TrochoidMagic

its an '07 with 3k miles on it. recently picked up RB spring set and paint'em black.
most will ask why?, read on...
my first free service will be in mid dec. and i will bring it into the dealer and complain about wheel slightly off center and have them check and adjust alignment. and this is something that pays well even for warranty hours.

my spring choice is simply based on getting a overall competitive suspension pkg at just a hair above $1k. and i have many choice available with the RB springs with 20% increase in spring rate and a 1/2 inch drop that may have you scratching you head wondering: is this car lowered?

when its installed, it'll be unnoticeable other than that its may have more coils than the stock at least in the front.

so how many here will think i will get away with a free alignment under warranty if i ask for it, and how many don't think i'll get ****?

SouthFL

Pay for your alignment at a shop that is accostumed to doing performance alignments. Why get RB springs and reset to OEM alignment specs?

DarkBrew

I don't know what to say. Over $1k on suspension and you want to pull a stunt to get a free alignment.... I don't know whether to admire you or call you a tool....

paulmasoner

iTrader: (1)

fail

magikone69

care to elaborate on this, when i get my suspension instaled, i agree with what u mean about spending time and money building up a great suspension package and then letting some shlub at firestone do an alignment based off a computer program...

id love to find a shop that could drive my car, see where it can be improved , tune my suspension parts accordingly and give me an alignment that compliments my suspension upgrades

oh and to the OP, please dont go through with that, only possible reason id agree to paint your springs was to look oem only because u didnt like the look of red springs or w/e, i did this on my old galant cause the springs were yellow.

SouthFL

6 pages of interesting reading

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-25/alignment-settings-street-track-use-43308/

TrochoidMagic

hmmm... i don't need to clarify that. i think some may be looking to far into the thread. and NOTHING is wrong with oem specs! so please save any personal preference for what they "think" works for this or that track. it seems very ricky racer to me. if anyone cares to back up why i may really need a "special" alignment, please proceed.

i never mentioned i already had a $1k suspension yet. but it will be an overall well-rounded pkg. for how i plan to fit the car with. and i thought about a bad-*** coilover kit (tanabe sustec-7) perfect for all around adjustability...but leaves you broke with no money to improve on other stuff. i try to steer away from high dollar coil-overs due to the fact that i like to save money on tires and its not like i'm really on the track everyday...

please try to flame me. i'd like to hear how many here would love to jump and say" hey i got tein coilovers and you need __ alignment, and so forth".

maybe i'm being a lil to harsh...so here's what i had in mind.
1)RB springs
2)RB sways
3)under body brace
4)??? strut bars
5) the obvious, weight reduction.

for those who read the book "how to make ur car handle" by fred puhn, may see/or agree with my approach on things. and would also know it doesn't take X amount of $$$ to equal X amount of performance.

but to reply directly to why oem specs???

because certain degree of ? setting may be good or bad and also purely personal preference. and not necessarily of any gain in performance for the street, so why bother???

Spinning Sushi

iTrader: (21)

I think you'll get away with it I think your car have to be under a certain amount of mileage in order for the stealerships to align them for free

TrochoidMagic

an alignment suggested by any suspension company is to simply default ur camber angles, toe, caster and all parameters back to normal. why drive around on more than necessary negative camber when you're mostly driving straight? the suspension has certain rising rate and degree it changes set in to it for bound/rebound stroke. so if you're already running 3 degree neg. camber just to gain another 2 on bound stroke...where's the performance gain in that?

man, is this a test? i may have not posted much on the suspension threads nor am i looking for enemies on this subject. but do we here all REALLY have an well understanding of suspension components and functions?!?!?!

is this a joke?
1/2 inch drop and custom alignment?
hmm... do i need 3 1/2 degree negative camber and 2 degree toe-in or something?

here's something to consider: i used to work at a dealership also. and if i still did, it wouldn't matter because its not a mazda dealership. my goal is simply to get to fool the technician into thinking its unaltered and dial in the parameters under warranty hours. thats what i mean by "free alignment"! not some special magical numbers that somehow saved ur *** on turn 3 of buttonwillow or laguna seca.
i still need to know where i'm at, but i just simply want to know if i can get away with it. the fun of dialing in to my preference is for later...

TrochoidMagic

^^thanks. that can be easier on the tires and the pocket. and even now...still stock, i think i mentoned the wheel leans right slightly from the road crown. its either from that, but it would be nice to have the weight compensated when more things are removed from my car. then aligned...that is ultimately the best solution.

