Josh -
Not sure if you want to run down to San Antonio to get the work done,
but if so, call Steve at Village Parkway Auto at (210) 509-4000. --
He all but demanded I sit in the car while it was aligned.
If you want to stay in Austin, contact Jonny Long at (512) 670-5352.
-- His shop is probably the best for Miatae in Austin.
Good luck...
- L
On Fri, 22 Apr 2005 09:05:41 -0500, josh > wrote:
>Thanks you guys (Lanny, Leon in particular) for suggestions a couple of
>months ago about my irregular tire wear and alignment.
>
>Here's a follow-up.
>
>Last tires were Falken Ziex ZE512 185/60-14's and I had characterized these
>tires as "Godawful". Rear tires were worn evenly, but heavily (about 12K
>miles on the tires, past the wear indicators), rear left worn much more than
>the right, front tires worn severely on the outside edges and front right
>tire worn on the inside edge as well, but nearly zero wear in the center. I
>didn't rotate the tires ever mostly because I wanted them to wear out quick
>so I would have an excuse for some new ones.
>
>Handling was good in terms of grip but easily understeered mostly in right
>turns and had snap oversteer either on throttle or lift throttle. In a
>steady corner it would grip fine and drift controllably as long as you
>didn't get iffy with the gas pedal. Turn in was terrible and it felt like
>marshmallow tires.
>
>Turns out it probably wasn't the tires' fault completely.
>
>New tires put on yesterday, Toyo Proxes T1-S 195/55-14, adjusted to 32psi.
>
>When I left the tire shop, the car felt awful. Very mushy rear end and the
>turn in was WORSE than with the Falken tires. I was about to get really
>really mad. $400 worth of tires, NO IMPROVEMENT over the crap tires in turn
>in or response!!! Cornering grip is awesome though. But it was slow to
>react. Like you'd turn in and it would initially understeer and you'd feel
>the rear end wallow around and settle, then once into the corner it would
>begin to tighten up and grip like mad. Basically initial understeer and
>turning to grip inside the corner, eventually oversteering slightly if you
>didn't correct. Does that make sense? But I did do a 90-degree turn onto a
>cross street at 40+mph without a squawk.
>
>OK, so this morning I went for the alignment. Anyone want to make bets on
>what the original specs were?
>
> Left Right
>Front Camber -0.7 -1.2
> Caster 5.0 4.8
> Toe 0.14 OUT 0.14 OUT
>
>Rear Camber -0.9 -1.8
> Toe 0.1 IN 0.05 IN
>
>Ha... they said "it's in spec", where spec = all of my specs +/- one whole
>degree, and then began to lower the car from the machine. I pitched a fit,
>insisted that I had arranged for a custom-spec alignment and I wasn't
>leaving until I had one and they sent out a different tech who did it right:
>
> Left Right
>Front Camber -0.6 -1.2 MAXED NEG. BOTH SIDES
> Caster 5.0 4.8
> Toe 0.07 IN 0.05 IN
>
>Rear Camber -1.7 -1.7
> Toe 0.06 IN 0.07 IN
>
>This was with ballast in the driver's seat.
>
>OK, so now... ahh this is much better!! No real report yet on fast
>cornering but I can tell you the turn in is worlds better and it doesn't
>have that pillowy feel in the rear end any more. Seems to steer easier and
>bite much quicker in low speed turns. I think the kicker was toe in on the
>front!!
>
>So I'm a happy Miata owner again. Any comments on my final alignment specs?
>
>Thanks again for the advice.
>
>Oh, and FWIW Lanny, I took your alignment specs with me and boy did they
>argue with me about it. The tech (of course) claimed to be an expert on
>Miata alignments and blah blah race car blah blah autocross blah blah you're
>not going to like the way this car drives, you're going to eat tires, you
>don't know what you're doing, I'll do it your way but it's your funeral kind
>of thing. I was steadfast and reminded them I was the customer and they
>finally did it right, but not without plenty of commentary. Anyone know of
>a shop in Austin who will just do it right without all the fuss?
>
>See ya-
'97 STO, "Chouki"
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