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miatatata168

22nd September 2006, 12:24

- where do you guys recommend in the fremont/newark/union city area?
- what am i looking to pay for an alignment?
- what is there to look for in a good alignment shop?
- is going to get an alignment as simple as asking a shop "i need an alignment" ? or are there some questions that can be asked?

thanks.

ucsbcheme

22nd September 2006, 12:56

http://www.e-motorsport.com/ ... Motorsport Techniques in Hayward. Jack will align your car based on your driving style and how you want the car to feel. He'll let you sit in the car for the alignment. Charges $80 no matter what the aligment. He works Mon-Sat starting at 10 or 11, I forget. He'll make quick work on an alignment if you make an appointment.

http://www.autoinnovations.com/ ... Auto Innovations in Milpitas. Never been there, but some folks here have. I assume they'll align your car based on how you drive and want the car to feel; you just have to let them know. They won't let you sit in the car, but they'll ballast it. They charge about the same as Motorsport Techniques.

SKYravefever

22nd September 2006, 14:41

Same question as OP. Of note, I'm not too concerned about a fancy alignment since I'm on stock suspension components. The only things I'm hoping to get out of an alignment are proper/true orientation, and them to retighten some bushings (?, Bob/POPSTOY can clarify for me here).

Hrogi

See Also

Does Costco Do Alignments

kissingurami

24th September 2006, 14:17

firestone has lifetime alignment if you are not too picky about it. i think right now it is around $150-160 ?

POPSTOY

24th September 2006, 18:14

It all depends on what your after. Factory spec's have too much tolerance, not precission enough, even with wornout shocks and bushings. Increasing camber does offer increased lateral traction, but at the cost of tire wear and straight line traction, both braking and acelleration. With an oem suspension, and oem ride height, you are going to be neg. camber challenged. To maintain neutral balance, you want about .5 more neg camber in back than front. Some toe-in in back (1/32 to 1/16 per side) is desirable for high speed stability. Front toe-in depends on the steering response you want, and how much castor is possible with your camber settings. Castor effects steering acuracy and forgiveness, the more the better, but it also increases steering effort, particularly on non-power steering equiped cars. Generally, the higher the castor, the less toe-in needed in front. Maximum tire wear would be 0 camber with no toe in, on both front and back, castor has little or no effect on tire wear, but to align your car with those spec's would produce a very stange handling duck. The next question is, what is aceptable tire wear, or how much tire wear you are willing to acept for handling. I would think, on a oem ride height, suspended car, a neg camber of 1.0 in front, with 1.5 neg camber in back is aceptable, rear toe-in mentioned above. With these spec's, if castor is 4.5 or more, then toe-in in front can be decreased to less than the 1/16 per side, depending on the steering responce you want, all the way to slight toe-out. Despite what some hack-job alignment places say, making both sides the same and getting the .5 front to back camber is possible and important. Also making sure all suspension, bushing bolts are tight, not just the alignment bolts. My alignment specs are more aggressive than these, but I'm willing to scrafice tire wear for increased handling. BOB

miatatata168

24th September 2006, 23:29

i have stock suspension, stock ride height, and looking to fix my alignment so that the following problem gets fixed:
- drift slightly to the right when letting go of the steering wheel
- steering wheel is slightly turn perpendicular at 1 o'clock while driving straight
- straighten out my steering wheel will make me drift to the left while driving
- one front tire points outward while the other one is straight while parked:
- front wheels look like this \ | or | / but never | |
- rear wheels look fine

isn't part of the alignment job to tighten alighment bolts as well as other bolts including the bushing bolts? do i have to tell them? is there additional fees for it?

never knew how involved alignment entails with toe-[in/out] (f+r), camber, caster, etc

it's my commuter, street driven, mild spirited runs but never autocross and all stock. what specs am i looking at with even tread wear for that?
f - camber (-1.0), caster 5.0 degrees, toe-in (1/32) per side
r - camber (-1.5), toe-in(1/32) per side

Savington

25th September 2006, 01:22

Kelly, does Jack at Motorsport Techniques do cornerweighting? I may look into him next spring/summer when my GC/KONI RACE setup comes in.

turbored

25th September 2006, 01:30

Jack does not cornerweight.

POPSTOY

25th September 2006, 03:52

168, Obviously your toe is not right, how did it get that way? Hit something or just a previous bad alignment? If nothing is bent, the numbers I gave will work great. It's difficult to find a good alignment shop for the Miata, and even if you do, tightening the rest of the a-arm bolts usually isn't part of an alignment. Corner weighting and suspension set up are better done by a race prepare shop, as the equipment needs to be lazer leveled and calibrated to get it right. I can highly recommend Kraus Racing, in Castro Valley. They're very familar with Miata's and can do any suspension work needed. BOB

ucsbcheme

25th September 2006, 16:16

Bob ... did Kraus do your cornerweighting? how much?

Andrew ... like turbored (didn't you buy Jack's car?) says Jack doesn't cornerweight. I'm not sure how much, but Custom Alignment (http://www.customalignment.com/) a couple of blocks from Costco/Best Buy/In'n'Out/etc in Mt.View does it.

miatatata168

25th September 2006, 17:24

all these issues was prior to me owning the car.

POPSTOY

25th September 2006, 17:45

ucs, $280, but that was for adjusting preload, ride height, alignment, and corner weighting, it took him 4 hours to do all of it, that included a test drive to check his handy work for neutral handling. The smile on his face, when he returned from the test, was replaced by a bigger smile on my face, that I still get, everytime I drive it. BOB

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