting may actually increase handling by preventing the MacPherson strut from compressing into the camber loss region of the suspension travel arc. However, I'm not sure if the PS4S (being a 285 non-R compound) will benefit from anything more than just the softest front sway bar setting.

Any critique or advice is much appreciated Thank you!

 

[JDee]

The car pushes by nature as it's front heavy. Stiffening the front bar likely will make that worse in my experience. You've got a mixed bag of suspension pieces from different companies so there's no way to know how they're going to play with each other. I'm a great believer in systems being integrated and tested with each other. The Ford racing FR3 track suspension fits that bill and is engineered by the company that designed and built the car. It just flat works on track and is quite liveable on the street as well. I like an integrated kit from a single company better than mix 'n match.

Your alignment settings are a necessary compromise for both street and track, but will work for both cases though neither will be optimum. You also don't have enough wheel/tire, 11" and 305s are the preferred setup and they also live fine on the street. Delving into things like roll center correction are kind of putting the cart before the horse when you've passed on getting maximum wheel/tire size, that's always the easiest best bang for the buck mod.

MM CC plates are problematic, I have a set sitting on my garage steps that anyone can have for free if they want to put up with the inferior hardware quality and damage they caused to a strut shaft due to seizing of the top bearings. As well as "blame the owner" customer service. They also maxed out at -2.2 which is nowhere near enough for track work. Spend the extra and get Vorshlag plates.

There's a ton of rubber in the driveline and suspension that all needs to be locked out or replaced to get maximum handling but doing so will increase NVH to what is probably an unacceptable level for most street drivers. Not doing that will limit the usefulness of anything else you do to the suspension for track work.

That's the trouble with doing this dual purpose type of thing, the further you go in one direction the worse it makes the car in the other, the use cases are diametrically opposed to each other. I think most of us have been there, done that, started out trying to dual purpose the car and once the track bug bites the street part becomes less and less of a concern. And just about everything you do will make the heat problem worse, so plan on eventually putting in a good hood vent like the Race Louvers kits or getting a 'glass vented hood.

There's always more than one way to accomplish a goal and I'm sure others here will weigh in with what worked for them as well, we all have gone down this trail and it's kind of figure it out as you go. There will be missteps and flat out wins along the way, it's all part of the learning process. Good luck with your car and above all, enjoy the process and have fun!!

 

[SlowstangGT]

100% agree with you that there will be compromises. At this time, I have no choice but to make it a dual-purpose vehicle. I definitely plan on running square 305s on 19x11s (thinking about Goodyear SuperCar 3s) in the future and cutting the strut once I'm able to get a proper daily. Good call on the Vorshlag plates! Definitely will be looking to swap the MM out later for those later. Hadn't thought of cooling either, I'll definitely look into the hood vents once the time comes! I don't plan on doing any power mods while I still have the powertrain warranty, so perhaps the hood vents and a thicker engine/diff oil should be sufficient.

I've already swapped all my rear suspension control arm bushings with SuperPro poly, did the Knuckle to Toe Link bearing, and added the BMR CB005 cradle lockout kit. The poly bushings were done as preventative maintenance; I really don't trust the rubber back there considering long-term durability and severe deflection. Rear end now feels planted even without the alignment! The front also has the Steeda tension link bearing, which seemed to really tighten up the turn in, again even with my crappy alignment .

For now, I think I will run this alignment for the next year or two until I can finally go full track-car I greatly appreciate the advice!
Fingers crossed that I don't cord my PS4Ss in 5k miles

 

[JDee]

Cooling is a huge issue on track. My motor is stock and even at that heat was the #1 problem I had until I put the RaceLouvers RT hood vent in. That alone solved it, temps went from 252 peak down to 210. It's a pretty easy install, just make sure you follow their directions on getting it located correctly. Don't worry about rain with the vent, I've been through several gully washers with it and it doesn't bother the engine at all.
Figure on a trans cooler as well down the road, for sure you will need it.
Sounds like you are on the right track, I also plan to try the Goodyears once I need new skins. The camber at -2.2 isn't going to cord your tires on the street, stock spec is -1.5 so it's not a big deal. Just keep a close eye on those plates, watch out for the top bearing seizing as that will cause the plate to cut into your strut shaft.