Hello all,
This weekend I'm installing Koni Orange Shocks & Struts. A 19mm WMW rear sway bar. And Ireland Eng fixed front camber plates (~ -1.2 degrees). I have Conti DSW06 tires. I'll be using carbotech xp10/8 pads. And plan to run this car at only a couple events. One being Shenandoah, another would be NJMP. This is my daily driver/commuter car (70 miles round trip per day). I am an advanced level driver looking to try the mini out. I'm also an instructor and am looking forward to learning FWD balance and vehicle dynamics.

With all that above, what alignment settings do you recommend? With a strut style suspension, I think toe is my only adjustment. But since this car is new to me (2002 Cooper S) I thought I would ask. I may pick up a 200tw track tire at some point, but starting with the contis.

My dedicated track car I run zero toe in the front and 1/16" toe in for the rear. This is a 3300# RWD car on Hoosiers

Thanks
Dan

 

Given you use the car daily for 70 mile commute and only a couple of track days my advice would be go with an alignment that would be targeted for the street. Not much camber or toe. What you want it a very stable car not twitchy with good road manners and that delivers good tire life. Thus probably the factory alignment numbers. Hopefully the factory alignment numbers can be obtained without having to replace suspension hardware that allows for more adjustment to align the car to the factory alignment settings.

I know with my experience with my Porsche cars heavy on the rear toe can have the rear tires gone in 8K miles. Ouch! And yet with no corresponding benefit in handling/cornering, etc.

After you have some time with the car you may have some idea of what different settings you want.

My 2018 JCW gets used for a 60 mile per day commute and no track time and recently not even any mountain road time. It has the factory alignment and tire wear side to side and across the tread faces is very good, even even. Front and rear tire wear is surprisingly even too although some time spent with the car in sport mode over some span of time had the front tires worn out in under 20K miles. The original other pair of tires I think will deliver over 30K miles of service.

Oh, if you have done so be sure you flush and bleed the brake hydraulic system.