MX5 slow self centering / Geo setup question

Thread in 'Drifting Chat / Pictures / Videos' started by jon07043278, Sep 13, 2014.

  1. jon07043278

    jon07043278 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2010
    Posts:
    1,884
    Likes Received:
    43
    Hi all,

    Basically the steering is very slow to self center and i have to manually wind off lock. The power steering system is fine, so it will just be a geo setup issue. The car is on stock suspension atm and has stock arms.

    Anybody had this issue and cured it with all round alignment? What specs do you run?



    Thanks,
     
  2. mint

    mint touch my fruit

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2007
    Posts:
    7,793
    Likes Received:
    31
    Hmm..

    I dont think its your alignment. How long have you been drifting it? What size wheels / tyres you running up front? My advice would be to fit some coilovers to it.

    my alignment has ALWAYS been as follows on all my MX5s.

    0 toe all round. As much negative camber as the stock arms allow for, which is -3.5' roughly.

    Get rid of that power steering though. That and coils will be your first step to fixing it.
     
  3. jon07043278

    jon07043278 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2010
    Posts:
    1,884
    Likes Received:
    43
    Been drifting about two years now.

    The car is just a missile i'm building for the Matsuri, since my soarer won't be anywhere near finished. I may well be buying coilovers for it but it is just getting scrapped straight after the drift day. De-powering the rack could be a cheap idea. Bit of pain though.

    It's running 195 55 15's all round atm. Achilles radials up front.

    As much negative camber as possible on the fronts or all round :)?
     
  4. Stavros

    Stavros Active Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2005
    Posts:
    26,133
    Likes Received:
    9
    It's got fuck all to do with power steering and coilovers and camber and whatever unless something is actually broke.

    Castor gives self centering, yours clearly has none. Adjust it so it does, and it will do it. One of mine came with some fucked up geo so prett much didn't self centre, so adjusted it, and it did.

    The rest had enough, so I left em alone. Including 2 of them on bog stock suspension (which will still do 3rd in dry, it's soft, but not bad).
     
  5. jon07043278

    jon07043278 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2010
    Posts:
    1,884
    Likes Received:
    43
    Basically that is what i wanted to hear and put in the usual lovely Stavros way ;)
     
  6. jon07043278

    jon07043278 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2010
    Posts:
    1,884
    Likes Received:
    43
    Also i just realised i have been drifting for about 4 years. Time flies :/
     
  7. mint

    mint touch my fruit

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2007
    Posts:
    7,793
    Likes Received:
    31
    Nah de powering the rack is actually a 10 minute job. Yeah all round. Im not a believer of this 'close to zero camber on the rear' shit. I also dont involve myself with mathes and boring shit like alignment settings. Straight n true.
     
  8. Stavros

    Stavros Active Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2005
    Posts:
    26,133
    Likes Received:
    9
    Considering not a single production car in the world comes with zero castor, straight and true is not what you want and self centering...
     
  9. GETitSIDEways

    GETitSIDEways Mutha Funka

    Joined:
    Feb 9, 2008
    Posts:
    1,422
    Likes Received:
    4
    <<<<<more castor>>>>>

    Geometry is the key to a good drift set up, power is secondary.
     
  10. Liam.

    Liam. Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2009
    Posts:
    1,297
    Likes Received:
    0
    Maybe it's just me but personally I quite like chucking a low powered car about with hardly any castor . It feels way more fun having to ease the lock off .
     
  11. Bolf

    Bolf Resident Nut Job.

    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2005
    Posts:
    7,682
    Likes Received:
    30
    Try a decent transition at speed with no castor!
     
  12. jon07043278

    jon07043278 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 5, 2010
    Posts:
    1,884
    Likes Received:
    43
    ^ That's what i was thinking lol
     

Share This Page