Alignement problem with my MP3!

[jf.houde]

HI, I own a Mazda Protege MP3 and it is always going to the left when i do not touch the steering wheel ... the wheels are the original racing hart and they are straight ... the tire are new and the alignement is top notch acording to the graphic the garage gave me ....

but at the top of this sheet it says that the alignement as been made on a Mazda Protege 2001 16 inch alloy

would that make a problem ? are the alignement spec exactly the same ?

thank you

 

[04spoondc5]

no, you have 17" wheels. you need to emphasize the "mp3" most shops or common ppl dont know what the mp3 is they think its a regular protege

 

[jf.houde]

he told me that he do not have these spec ... should he use the mazda protege speed ?

 

[04spoondc5]

what alignment rack do they have. we have a hunter alignment rack and it has specs for mp3.

 

[jf.houde]

it looked like this one but i do not have the model ...

can someone confirm me that the msp and mp3 have the same specs=?

 

[jf.houde]

just found this


I am performing an alignment on my MP3. Are there any special settings?
Mazda never published the MP3's alignment specifications and therefore the only way
for such information is from the alignment machine themselves, which is known to never
be 100% acurate. However, according to the MazdaSpeed Familia (Japanese version
of the MP3) service manual, there are some minor differences in the settings.
The special settings are:
Front and rear toe-in: 2.02.0mm, 0.080.08", 012'012
Caster angle (front): 201'45
Kingpin angle (front): 1259'
Camber angle (front): -058'45
Camber angle (rear): -048'45
Maximum steering angle, inner (reference value): 372
Maximum steering angle, outer (reference value): 332
Tire pressures must be at 32 psi/220kPa (cold) on all 4 tires as well as a full fuel tank when
performing the alignment. Vehicle must be unladen (no cargo or passengers) to perform
proper alignment.



what do you think ?

 

[jf.houde]

what alignment rack do they have. we have a hunter alignment rack and it has specs for mp3.

can you shoot me those spec please ?

 

[04spoondc5]

there you go. the rack doesnt use those same readings though, when you get your alingment sheet back those numbers wont correspond with that excerpt you found.

 

[jf.houde]

ok but am i better with the mazdaspeed numbers or the mazdaspeed familia numbers ?

is the mp3 and msp having the same exact wheel / suspension setup ?

or did the mp3 and the msp familia had the same setup ?

 

[04spoondc5]

good question, id go with mazdaspeed numbers over mazdaspeed familia numbers. the thing about alignments is when the tech enters the vehicle into the computer the screen only displays a range in a measurement of hundred thousandths to a degree, the tech then adjusts tie rids, etc, until it turns green on the computer then that component is in spec. what im saying is the actual tech is never looking at those measurements you posted, so good luck getting it aligned with those numbers.

 

[jf.houde]

ok i understand ... and its true he would probably dont understand all those number and would probably be easier for him if i tell him to align it as a Mazdaspeed 2003 wich is probably in its system

 

[jf.houde]

ok i went back to the garage today, left the car, he called me saying he used the mazdaspeed settings but the stering wheel is not straight ... i was oh **** ... when i get there i see the the report and it says ... MAZDA 6 2003 ... WTF ... I told him a 2003 Mazdaspeed, he said, well the only speedthing i had in my system was a mazda 6 so i took the same year you told be and the model without speed ...

i have an appointement with a shop on the north shore that are doing racing cars ... twice the price but i hope i will have what i want

 

[justanothermp5]

why dont you just take it to a different shop, that uses a hunter alignment rack.
Thats the most common one out there, and one of the best.

 

[jf.houde]

im going to another shop ... they are well reputed for lowered car and track car ... so we will see

 

[M3Silverfox]

Try telling him it has the MPS2 suspension. It sometimes pops up as an option. The MPS2 suspension was the class type they put on the MP3 and MSP

 

[jf.houde]

never heard that thank you

 

[tweety2300]

I thought the only difference between the msp and the mp3 were turbo and brakes? It uses the same struts springs and rims doesn't it?

 

[jf.houde]

I thought the only difference between the msp and the mp3 were turbo and brakes? It uses the same struts springs and rims doesn't it?

No, the strut and spring are differents, same brand but different model, for the wheels, they are the same size but different model



I am back from the shop, He found the two problem I had, first I was aligned like a mazda protege with 16Inch wheel and secundo de top plate bearing is seized, so the spring is not rotating with the strut when i turn the steering wheel wich cause a restriction and make me go to the left when i do not touch the steering.

the alignement rack was a Hunter Hawk Eye 11th generation with digital camera 3D

he also ask me how i was driving, and he adjust the specs for my driving.

it is a different car now ... very happy

thank you all for yor help

 

[04spoondc5]

no problem, glad they got you fixed up