Alignment with camber bolts - Results

[skullsroad]

Just in case anyone was interested. This is what I got when I asked the tech at the shop to max out the camber and zero the toe.

The car is stock with the exception of camber bolts.

Some notes:
1. What the hell is up with the variance from side to side? Caster differs by almost a degree. Rear camber by a whole degree.
2. I am glad I can get close to 4 degrees of caster. I couldn't get that with my previous car.
3. Went with zero toe to preserve tires.

 

[eyeballs]

Encouraging! Derrick said they were only able to get around 2 degrees, and thats lowered on h&r springs. I am hoping when I install the h&r bolts I can get 2 degrees. Which bolts did you use?

Its unfortunate that the left and right settings are so far off from the factory. On the upside alignments are quick and cheap sine there are so few adjustments that can be made. My last alignment was only $30!

 

[Jond63]

That's pretty strange -- my guy got everything L+R within .05 difference on camber, caster, and toe F&R. I also ended up with 4.15 caster...

 

[CorkSport]

The rear camber is off by a bit as well and that is not something that is supposed to be adjustable too.

Interesting.

 

[skullsroad]

What's wrong with my car?!? Haha, I'm not too worried. This was only temporary and for my own amusement.

To be honest I never used this shop before. My usual alignment guy was swamped until next week. This shop was recommended to me by a good friend who is the 2011 and 2012 SCCA solo SP/SM street tire - T2 champion.

My guess is the shop guy didn't take me very seriously so he didn't care about matching left to right.

 

[eyeballs]

Well it looks like he did a good job with your front camber and toe...everything else is non-adjustable unless you modify the car.

 

[zps2004]

I tend to remember the rear of my car was off by almost a degree when I did the alignment on it. I don't remember the specifics though.

 

[skullsroad]

Well that's comforting.

 

[CorkSport]

Now that you guys mention it I think the local alignment shops thought the rear end of our Mazda 2 was bent because it was off by quite a bit compared to the other side.

-Derrick

 

[Jond63]

My alignment guy said he loosened everything up on the rear and shifted the whole assembly -- but now I am wondering if he was pulling my leg. Numbers on the printout corroborate what he says and so does how it drives, but everyone else says there are absolutely no adjustments to be made. Maybe he just shifted the sensors...

 

[skullsroad]

He shifted your wallet.

Just kidding....maybe....

 

[xyrth]

My alignment guy said he loosened everything up on the rear and shifted the whole assembly -- but now I am wondering if he was pulling my leg. Numbers on the printout corroborate what he says and so does how it drives, but everyone else says there are absolutely no adjustments to be made. Maybe he just shifted the sensors...

you got taken. the rear bushings might have flexed around a bit, but there is no adjustment. Unless you're really, really good with a hammer.

 

[kcdirtbro54]

Here's how my alignment looked after I put Eibach springs on my 2.

I set my toe right in the middle of spec since 0 isn't in the middle of them. Hopefully the guy changed your camber adjustments back for you before he took the car off the lift.

 

[skullsroad]

Who me? I'm driving it like this.

 

[Jond63]

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I felt like he was pulling my leg too, but the printout looks legit... and it is a pretty reputable shop in my area. How did he get those numbers to change then? Just fudge them on the machine? I guess when I swap in the CS struts I'll make sure to only get the front aligned, haha.

 

[kcdirtbro54]

Hey Jond63, How long did it take him to do the alignment?

 

[Jond63]

He spent about an hour.

 

[zps2004]

The bushings in the rear shouldn't effect the alignment. They could effect how the torsion beam sits with respect to the chassis, but not how the tires are related to the ground. Has anyone tried to use spacers on the rear yet? I haven't taken the drum off yet to see what the inside looks like.

It takes me an hour to do my alignment, and that is without a laser alignment machine.

 

[zps2004]

So as some of you might know I help out with Sonic stuff and we recently came across these.

http://www.spcperformance.com/compo...=Sonic&year=2012+-+2013&from=USAFrom&to=USATo

They are really cheap. I am going to send them an email to see if they can make the same thing for the 2 or be able to source some. I changed my alignment again and it was off about half a degree from one side to the other on the rear. I just made the front about half a degree more on each side just so the balance from left to right is about the same.

 

[xyrth]

I wonder how much alignment is in the play of the rear bushings. Has anybody filled those a la Ford's autocross suspension instructions?

So as some of you might know I help out with Sonic stuff and we recently came across these.

http://www.spcperformance.com/compo...=Sonic&year=2012+-+2013&from=USAFrom&to=USATo

They are really cheap. I am going to send them an email to see if they can make the same thing for the 2 or be able to source some. I changed my alignment again and it was off about half a degree from one side to the other on the rear. I just made the front about half a degree more on each side just so the balance from left to right is about the same.

Incredibly interesting. Now the question is - what do our cars want?