Have tried to get Alignment spec for my ND but cannot find one.
Discussions on this topic advise of “as found” and “as left” settings but I cannot read the tolerances that would let me calculate manufacturers settings to aim for. Can anyone help?
This page offers one set and is what I had aspired to on my ND 1.5 (also lowered at the same time). You need to validate this would suit what you are looking for.
Alternatively if your nearish to Sheffield give Roddisons a call.
https://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/alignment.php
ND
The ND has a very different suspension design, and combined with the electrically assisted steering, demands different numbers. These are the numbers we use on our cars, and they’ve shown no unusual wear and have pulled over 1.05g on the skidpad in magazine testing. We strongly recommend that every new ND get an alignment, as they’re not really aligned at the factory. These numbers will give better steering feel, more grip and better stability.
Front
Caster: 8.0 degrees (basically, as much as possible)
Camber: 1.8 degrees negative (again, as much as possible)
Toe-in: 1/16", 0.15° or 9 arcminutes total (1/32", 0.075° or 4.5 minutes per side)
Rear
Camber: 1.8 degrees negative (matching the front)
Toe-in: 1/16", 0.15° or 9 arcminutes total (1/32", 0.075° or 4.5 minutes per side)
Found these pages in the workshop shop manual that has been linked a few times:
This is the sheet I got from Blink in Winsford after having my 2.0 ND aligned - hope it is of some help.
Thanks you all.
Live in N Ireland so limited options.
My car (1.5 ND SEL) has 16" wheels so the spec from “Ian.prossor” is promising. I see that the this spec comes from the USA where cars are left hand drive, so I am suspect that this may make a difference.
Thank you for the printout from “Snelly”, but i believe that the 2.0 ND has 17" wheels and that will most likely make the spec different from my 16" wheel mx5.
I have yet to study at the figures given by “IanH” along with the other specs to see if there is any commonality.
It is my experience with my current and previous MX5 (NC & ND) that they come out of the factory set- up within spec tolerances, but nowhere near good set-ups.
I am particularly aggrieved that it is difficult to get alignment info for the ND especially when maintenance is needed to replace suspension parts.
It is unlikely that the wheel diameter is going to ‘upset’ the resultant ‘feel’. A degree is the same on what ever diameter wheel you have so all the information given will be perfectly adequate for set up guidance.
The real trick is being able to interpret what YOU PERSONALLY want your car to behave like and then translate that into a ‘set up’. This is the area that you get added value from with someone like Rodders. He really understands what each adjustment will have on the way the car reacts.
It is unlikely that a set up for maximum cornering grip will also give you rock solid straight line stability on the motorway or long tyre life.
Good point Mad Malc since the set up given by " Ian.prosser" for a 16" wheel has figures close to the 2.0 ND (17" wheel) for “Total Toe” and “Caster”. Camber is something that is still problematic for me. Just want to improve current set up issues :-
1) “toe out” on rear wheels . 2) +'ve camber on one front wheel with -'ve camber on the other front wheel). Need to study more to interpret want I think will be the way forward. Eventually I may need help from Rodders. Unfortunately I don’t know who Rodders is!
Rodders (@rodders on the forum I believe) runs Roddisons Motorsport and is one of the go to places for wheel alignment.
If I am correct (please correct me if I have the wrong rodders) he might be able to give you some more insight 
Thank you will contact Roddinsons Motorsport and hope I am not regarded as impertinent for asking for help and info
Rodders runs a business and his expertise has been built up over many years of practical experience so it is unreasonable to expect him to suggest specific settings without reward.
I am confident that he will be happy to discuss your requirements, be honest about his ability to deliver what you want and give you a guide price for his knowledge.
If you have measuring equipment available then the information that you have available in this thread will get you a long way from where you are now.
If the measurements you have given are correct then it looks like the car may have been involved in some kind of ‘altercation’ as they are so far away from any settings that would be done at the factory or any reasonably competent alignment specialist would provide.
Please let us know how you get on.
Had the car from new and no kind of “altercation” (eg accident or collision ), other than typical lousy road conditions and one Northern Ireland MOT test that uses machinery that seems to try to shake everything to bits to test the car to destruction!
Do appreciate your point though about the fact that Rodders is in business and may be reluctant to help.
Interesting. I have had my ND2 SE+ for two years now, only 6,000 miles from new, and although it corners and grips well, I have always felt it is not as stable in a straight line as I would like. The effect is subtle, but it feels like the toe in or the castor is not quite right.
I’m in Fife, can anyone recommend anyone in the vicinity that is worth using to have the set up checked?
With thanks in advance.
Try John @:-
Pro-Grip; 12 Central Park Avenue; Larbert; Falkirk; FK5 4R (Tel 01324557071)
Has a Hunter DSP600 I think.
