Track Alignment Setup: Camber, Caster & Toe (Racing Guide)

Alignment is free lap time—if you do it correctly

Quick answer: A proper track alignment starts with a locked baseline (ride height, tire hot pressures, fuel load), then sets camber, caster, and toe in that order. Validate with tire temps and wear, make small toe changes, and log everything.

Alignment determines how your tires contact the track under load. A good racing alignment improves grip, stability, and tire life—but only if your baseline is consistent.

For more track-day setup notes and engineering-minded guidelines, visit RevoZport performance upgrade.

Before you start: lock the baseline

• Set ride height and keep it consistent (corner-balance if you can)

• Start with tire pressures in a known hot-pressure window

• Confirm suspension health (no worn bushings/ball joints) and torque hardware

• Align at your typical fuel load (and driver weight, or equivalent ballast)

Quick baseline spec: what to record

Log your setup as a simple sheet so changes are repeatable:

• Tire model/size + typical hot pressures

• Ride height + fuel load used for alignment

• Alignment values: camber / caster / toe (confirm whether toe is total or per-side)

• Notes from track testing (entry/mid/exit balance + tire wear)

Step 1: Start with camber

Camber helps keep the tire’s contact patch working during cornering.

General track-day starting ranges (platform/tire dependent):

• Front: –2.0° to –3.5°

• Rear: –1.5° to –3.0°

Heavier cars, stiffer tires, and high-lateral-load tracks often need more camber.

Validate with temps and wear (use as a guide, not a single-rule decision):

• Outside shoulder much hotter than inside → often not enough camber or the tire is rolling onto the shoulder (pressure/toe can contribute)

• Inside hotter than outside → can be normal with track camber; if the inside is excessively hotter and wear confirms it, check toe and pressure first before reducing camber

Step 2: Set caster (if adjustable)

Caster affects:

• steering feel

• self-centering

• dynamic camber gain

More caster generally:

• improves turn-in feel

• increases steering effort

• adds camber while steering

Set caster as high as practical while maintaining clearance. Keep left/right caster matched unless you’re optimizing for a single-direction track.

Step 3: Dial in toe

Toe has a massive impact on stability and tire wear, so make small changes and log results.

Typical track starting points (platform dependent; confirm with feel + temps):

• Front toe: slight toe-out (≈0.05–0.10° total)

• Rear toe: slight toe-in (≈0.10–0.20° total)

General effects:

• toe-out → sharper turn-in, less straight-line stability

• toe-in → more stability, slower response

Note: Toe may be reported as degrees, minutes, or mm/in—confirm units. If possible, log toe as total and per-side.

Step 4: Re-check everything under real use

After alignment:

• drive the car

• re-check tire temps (and note the phase: entry/mid/exit behavior)

• inspect tire wear after a session

Alignment is not “set and forget.” It evolves with:

• ride height changes

• tire model/size changes

• aero changes

• damper/spring changes

Quick symptom guide: what to adjust first

Use these as starting hypotheses, then validate with temps and wear:

• Outside shoulder overheating / rollover feel → add front camber or reduce over-aggressive toe; confirm pressures

• Instability under braking or at high speed → verify rear toe-in and left/right symmetry

• Lazy turn-in → a small increase in front toe-out can help (in small steps)

• Inner-edge wear → check toe first before backing off camber

• Car feels great for 1 lap, then falls off → re-check hot pressures; alignment conclusions aren’t valid if pressure isn’t stable

Common mistakes that waste track time (and tires)

• Doing alignment before ride height (and fuel load) is finalized

• Changing tires/ride height and not re-checking toe

• Chasing camber when toe (or pressure) is the real problem

• Mixing units (degrees vs mm/in, total vs per-side) and comparing the wrong numbers

Key takeaways

• Camber is a primary grip tool, but validate with temps and wear

• Caster improves steering feel and confidence (match left/right)

• Toe fine-tunes stability vs response and strongly affects tire wear

• Always verify changes with repeatable laps, stable pressures, and clear notes

FAQ

1. What is a good track alignment setup?
A good starting track alignment locks baseline ride height and hot tire pressures first, then sets camber, caster (if adjustable), and toe, validating changes with temps and wear.

2. How much negative camber do I need for a track day?
Many track-day cars start around –2.0° to –3.5° front and –1.5° to –3.0° rear, but the right number depends on tire type, car weight, and track load.

3. Should I run toe-out on track?
A small amount of front toe-out can sharpen turn-in, but it can reduce straight-line stability and increase tire wear if overdone. Make small changes and log results.

4. Does more caster help on track?
Often yes. More caster can improve steering feel and add dynamic camber while steering, but you need to maintain clearance and keep left/right matched in most cases.

5. How do I know if my alignment is correct?
Use repeatable laps plus tire temperatures and wear. If results aren’t consistent, verify tire hot pressures, toe reporting units, and left/right symmetry before changing camber.