I have a non-stock tire/suspension setup on my 71E. I had it aligned about 6 months ago after replacing balljoints/bushings/springs/shocks and the shop brought everything to stock specs. Initially I was so happy with the responsive new setup I felt like I was in good shape. Tracks straight and keeps composure in corners.

The problem I am having is that the car tracks imperfections in the road and never really feels 'light on its feet'. Sometimes on the highway when the pavement changes I feel like I am on a track. Speaking to someone about this at an autoshow recently someone suggested that most of this could be cured with alignment settings.

My question is does anyone have a good recipe for alignment? This car is a daily driver with 1" lowered progressive springs. I have 16x6.5" volvo wheels with 205/50/16's. I do a lot of highway driving but I also like to take corners hard and do some autoX days. If I eat tires slightly faster I would make the tradeoff for less tracking and better agility.

I would have alignment redone,would expect caster has been zeroed as well as camber and toe, less caster will give light steering but make it feel like its running on tram tracks. regards Jack McIntyre.

On my lowered '67, here's what I'm running with 60-series radials:

Camber -1 degree each side
Caster between 1.5 and 1
Toe 0

Tire wear is very even, it steers light with good feedback, and goes straight on its own.

Steve,

Bias-ply tires do something similar to what you are describing, but I'm sure your 205/50/16's are not bias-ply. When I bought my current '67 122S, the P.O. had bias-ply tires on it. I simply could not believe how they followed each and every groove in the highway! Left and right tires in seperate, non-parallel, diverging grooves had a really interesting feel to it. Like a wishbone being spread apart!

The behavior had to have been exagerated by the loosey goosey front end, which I rebuilt soon after purchasing the car, but when I changed the tires, just that alone eliminated most of the behavior.

I assume you checked all the connections and bushings. Could you have torn, or otherwise broken down steel belts in one or more of your tires, from the hard corners and autocross?

gary - '72 ES, '67 122S