25 replies to this topic

[Sphinx]

Just a thought: I'm big on second opinions. Have you considered taking your car to a pro for a laser alignment to verify your readings? I use a local tire shop that measures to the 100th degree. 4 wheels - $80.

I have and will, but needed to go quick and dirty for the track day.

But I did think about going to Firestone and buying one of those lifetime alignment deals. Anyone know if they'll honor them on a race car?

BTW, I did end up finding another 1/8 degree when I loosened the nuts from he shock tower and moved it in-bound, maybe 1/2 to 1mm.

[Jim Boemler]

BTW, I did end up finding another 1/8 degree when I loosened the nuts from he shock tower and moved it in-bound, maybe 1/2 to 1mm.

You must have one of the Miatas with McPherson struts.

[Sphinx]

You must have one of the Miatas with McPherson struts.

That's the M-Edition! That's embarassing. Be gentle.

[Jim Boemler]

OH! I always wondered what the 'M' stood for!

[Tom Hampton]

Bias is easy to eliminate. Turns the car around and remeasure. If the floor isn't level the measurements will reverse sides of corners.

[Keith Novak]

Firestone will unless you go in every weekend. At least the one I went to and talked to the mgr first. He told me as long as you're not coming in 4x a week it's cool.

We came up with a little trick one day after I had a little off into a tire wall and had to realign the car in a not so level paddock. We couldn't be sure how level the car was, so we opted to level Earth instead.

We set the front end on blocks, set a long straight bit bit between the blocks (it was a 6' level but it was just something long and dead straight) and set a digital level on that. We zero'd it to however non-level the car was setup. With the level zero'd to a non-level ground we could measure the camber angle at the wheels with a toe stick while taking into account that where the car was sitting wasn't necessarily level.

I've had a couple cases in my garage where first using blocks of wood and floor tile shims and then using setup pads that everything was just wonky and didn't make sense. I reset everything dead flat, reset my scales, and suddenly things seemed to work much more as they should.