Tune Your Toe

[HTPerformance]

An exerpt from: “Making It Stick Part 2 - Negative Camber: The Comprehensive Suspension Tuning Guide”
By Jared Holstein
Photography by Jared Holstein
Writer: Mike Kojima, Ti Tong
Photographer: Ti Tong

http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/te...t_2/index.html

Step Six: Tune Your Toe
Toe refers to the direction a car's tires are pointed relative to each other when viewed from above (see graphic).

Toe-in means the front of the tires are closer to each other than the rears. The opposite is toe-out. Toe is measured in inches relative to straight ahead, or zero toe. With zero toe, a car's tires are exactly parallel to each other.

Fine-tuning toe settings will allow a measure of control that's often overlooked. It also has a significant effect on how a car behaves in a corner. Front toe settings make a big difference in how a car handles in the first third of the turn, the critical turn-in phase where cornering force is initiated. Rear toe settings can be critical for allowing the driver of a rear-wheel-drive car to accelerate harder and sooner out of a corner.

Like all chassis tuning, too much of a good thing will cause problems. Too much toe-in or toe-out will create tire wear on the inside and outside edges of the tire. Any toe setting past 1/8-inch will cause excessive tire wear. Aggressive toe has probably ruined more tires on lowered cars than any other chassis adjustment.

Below are guidelines for setting toe and how it can affect feel and handling.

Front Toe-Out
Just Right
Reduced understeer at turn-in Improved steering response Counteracts natural tendency for front- and all-wheel-drive cars to toe-in under throttle load

Too Much
Instability during braking Straight-line instability, especially over single-wheel bumps or split-traction surfaces Unrecoverable understeer

Front Toe-In
Just Right
Generally helps make the car feel more stable

Too Much
Wandering under braking Refusal to turn in or rapid turn-in followed by understeer

Rear Toe-Out
Just Right
Easy midturn rotation. Less front tire load

Too Much
Violent on-throttle oversteer on RWD cars. Can help drift cars
Violent lift-throttle or trail-braking rotation

Rear Toe-In
Just Right
Easily controlled power oversteer in rear-wheel-drive cars

Too Much
Sluggish response. Midcorner understeer Instability at turn-in

Every car is adjustable for front toe through the steering tie rod ends. All multilink and some strut cars are adjustable for toe front and rear. Cars that use a live or beam rear axle must have the axle or axle housing bent to adjust toe by an experienced chassis shop.

Below are some typical toe adjustments for different cars, tire wear expectations and styles of driving.

Aggressive Street Driver
Front
FWD/AWD: 0 RWD: 1/16" In

Rear
FWD/AWD: 0 RWD: 1/8" In

Weekend Hot Lapper
Front
FWD/AWD: 0-1/8" OutRWD: 0

Rear
FWD/AWD: 0-1/8" OutRWD: 1/8" In

Racer Only or serious drifter
Front
FWD/AWD: 1/8-1/4" out RWD: 0

Rear
FWD/AWD: 0-1/4" out RWD: 0-1/8" in

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For ease of adjusting your rear toe in/toe out, please check out HTPerformance's newly released Adjustable Rear Toe Arms!

Pre-order yours now!
http://forums.focaljet.com/group-buy...-toe-arms.html

Pictured below is our prototype, the production version will be anodized, not powdercoated.

[Z63R]

As [FJ]focaljet forum moderators, it is our job to aid users in making good decisions regarding the purchase and use of our sponsor's products. With that in mind, I take exception to the generic nature of the toe-in info posted as it does not specifically address the Ford Focus.

The Focus, as we are all aware, has won numerous awards and incredible accolades for it's fantastic handling and driving dynamics from the worldwide motor press. Much of this chassis magic is influenced by the Focus's unique factory rear suspension design and alignment specification.

Toe on the rear of the Focus can be adjusted just fine with the stock components up to a 2 -2.5 (and more than likely lower) -inch drop from factory ride height and the Sport Compact Car article quoted fails to consider the Focus's passive rear steer SLA Control Blade independent rear suspension which is set to between 0.15° and 0.35° toe-in per side as per it's design.

Nowhere in the quoted article does it address how the uneducated user may capitalize on the use of the adjustable short lower arms; in fact, if one doesn't know what they're doing one can actually worsen their Focus's handling traits.

Please show our users your installation and adjustment guide for use of these particular control arms on the Ford Focus which any responsible seller would include with each pair sold.

[Qwik1]

^^ X eleventy whatever.


We need specifics to address our unusual suspension geometry. Generic guidelines just don't apply here.

[HTPerformance]

Originally Posted by Z63R

As [FJ]focaljet forum moderators, it is our job to aid users in making good decisions regarding the purchase and use of our sponsor's products. With that in mind, I take exception to the generic nature of the toe-in info posted as it does not specifically address the Ford Focus.

Thank you Z36R, more information is on the way which is specific for the Focus. Posting the other information may have been slightly premature; however, I felt it imperative for the average suspension modifier to begin learning about what Toe is, and how it in general can affect driving dynamics. As you mention, too-much or too-little toe-in or toe-out can drastically affect the performance of the vehicle, and having that adjustability will enable you to tune that more ably/easily when you align your suspension. Currently the stock short arm limits the ease of tuning in a specific toe setting.

[SVT Naco]

What's the best settings for a Focus with a 1.5" drop? Zero toe F/R and less than 1 degree Neg. Camber?

[Z63R]

What's the best settings for a Focus with a 1.5" drop? Zero toe F/R and less than 1 degree Neg. Camber?

Your "less than 1 degree" negative camber must be at the front wheels because a 1.5 inch drop will usually result in somthing between -1.5° and -2.5° (or more) camber at the Focus's rear wheels.

Because of the Focus's passive rear steer independent suspension design, adjusting for rear toe will effect a static rear camber change. However, there is no factory adjustment for camber only, and attempting to do so solely with these adjustable short arms is hardly adviseable; the short arms do not attach in a proper location to what would be the rear hub portion of the spring steel control blade trailing arm for that. They are there to control the range of toe sweep throughout the suspension arc.

I will not suppose to tell anyone what the "best" settings are for their Focus; there're too many different driving styles, handling performance goals and tire budgets... but I will offer you what I use on my Focus which I use as a fun, great-handling but also high-speed-stable road car:

Zero° front toe. Zero. Neither toe-in nor toe out. My 1.4 inch drop results in a static 1.0° negative front camber.

The factory MINIMUM (I want as little static rear toe as was DESIGNED for) rear toe-IN of 0.15° per side. On my 1.4 inch drop this toe setting results in 1.6°/left and 1.8°/right static negative camber on my Focus. (Altering the rear camber after the desired toe setting has been made requires the installation of aftermarket 1° camber adjustment bolts in the upper control arms's outer bolt location.)

I rotate my tires every 5000 miles and have experienced even tire wear through three set of tires since I lowered the car.

The car retains the fantastic factory Focus feel and it retains the award-winning driving dynamics mentioned earlier. The only change I would make if I were to autocross more might be a front camber change to between 1.5° to 1.8° negative and that would necessitate the installation of aftermarket front adjustable camber plates atop the struts.

Have fun!