TrochoidMagic

southfl: if u have a set number you liked to be permanent for STS class or w/e class ur in cscc, cool. i want to be clear that this is gonna be a better than good handling "street" car. so i don't need preset camber in front for the slolam course. nor do i really have extra tires sitting around for it...being the car is basically brand new.

magik: it seems ur question is really more genuine. whats ur set-up plan and what races are you intending the car for? dave lemon of mazdatrix s/c 8 is running on D-specs with RB springs and sways. that street set-up is still quite adequate, or even more. he took me for a ride with the supercharger 8 after 7stock X, and man that car handles...
at that point, and only at that point will running personal alignment settings for the track really matter. so please get an oem spec alignment. i highly recommend it. unless u fall in to the crowd that believes there's a set-up u need for the street.

so to answer shortly, if you haven't got a performance goal in mind yet, you most likely aren't racing yet. and even on my previous car i weekend autox'd on, i didn't even get too involved to alter alignment specs on just yet. i was still busy adjusting for over/under on the shocks trying to compensate for the overkill stiff coilover spring rates and heavy rear sway for an FF. so after u lower ur ride: get an alignment, get an alignment, get an alignment!

SouthFL

A modest performance oriented alignment really sharpens the car's potential.
Something like -1.2 front, -1.4 rear, zero toe all around isn't going to eat through tires like you think it would, and it would contribute to a better response, so, why not?
Besides, why run the factory alignment spec if you're altering the factory suspension?
$60-$90 for custom alignments at shops dedicated to doing them is what I've paid over the years.

TrochoidMagic

^^i see what ur sayin'. i agree. if i do PAY for the alignment, it'll be when EVERYTHING is in, therefore i can "feel" the suspension. and tho in suspension dynamics, zero toe would be what you like to achieve, but it isn't uncommon for 1 degree toe-in on the rears to be unfavorable. i wouldn't say that zero toe can be the factor for getting oversteer, its the toe-out that gives oversteer on turns. and we both know that the nature of vehicle dynamics as it sees speed.

looking at those #s, it seems to make sense. but i rather see the "green" zone and what #s they are personally and make a judgement on what i'd like to use and what is modest to me. i had +1 toe, and something like 1.0f/1.2r. not very far off from ur recommendation. hell, those numbers i had in mind may even be stock settings.

TrochoidMagic

south: i just installed only the front RB's earlier today, and it seems like as if it actually raised the car by 1/2 inch instead...i know springs have a wear-in period as i was shocked with this before...but i've yet to see an increase. is that normal?

think i may need to loosen suspension components and pre-load them and tighten them up with the load?

SouthFL

Yes. With springs loaded, loosen the control arm bolts, let the car settle, then retighten the control arm bolts. There's lots of threads on this, so try a search for the do-it-yourself instructions. Good luck!

SouthFL

As for the alignment info, have a read at this thread. Scroll down to post #4
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ory+alignement

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

I'm still waiting for somebody to publish a poll on what color TP they should wipe their butt with, sheesh ...

magikone69

so far i am stock, i have a RB front sway at home, i just bought a progress rear sway and a set of JIC 2's...other than that i didnt really want to do anything with the under body braces yet and ill go with an upgraded strut bar for the front sometime in the near future. As far as racing im very interested in doing some autox events, i havent been able to attend anything in a long time, now that i have a car with potential id like to give it a shot but my current tires are kinda worn, new lighter rims and better tires will prob be in a couple months...i figured ill practice on these shitty tires to wear em out and get some practice in an empty lot or somethin. i really dont want to autox for competition but more for fun and to maybe enhance my street driving skills, reaction, braking and all.

im surious to the custom allignment but i should have been more clear, i def dont want to do something drastic enough to start wearing out tires, but something that can compliment my setup and enhance my driving experience, if stock is good enough than id stick with stock but if something custom is available id be all for it.


southfl, im assuming you are in S.Fl , where do you go to get work done on your car, im going to do the sway bar installs myself but i think id rather have someone do the coilover instead. where do you usually autox, do people still go ut to moroso at that track they had.

SouthFL

I get my work done at TAV Racing (they're in Doral, in Miami). Gustavo is a former Indly Light race car driver who specializes in Impreza/Lancer/RX8 platforms. He's setting up his own alignment bay as we speak. Otherwise, I've been using the Alignment Factory or Miami Chassis for custom alignments.
Pettit Racing is in Broward- as another option.

I don't autocross- I run in noncompetitive open track days at local roadcourses (Sebring, Homestead, Moroso), so my street/track alignment setting calls for zero toe all around. Auto X guys would probably run a slightly different toe setting to get the car to rotate easier.