oilstain

Here are the alignment specs I just got from Merchant's tire. They will check the alignment for free, and since I was having them mount some tires, I figured why not?

Rear:
Toe L .25 / R -.04
Camber L -1.08 / R -1.48
Front:
Camber L -.24 / R -.17
Caster L 4.47 / R 4.49
Toe L -.03 / R .18

Alignment guy says: Yer good, all in spec!

Yeah, technically I'm in spec, but realistically not at all.

So the question I pose to you, is how will stability be effected with the way things are?
Oh **** swerve on highway? (in the rain)
Oh ****, a deer on the road while coming round a bend quick-like?

I didn't have them do the alignment today because they wouldn't let me sit as ballast. Honestly though, I'd rather take it down to Windsor's shop and do it there, I'll get an exact alignment for my money there.

I'm a bit gunshy about stability still. I haven't really mentally recovered from my spinout/tractor trailer ordeal.

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

awful alignment. this is why i pay $125 to get it exact.

buffon01

iTrader: (9)

Same **** happened to me. My car ended with positive camber on one side and negative on the other, the explanation from the MANAGER was "Hey is simple math they will cancel out". That had Smooth Ride writen all over it

Dlaitini

looing at that im seing the tires camber front and rear look like this
L -.24 /---| R -.17 .07 difference

L -1.08 |---\ R -1.48 .4 difference


toe looks like int he rear, the front part of the tires are pointed away from each other.. i belive that was a big no-no for any set up.. that will cause oversteer much easier... i remember its either 0 toe or point them toward each other.. you have about .15 pointed out


so the set up for toe looks like this:
L .25 \---\ R -.04

Toe L -.03 /---\ R .18

(someone correct me.. is the toe on the front not supposed to be the same both sides? unless they set it up to counteract that crown roads have to drain water sometimes?)

caster i belive is close to recommended if you run power steering... i removed mine and still have 5.0 caster and i am ok with DD-ing with it like that

--------------------------------

I took my car to a shop that had a drag mustang and a mustang cobra R that was always gone on the weekends due to them acculay racing it.

they had no problems letting me sit in the car and setting MY alignment specs.

its well out of "factory" specs, in fact, i belive it was this page i printed form the garage page and just handed it to them:

Miata Alignment Specs

there might have been a bit more agressive setup out there, but cannot remember whos it was

suggestion i was given to find a good shop is to go up and the first question to ask is if they do autocross alignments... if they look at you with a WTF look ... go somewhere else

i paid $80 for mine.. abut 10 more then the standard alinement.. and they have worked on miats too... i always saw some coming and going from there

cjernigan

iTrader: (13)

Back when I was in Cookeville I went to the local firestone shop and paid for a lifetime alignment. I spoke with the technician that would be working on the car and took him for a ride. That helped him understand why my alignment was so important and he had no issue hitting whatever numbers I gave him.
I would look around for a local performance shop to get it aligned. There us usually atleast one motorsports friendly shop that will align your car to your specs.

oilstain

Okay, so pretty much what I expected: probably won't kill me, not even close to right, worth the money to get it set up properly.

Just the fact that I have a sum of toe out on the front and rear explains why, on the highway, it feels a little unnerving and 'darty' I guess I would say.

bluemonkey

iTrader: (1)

So should I spend the money for a NTB alignment for a couple years or should I just bite the bullet and hope to pay the same amount for one alignment and hope they get the specs spot on?

oilstain

Blue, by a couple of years, do you mean a service plan where they re-align for a few years because you paid extra? If so, you'd better make sure you communicate clearly that you don't simply want "meets factory tolerance" specs, and you really want a precision alignment.

If you just mean paying the normal price and it's cheaper than a race-shop, then it still depends on how accurate NTB is going to be.

My plan is to go to a race shop, get a good alignment with new alignment bolts (should help it stay where I want it longer) then when I hit crap like car swallowing potholes, I'll go back to merchant's (or whoever else will do it) and have them check it for free.