Suspension alignment settings for track/hard road driving | FerrariChat
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Suspension alignment settings for track/hard road driving

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by DavidYu888, Jul 1, 2025.

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  1. DavidYu888

    DavidYu888 Karting

    Nov 7, 2024
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    David Yu
    #1 DavidYu888, Jul 1, 2025
    My F8 Spider is at a specialist workshop to add a bit more camber and drop the suspension a few mm on the standard coilovers.
    I’m keen to dial out some of the understeer I experienced at Silverstone on Cup 2s, and wondering if anyone here had a proven fast road/track set up they have tried on their F8?
    Nothing too extreme as it is primarily a fast road tour car and I don’t want to prematurely destroy my inner edges, but want a very planted front end.
     
  2. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
    3,431
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    #2 mdrums, Jul 1, 2025
    Now you are bringing up subjects I'd rather talk about. However your alignment will ultimately depend on the track you drive at, driving style, suspension ride height and tires. You will need to run the car at the track, check how if feels at the limit and take tire temps across the tread and adjust from there.

    I did a basic slightly aggressive alignment on my 2019 488 that I had Novitec springs put on and ran Cup2's. Obviously I was going to drive way more miles on the street than track but I wanted a compromise. The only alignment spec that I did that was out of spec was the front camber.

    I had around 1.5 degree in front where max camber stock is -1 degree per side with stock toe on a slight aggressive of outward side of oem spec and the rear at 1.3 degree camber and stock toe inward, Caster was stock as well but slightly changed due to ride height.

    I did not slam my 488 down either, did ride height adjustment measurements from the frame ( the proper way) and ran oem tire size with HRE wheels with just a touch of offset.

    You really need to align your car to your specs and driving and how you are setting the car up. You need to work with an alignment specialist that knows the dynamics of parameters like this.
     
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  3. DavidYu888

    DavidYu888 Karting

    Nov 7, 2024
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    #3 DavidYu888, Jul 1, 2025
    Cheers, appreciate your input.
    I’m not going to overly tweak for track, because fast, hard road driving is its primary purpose.
    Thanks for your camber suggestions, do you know what toe settings you went for? Is that a bit of toe out on the front to improve turn in?
     
  4. Trev450

    Trev450 Formula Junior

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    #4 Trev450, Jul 1, 2025
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  5. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

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    #5 mdrums, Jul 1, 2025
    toe out for front is stock on these Ferrari 488/F8 cars even Pista. It keeps the stock feel in the car...quick steering. Going more neutral will lessen that quick responsive feel.

    Ferrari 488 GTB Alignment Specs

    WHEELS

    OEM Specs

    Front 20x9 et 44.7

    Rear 20x11 et 38.5


    Stock with 11/15mm Hill Eng Spacers

    Front 32.7

    Rear 23.5


    HRE Specs R101 Stock Specs

    Front 20x9 et 34.7

    Rear 20x11 et 23.5


    TIRES

    Front 245-35-20 26.8” Overall Diameter

    Rear 305-30-20 27.2” Overall Diameter




    OEM STOCK ALIGNMENT

    Front
    Camber : -1 / -0.6 Degrees (Factory -0.8 degrees)
    Toe : - .11 / -.06 Degrees Outward
    Caster : 4.7 /5.5 Degrees ( Factory 4.92 degrees)

    Rear
    Camber : -1.5/ -1.1 (factory-1.33 degrees)
    Toe : +.13 /+.19 Degrees Inward



    MY ALIGNMENT SPECS

    Front

    Camber : -1.5 degrees per side

    Toe : -.09 degrees (.7mm ) outward per side

    Caster : non-adjustable 5.8 Degrees


    Rear

    Camber : -1.3 degrees per side

    Toe : +.14 degrees IN (1.4mm) per side inward
     
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  6. DavidYu888

    DavidYu888 Karting

    Nov 7, 2024
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    #6 DavidYu888, Jul 1, 2025
    Thanks for sharing. Interesting that you went for spacers. Do you feel that improved the handling, or was it mainly for aesthetics? I presume they required longer bolts.
     
