At 02:59 PM 10/16/02 -0400, Burns, James B. wrote:
>I'm still confused about exactly what to adjust and which way to adjust it.
>If I adjust both of the lower control arm cam bolts to the fully outboard
>position, won't that give the most negative camber? Adjusting either one
>inward to change caster would reduce the negative camber, wouldn't it? I
>figured that I'd just max out camber and not worry about caster since camber
>is more important.
>
>I live in Columbia, Maryland, and I haven't found a shop that I trust to do
>a good custom alignment. Most of them will only align the car to the
>factory specs. That's why I prefer to do my own.
>
>Brad B.
==============================================
Brad,
You are correct. Unless you can get more that about -1.8 degrees,
you should adjust both eccentrics for maximum negative camber and take
whatever caster you get. Don't forget to reset you toe after the camber
adjustment.
As a practical matter, the amount of negative camber you can get
in a Miata without bending anything is mostly luck. I can get about -1.8
degrees on one side and -2.0 degrees on the other in my copper Miata.
By comparison, Ed Golla complained that he couldn't get any significant
negative camber in his Miata. In the off chance that he had missed
something, he came down to my place and I adjusted his exactly as I had
mine. I could only get about -0.1 degrees in his on one side and about
0.0 on the other. Like I said, it seems mostly luck.
BTW, I'm selling my copper Miata--it's a daily driver now. You will
not find a nicer '96 R anywhere.
Vince Bly
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