I second Leons comment on sway bar upgrades, best $200 I have ever spent on
my miata. I went the FM route.
Chris
92BB&T
"L Bader" > wrote in message
...
> 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"
>
> // Change TEJAS to TX to reply via eMail //
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