I used them twice for my NC. Made a difference to handling & promoted even tyre wear.
When I bought my ND in 2016 I took it to Scotland (Live in N Ireland), but unfortunately Mazda had not provided him with figures for the ND so I missed out.
Funny enough I phoned them yesterday to see if he could, or would, help me with alignment figures for my ND. Didn’t get speaking to John but waiting for a call back. Suppose there is no reason why he should but I live in hope.
OP
From the message you sent me
Toe out on the rear (mazda always from factory have around 4mm toe in)
Front camber
Negative on one side and positive on the other…
Something is SERIOUSLY amiss!
Without seeing the car it’s almost impossible for me to advise as any spec I gave would possibly be unobtainable with the amount of adjustment available.
Regards
Paul
From what I have read here I the factory setting for rear “Total Toe In” is around 17 arc minutes that is around 0.28 degree, but a don’t know how to equate that to 4mm.
Also from what I read here the settings for the Front wheels Camber has been set up in some cars at - 1degree 50minutes (-1.50’) and another at - 1degree and 5minutes (-1.05’). Maybe these cars have Bilson suspensions and been lowered? The factory setting for front camber on the data provided by “Ian.prosser” (USA Spec) states - 18 arc minutes (-0.18’) for the height of my car.
It is the Front camber setting that puzzles me.
I should post out that although I have a negative camber one side and a positive the other there is only 34 arc minutes (0.34’) difference between the wheels, well within the 1 degree tolerance. There is only 29 arc minutes away from the -18 arc minutes factory setting on one wheel and 5 arc minutes on the other wheel. Again within 1degree tolerance. I can see no damage, the car handles perfectly well and the the wear on all 4 tyres are even across their width with slightly more wear to the driven rear tyres
See if this helps:
I could be that whoever did the measurements could perhaps of miss read the equipment. The numbers are not stacking up for a car that handles ‘well’.
Thanks.
If I read the table right then 4mm is 0.34’ (0.57 degree). Seems a lot for total toe, BUT I am definitely no expert. In fact I have very little knowledge and no experience here.
The person checking the alignment comes recommended, is experienced in this field and indeed competes in his own racing car.
I have come late to driving a sports car, am not a racer but enjoy the hood down experience so maybe I only think the car is driving well and it could be a lot better.
Certainly there is no damage to the car suspension and the tyre wear is even.
Tyres were fitted new 12 months ago and have done 4500 miles over the 12 months.
Tread wear on left and right side front tyres is the same across full width of each tyre (7mm at new; currently 6.4mm)
Tread wear on left and right side rear tyres is the same across full width of each tyre (7mm at new; currently 5.8mm)
I am somewhat concerned that I have toe out on the rear wheels (-0.03’ left side and -0.03’ right side).
I am not happy that front wheel has left wheel positive camber (0.11’) and right wheel negative camber (-0.23’). That is the reason I am trying to get a set of Mazda’s recommended alignment figures so that I can appreciate and understand any changes to the set up.
There’s a lot over "overcomplicating " going on in this thread!
I co-own an NC that is totally track focussed and with a geo geared to both that and the fact that my fellow co-owner is a semi-pro driver - with laptimes to back it up.
If someone would like the track settings feel free to pm me, but for a road car (NC or ND) you couldn’t go wrong with -2 degs front and -1.5 rear camber (ie negative values), max front castor that can be achieved (probably around 8 degs), parallel front toe and 2mm total in at the rear.
If you like the front end a bit on the “pointy” side you might like to try a mm or two of toe out (total), and if you fancy yourself as rally driver then parallel rear toe might be more “interesting”.
Always insist on values across each axle that are either identical or very nearly the same. Don’t be fobbed off.
The settings for the track are different to these, partly because we have adjustable front top mounts, partly because we sometimes we run slicks, but also because the driver likes a lively rear end, but they aren’t massively different.
It’s a separate subject altogether, but it’s also important to match your tyre pressures with your chosen geo settings.
Overcomplicating maybe, buts lots of data here.
As Mad Malc has said the information that is available in this thread will get me a long way from where I am now.
My thoughts from all this are:-
Even settings both sides for Camber Caster and toe.
Rear and Front Wheel Total toe and Front Wheel Caster mostly comply with the Set ups provided by Ian.prosser
Camber front and Rear settings are less clear.
Negative Camber settings 1.5 - 2.0 seem to be widely applied, but for my car height the spec from Ian.prosser states Negative Camber -17 arc minutes at the front and -1 degree and 9 arc minutes at the rear. Put simply the difference is my dilemma.
I was simply looking for Mazda’s recommended factory suspension set up for the ND.
So far I have been unable to get Mazda or my local dealerships to supply the information.
Join the club and I’ll make the Mazda specs available in the Downloads area.
