Another Alignment Question

[SHHEP3@UB]

I have been looking up alignment specs the last couple days on different forums and there is a huge range of opinions on alignment specs and a lot of info that just says "Do this" without any explination of side effects. I am a novice autocrosser who needs to commute to work everyday, so I am looking for a comprimise and a good base tune that I can work off of for next season, so any feedback on people's personal experince woudl be greatly appreciated.

My current set-up is a little strange because the stock struts blew last year so my plan to first getter better wheels/tires had to be put off.

current setup:
-Koni sport kit: adjustable dampers with progressive rate koni sport springs = 2" drop
-Ingalls camber bolt (front) = +/- 2
-Eiback camber bolt (rear0 = +/- 3
- stock sways
- stock wheels w/ Khumo Ecsta "Ultra High Performance All-Seasons" - oxymoron, but I got a good deal on them

The last Mustclime suggestion seems to be the average of everything I have read with 0 toe both front and rear, with as much negative camber as you can get from the ingalls in the front and -.5 in the rear. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as far as how much toe is really necessary for proper turn in, how much toe will cause the car to wander down the highway, and will any camber/adjustment be bad as far as tire wear, a big concern for me as a DD. I know that some miracle alignment won't make me win every competition I enter, I need to improve as a driver, but looking for a good base to work with.

thank you

[Drew1d]

Well, here's my "take on it." Some truth, some lies. As for camber, it's how much of the tire is going to contact the ground and when.
Stock camber puts the most tire in a straight line, (on the front tires) but less on turns. So if you want a quick launch or sudden brake, I'd keep the front camber near stock. (I drive 90% highway, so it's good for me)

As for toe, with stock (toe in) it firms the steering wheel in your hand, and you feel the turn more. It causes more wear, and understeer. With zero toe, the wheel has a lot less feel. The steering feels loose, but with less drag, and I get better mileage. (Highways, remember.) With toe out, it should lend itself to turn more. But I'm not sure of the feel, I never had toe out on the front.

Castor, don't worry about it. You can't adjust it anyway. (without modifing the suspension.) It affects how it takes bumps, steering feel and wheelbase.

The rear is similar, but when you want it to break loose isn't.

Good luck.

[SHHEP3@UB]

I know castor helps high speed stability and counteracts the twitchyness of toe out, but this is far more advanced than what I am looking for. I remember reading this on crsx a member who made custom castor plates. Track work yes, but not for me. Thanks for the advice on how the car acts at different speeds with different toe adjustments, it's what i'm looking for.