Alignment
10-21-2011, 08:40 AM
#31
MFz Lurker
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 7
? I don't know anything about Miatas at stock height, but let me know how your front tires wear after some use. Toe out should give you better turn in and be faster, but it should also eat tire on the street.
10-21-2011, 09:07 AM
#32
BAMFr
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,787
yea, I am a little annoyed. my car pulls right and the suspension guy hasn't e-mailed me back about fixing that next week.
I will let you guys know how it works since i am going to CMP this weekend. I am even more annoyed that he couldn't get 1.5* camber in the front, thats what I had in there before taking it to him, but he said since he turned up the caster It wasn't able to take as much camber. I am not buying it, but I don't know enough about alignments to argue with that.
"Adam" is a great guy, but I am cynical and always wary of using a new mechanic.
I will let you guys know how it works since i am going to CMP this weekend. I am even more annoyed that he couldn't get 1.5* camber in the front, thats what I had in there before taking it to him, but he said since he turned up the caster It wasn't able to take as much camber. I am not buying it, but I don't know enough about alignments to argue with that.
"Adam" is a great guy, but I am cynical and always wary of using a new mechanic.
10-21-2011, 09:16 AM
#33
MFz Lurker
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 7
What he said is likey true for your height.
On our cars, the front castor and camber are linked. You can reduce castor for more static camber and increase castor for less static camber. Or just lower it to gain camber as well. Since you're depowered, you might consider lowering castor for more static camber, but I'd just see how it drives first and make corrections from there.
Edit/Add: and on the rear, the camber and toe are linked.
On our cars, the front castor and camber are linked. You can reduce castor for more static camber and increase castor for less static camber. Or just lower it to gain camber as well. Since you're depowered, you might consider lowering castor for more static camber, but I'd just see how it drives first and make corrections from there.
Edit/Add: and on the rear, the camber and toe are linked.
10-21-2011, 09:28 AM
#34
MFz Regular
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 248
FWIW: caster and camber in the front do affect each other because they both use the same bolts to be adjusted... I'm having the same issue, but im stuck with retarded amounts of camber.
EDIT: you beat me you bastard
EDIT: you beat me you bastard
10-21-2011, 10:16 AM
#35
BAMFr
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,787
so, if I run under 2 minutes at CMP this weekend, I am going to start telling you guys that less camber is better. and I am an idiot, I had 1.0* in the front and 1.5* in the rear. I am annoyed about my rear getting turned down to 1.3*, but you are right he added in rear toe in. (and some toe out on the front).
I think I am just blond forever now, Collin. what the ---- did you do to me yesterday? I am mixing up my front/rear camber all the time now.
So I have been reading about toe out, as I have never driven a car with toe out before...is my constant pulling to the right caused by toe out? I seem to recall that it causes the car to wander and thats why they don't run it on street cars.
I think I am just blond forever now, Collin. what the ---- did you do to me yesterday? I am mixing up my front/rear camber all the time now.
So I have been reading about toe out, as I have never driven a car with toe out before...is my constant pulling to the right caused by toe out? I seem to recall that it causes the car to wander and thats why they don't run it on street cars.
10-21-2011, 10:24 AM
#36
MFz Lurker
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 7
A car with toe out in the front will WANT to turn and it will follow crowns in the road a lot more willing. The car will feel twitchier, but it will corner better/faster.
My car wants to go left, more than it wants to go right, but it still drives straight and is not pulling - more like, following the road and eager to go left. Well, maybe it is pulling a little to the left lol
So let us know how it feels after this weekend and let us know how your tires wear.
They don't run front toe out on street cars because most people want a stable, easy to drive car with tires that last. Toe out contradicts all 3 of those.
My car wants to go left, more than it wants to go right, but it still drives straight and is not pulling - more like, following the road and eager to go left. Well, maybe it is pulling a little to the left lol
So let us know how it feels after this weekend and let us know how your tires wear.
They don't run front toe out on street cars because most people want a stable, easy to drive car with tires that last. Toe out contradicts all 3 of those.
10-21-2011, 10:31 AM
#37
BAMFr
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,787
so, i am not getting the right steering on slow roads. It seems to do fine below 40mph as far as going straight, but on the highway it ALWAYS pulls right. unless I **** it a good bit left. then sometimes it stays straight. I will see what he says. and yes I will give you guys impressions and post more videos. I am waiting until after this weekend to write my Track Logbook.
10-21-2011, 02:19 PM
#38
Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Tampa, FL; Lake Jackson (Atlanta), GA
Posts: 1,902
I'm depowered and the effort is pretty high. But I have no idea what my alignment is so it may have gobs of caster in it. And the seating position is low and really far back because my legs needed the room.
I have a 1" steering wheel spacer on order that will give my arms a wee bit more leverage, but I think is just needs a good alignment. I'll get that when I finalize my suspension spring arrangement. And I'm contemplating bringing the seat forward 3/4" or so as a compromise..
I have a 1" steering wheel spacer on order that will give my arms a wee bit more leverage, but I think is just needs a good alignment. I'll get that when I finalize my suspension spring arrangement. And I'm contemplating bringing the seat forward 3/4" or so as a compromise..
10-25-2011, 08:57 AM
#39
BAMFr
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 1,787
my alignment did great guys. I LOVED how it felt. I was running ~2:02s the weekend before and this weekend, minus the fact that traffic was so ------- heavy and I couldn't get a clean lap, I ran a 2:01 flat including breaking the rear end loose and messing up my exit out of turn 14. I have no doubt I would have ran a 2:00.8-.5 or less had I got out of 14 clean.
Can't really say if this is due to the suspension or not, but I can say that I ran faster even though I was slower through the kink than normal (I introduced a slight lift before turn in...). (I did not push my braking zones forward any this weekend like I had planned, so I think minus a bit more driver confidence I was running the same as the weekend before. Even the weather was +/- 5*)
Can't really say if this is due to the suspension or not, but I can say that I ran faster even though I was slower through the kink than normal (I introduced a slight lift before turn in...). (I did not push my braking zones forward any this weekend like I had planned, so I think minus a bit more driver confidence I was running the same as the weekend before. Even the weather was +/- 5*)
Last edited by Track; 10-25-2011 at 09:02 AM.
10-25-2011, 10:05 AM
#40
MFz Regular
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Charlotte
Posts: 248
Very nice. I'm just wondering why you are so far ahead of me... I pulled a 2:08 as my best. perhaps it has to do with 1.8 vs 1.6? my entry speeds through 10 were identical to yours, just a slower time... my other thought is my recurring too much camber issue..