I'd like to hear it. Was 9 F&R better on the track?

 

Well, short version; temp was 37 degrees F and my alignment was way off; so much toe in up front it was off the scale and rear camber was just over 3 degrees negative both sides. I was struggling and didn't know why. I drove the car about 1,800 miles with this alignment before getting it mostly right...now its down right darty at highway speeds and a wee bit scary under extreme braking ...3 is a charm...I've got issues

Unfortunately, my brand new Michellins are vibrating like a mother due to the extreme toe and camber. I've tried every rotation possible. Lets hope the RA1s are okay after 110 miles of track work with that horrid alignment.

 

37 degrees couldn't have been fun.
Just finished the last install of adjustable drop links and upper adjustable control arms, everything set up and ready for more time on the track dialing it in. If it is any help, my current settings are:
Ride height 23 7/8" to fender lip front and rear. 12 clicks from full hard front and rear.
-2.25 front camber, 1mm toe. -1.9 rear camber, -3mm toe. Corner balanced 800/803 frt. 481/486 rr. no balast.
22mm rear bar set on stiff, zero preload on frt and rr bars.
WHile this may not be the perfect setup, it has shown to be a pretty decent starting point if you like to rotate the car. However it is not scary or darty. We are on street tires, not R. Let me know how your setup evolves.

 

...1mm toe out up front? 3mm toe in rear? Just double checking the plus and minus signs. Bar set on full hard...well, your geometry should keep the back end in check on a fairly fast track.

I'll have a go at one more alignment; 2 degrees neg up front with a hair toe in and 1.25 degrees neg in the rear with 1/16th toe in or about 1.6mm toe in. Ride height is not aggressivly low. I took pictures that I'll post in another new thread about my repairs to the strut towers etc.

I'm working on an idea with regard to mushrooming...I emailed Steve. There are three tiny nuts that sit on top of the perches anchoring the three studs. So, they sit between the perches and the underside of the strut tower. These three nuts create three point loads under the strut tower. I asked Steve if I could simply remove the three studs, and flush mount the Megan perch. It becomes a hair inconvenient because the new M8x1.25x30mm studs will have hex heads requiring the car to be jacked up to reach under and hold these whilt tightening from the top. I think this is a fix for mushrooming with the Megans...we'll see. Hell, if I had the M7 doohicky allong with it we'll have a metal sandwich. I'm starting another thread...

 

Sounds like a simple fix. I am seriously considering buying the Megans or the H&R's...the built in camber plates make it a simpler decision.

Is there a through-hole in the perch? What is holding the stud into the perch? I'm thinking you could grind off the studs and use (or create one) the through-hole and use your hex-head idea. The only pain would be initial install. Good plan. I'll have to do this when I get mine...

 

It is very simple. remove the nuts on top of the perch - the ones that partially hold the studs in place and then flush mount the perch under the strut tower. Very easy! Now the studs protrude a 1/4" farther above the top of the strut tower...more expose threads = great for strut bars etc.

I'm still trying to figure out how to get photos uploaded. but, if you go to my new thread - Photo of my setup - there is one that made it. I have a bunch of the strut towers. You can also go to another thread I started - possible fix for mushrooming - I'll have hpotos there too...when I learn how to get them there...any help?

 

On another note regarding the Megans...has there been a fix from Megan regarding the rear perch failures? I believe they were working on a pillowblock design to alleviate this?

If / when I buy a set (soon), I will probably end up designing my own rear perch if there isn't something already in place from Megan.

Although right now the Mini isn't even running so I suppose I'll need to take care of that first....

 

Yes. I have nearly 2,000 miles on mine with one track day. No problems.

 

Yes, toe out front, toe in rear.

 

...Yet another alignment...within three weeks. Hope it's good this time.