  7. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
    3,431
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    #7 mdrums, Jul 1, 2025
    Only did spacers on the OEM wheels while waiting for my HRE wheels because as the car drops the body really overhangs the wheels. Drove it 3 or 4 times only on spacers so I have no thoughts on them and handling.
     
  8. Cherche

    Cherche Rookie

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    #8 Cherche, Jul 1, 2025
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  9. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
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    #9 mdrums, Jul 1, 2025
    Just in case your alignment shop works in Minutes on there machine...some machines will covert.
    The left number is the minimum, the middle is recommended, and the right is maximum. The numbers are for each side.
    Note that 60 minutes represent 1 whole degree. - means negative and + means positive. For toe negative is out positive is in.


    488 OEM spec:
    Front:
    Toe: -7 min, -5 min, -3 min (toe out)
    Camber: -33 min, -48 min, -1 degr
    Caster: +4degr 43 min, +5 degr 7 min, 5 degr 31 min.

    Rear:
    Toe: +8 min, +10 min, +11 min (toe in)
    Camber: -1 degr 8 min, 1 degr 20 min, 1 degr 32 min
     
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  10. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

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    #10 mdrums, Jul 1, 2025
    For a agressive in spec OEM alignment... try for
    FRONT Camber -1 degrees
    REAR Camber - 1.3 degrees
    Front Toe .09 degrees out
    Rear Toe .14 degrees in
     
  11. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
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    #11 mdrums, Jul 1, 2025
    Tire wear for a track event looks normal. Nothing wrong with the Pirelli's. Yes Robert did some aligment work and liked his changes. He went with toe in on front, very opposite from Ferrari OEM specs. That is his preference and maybe not yours.
     
  12. mdrums

    mdrums F1 Rookie

    Jun 11, 2006
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    #12 mdrums, Jul 1, 2025
    Meant to say...too bad we can not edit a post!.... Anyway... you could benefit from more camber all 4 corners.
     
  13. DavidYu888

    DavidYu888 Karting

    Nov 7, 2024
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    #13 DavidYu888, Jul 1, 2025
    Thanks all, I think the biggest beneficial change will be swapping the shims from top to bottom on the front control arms to add that negative camber on the front. Will forward to my shop.
     
  14. DavidYu888

    DavidYu888 Karting

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    #14 DavidYu888, Jul 9, 2025
    So I took my car to DCT Scuderia, an independent specialist only about 20 minutes away from home and asked Scott to drop the car slightly, swap the front control arm shims as per the helpful video above and have a full alignment done.
    I have to say, I was blown away by how better the car looks with the stock coilovers wound about 15mm on the front and 10mm or so in the back.
    Front camber is now -1.88° on the left and -1.67° on the right which coincidentally almost exactly matches the rears (which were not adjusted).
    Front toe in has been slightly reduced to -0.04° L and -0.08° R.
    Only did an unchallenging wet road drive since, so can’t comment definitively on any change in handling, although a couple of wet roundabouts with CT Off did suggest that front end grip was more positive with a hilarious lack of rear traction from the Cup 2s! :D

    I didn’t have a massive problem with the stock visual stance, but now it’s been tweaked I must say it looks fantastic.

    I just hope ground clearance is still good on bumpy roads as I’m about to replace all the exterior trim with carbon, including the notoriously low rear diffuser…

    Will report back after my FOC track day at Goodwood next month, but initial signs are promising.

    This is a Before shot of the factory stance.
    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
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  15. DavidYu888

    DavidYu888 Karting

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    #15 DavidYu888, Jul 9, 2025
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  16. Ivan Drago

    Ivan Drago Formula 3

    Jul 14, 2021
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    #16 Ivan Drago, Jul 9, 2025
    Awesome thread, love this kind of information.
     
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  17. Trev450

    Trev450 Formula Junior

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    #17 Trev450, Jul 9, 2025
    Will be interested to hear your feedback after you've been to Goodwood.
     

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