I have a 99 lowered on koni/gc with isc top hats. Ride height is at about tire all the way around so im not super dumped or anything. So the issue is, my local alignment shop cant seem to get anywhere close to my desired settings. i was going with the flyin miata suggested numbers since they seemed like something mild and good to start off with. Here are the flyin miata numbers that i requested

Front
Caster: 5.0 degrees
Camber: 1.0 degrees negative
Toe-in: 1/16" total (1/32" per side)
Rear
Camber: 1.5 degrees negative
Toe-in: 1/16" total (1/32" per side)


And here is the closest that they could get to those numbers...

FL: -1.1 camber
6.2 caster
.03 toe

FR: -1.1 camber
6.3 caster
.02 toe

RL: -1.9 camber
.29 toe

RR: -2.7camber
.34 toe


Obviously the right rear tire is the worst, 3 months of daily driving completely shaved my falken azenis in the rear, especially on the right though. Theyre telling me thats the minimum camber they can pull out of it and thats the best they can do on the toe. Theyre trying to tell me that i may have a bent spindle. The car has never been wrecked so i highly doubt that, but im running out of options and need to resolve the issue so i dont shred my new tires. Does anyone have any suggestions at all? Thanks!

 

Also i already had the problem with the alignment bolts loosening up, so they have all been replaced, if that matters.

 

Try new eccentric bolts for your suspension. Otherwise seems like a pretty feeble attempt of an alignment, maybe underskilled? Do you have measurements of ride height (hub center to fender?)

 

the eccentric bolts are brand new from 949. as far as the ride height, havent measured it yet but looking at others setups it should be right around 11".

 

Grab ya ol' tape measure and go check.

 

Can you get different size cam bolts?

Having done more than a few alignments, I'd say either they have the wrong cams in that right rear or you do indeed have something bent back there. How was the RR tire wearing before the new springs?

Anytime you adjust ride height, your alignment will be out of whack and the stock specs won't help.

Check to see if the FM specs are for a stock ride height miata, maybe try contacting koni and see if they have different specs to work with?

-Flounder

 

idk about different size cam bolts, ive never seen that before. i do know that the eccentrics in there now are correct, they were all brand new in the mazda packages from 949

 

The camber kinda sucks but is to be expected with a lowered car. Idk why your toe is so out of whack, it may be due to inexperience from the shop. Toe is definitely what is killing your tires, camber has little effect on it honestly

 

i made an appointment at soulspeed for tuesday, so hopefully they can get everything worked out with it. i really doubt i have any bent suspension parts but we shall see. nice to see another bmx'r in here btw

 

If you look at the final readings from the printout, you can see that rear 'toe in' on both sides it almost the same, but on that RR side there's way too much negative camber which will produce tire wear on the inside of that particular tire. Where exactly is that tire showing wear?

Both camber and toe angles are capable of wearing tires unevenly, caster in not.

-F

 

If I was to guess, I'd say the rear of the two rear lower arm adjusters is close to all the way out, and they're only messing with the front one, or something dumb like that.

I've seen guys with "years" of experience aligning cars do things that dumb. Been told, "This isn't adjustable" and I walk up and point to the adjuster.

I like zero toe or 1/32" total toe-in better, but I'm no Keith Tanner.

 

im really hoping that is the case. im guessing that soulspeed will have an idea of where to set it, but does anyone have any settings that they have tried and liked?

 

0 toe

 

well soulspeed got my alignment settled...at the price of my ride height. they were showing me that at the ride height it was at, either camber or toe was going to be wayyyyy off. so they raised the car about an inch and everything aligned perfectly. the car drives great, but im not so stoked on my newfound fender gap. i really thought my previous ride height was pretty damn mild, but i was on bumpstops and the car wouldnt align. pretty frustrating, im definetly function>form but an inch of fender gap is going to drive me nuts

 

Soulspeed is a good shop. BTW, if you don't put your location in your profile I'm going to motherfucking ban your ***.

 

better?

 

Just to put it out there, if you lower a car 1 inch you gain around -1.0 to -1.2 degrees of camber, as a general rule for alignment. The Miata's rear suspension adjustments effect both toe and camber at the same time. IF you have too much camber you can't have the toe anywhere close to 0 degrees.

Both toe and camber wear tires, but toe is worse than camber. Caster indirectly wears tires as well.