My friend has a miata and is always talking trash about my 84 Z28 and how it can't handle. So I challenged him to a series of three races, a drag (I should wipe the floor on that one), an auto-x (I already have a setup figured out for that and I will hopefully do ok), and the skid pad. For skid pad we will use a tight freeway interchange where I can normally hit about 50. This is a nice steady state corner so I should be able to do ok but if I'm gonna win I need to make my set up right (the other guy never works on his car, so I have him there). Since we are only turning right I am planning on doing an a symmetrical set up. I want to do a little more toe in on the outside tire, more negative camber on the outside tire, lower my tire pressure to 28PSI, and possibly even go all NASCAR and lessen the camber on the inside. Only thing I am concerned about is how do I adjust the camber on a Mc-strut suspension?

Edit: my alignment needs to be done anyway so I don't mind messing with it before I go in to get it done right.

 

What wheels and tires do you have?

 

I have stock 15" wheels with 235 60 r15 futura gls super sports that came with the car. I don't mind them for normal driving but when pushed they do kind of suck. I don't have the money to just go buy new tires because I want 'em.

 

You're going to use a freeway interchange as a skid pad and that's the only thing you're worried about? Without spending a dime try your races then swap cars and try them again. The difference will tell you everything you need to know about the cars and your driving skills. Maybe nothing about common sense though.

 

235-60-15's Futuras.....yikes. what the hell is a futura. Depending on the condition/modifications/tires etc of the miata...it sounds like you might have your work cut out for you

 

So my friend and I have tried this separately on his stock miata and he was only a couple miles per hour faster. So we are actually pretty close.

The futuras are cheap tires from pep boys. They are pretty new but are a hard tire, they are not too good, but its not like they are unsafe and about to blow.

I know my car well and I know its and my limits, I'm not going to be that moron that plows into a corner at 100mph, and under steers off the road.

I looked up how to change the camber and it seems pretty straight forward, I'm used to the shims on an a-arm suspension.

I'm not asking for moral judgement, I'm just asking for advise on how to set up a car for steady state cornering in one direction.

 

Only because a friend of mine was one of the top autocross racers in New England (driving a turbo etc. Miata) who was actually later contacted by Mazda and accepted an endorsement, do I say that you can't always underestimate a car. And especially, the driver.

Note the time difference of his best time of the day with the best time of the driver of the Corvette class. http://fredroy.blogspot.com/2006/02/...devens-ma.html

 

You won't be able to beat a Miata with 235-60-15 tires on any sort of skidpad test, unless the miata crashes or gets a flat.

Seriously, you need to get a wider, more aggressive summer tire in 16" or 17" size to beat the car.

 

Good god not futuras.. Please get rid of those POS tires immediately.. I had those for like 4 years (they came with the car when I bought it) and not knowing what a POS tire they were in every circumstance (street, comfort, dry, wet, racing, drag, etc.) They were only good in drifting because they always lost grip lmao.

Get the best tires you can buy since skidpad is mostly road holding

 

I understand futuras suck but I can't afford new tires. So I am just going to tweek my alignment to get the best out of what I've got. I was only 1-2 MPH slower than the Miata last time we tried this. I am a much better driver than my friend and it definitely comes into play here.

 

To change alignment on our cars you move the strut mounts (on top of the strut). For camber you can move it in towards the engine for more negative camber and the opposite for positive camber. For caster you move the plate towards the back of the car for more positive caster and towards the front of the car for more negative caster (in general more positive caster is better).

For toe you adjust the adjuster on the outer tie rod.

If he beats you then it's most probably because of the tires. On our cars atleast a 245 width tire works better for handling. You have a chance although Miatas are low and lightweight. Good luck!