Alignment specs?

B

bulwnkl

:
'15 6, '06 5
Can anyone tell me the factory alignment specifications for the MZ5? Just looking at the car, it almost seems like the rears are running a noticeable amount of negatice camber. If that's not the case, the fronts must be running more than normal positive.

Also, what adjustment provisions are there stock? Is camber designed to be adjustable front and rear? Only front? Only rear? Is caster adjustable at either end? Thanks for any info here.
 
bulwnkl said:
Can anyone tell me the factory alignment specifications for the MZ5? Just looking at the car, it almost seems like the rears are running a noticeable amount of negatice camber. If that's not the case, the fronts must be running more than normal positive.

Also, what adjustment provisions are there stock? Is camber designed to be adjustable front and rear? Only front? Only rear? Is caster adjustable at either end? Thanks for any info here.
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I don't know the exact specs, but I do know the rear is suppose to have a bit of negative camber. It's to help with the handeling of the car. My Mazda3 came from the factory with a bit of negative camber as well.
 
Don't know the settings, but I do know that Mazda don't appear to know them either. I have gone through a set of tyres in less than a year 9500 miles. Even after the alignments were supposedly checked and made right 3000 miles later the new tyres are wearing on the inside edge at the rear.
 
Tyre wear

WidgenEds Dad said:
Don't know the settings, but I do know that Mazda don't appear to know them either. I have gone through a set of tyres in less than a year 9500 miles. Even after the alignments were supposedly checked and made right 3000 miles later the new tyres are wearing on the inside edge at the rear.
Click to expand...

Yes, my UK Mazda 5 2.0 Sport wrecked a set of tyres within 12,000 miles. I was fortunate that the dealer paid half the price for a set of four, but really a car that has been checked by the garage and is within spec should not be wearing tyres out like that. This would appear to be a common complaint, but since there are not that many of these on the roads in the UK, I do not know what can be done?
 
I'm having the same problem with my Sport. I've had to replace the tires that were on the rear completely because the inside has worn down so much. I talked to the service department and they said that since I have 18k on my car they won't touch it unless it a pre-maturely worn down suspension part. I'm furious about it. Mazda should really do something about this. There's no way they could expect us to keep driving their cars if we are going to have to buy a new set of tires each year. I'm going to contact Mazda about this. Something NEEDS to be done about it. Could this be our next recall?
 
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I am going to talk to my dealership about this (I wonder if this would fall under a lemon law)
 
I took mine back to the dealer yesterday, the chap dealing with me was not there> told them that my replacement tyres are wearing at an alarming rate!! I was advised to contact Mazda customer care, which I did. They listened patiently and logged it as a formal complaint and will be discussing it with the dealer.

I informed them that although there are not many cars out on the roads, it appears that most of them are eating tyres.
Hopefully Mazda will take a bit of notice and do something....
 
I have since had the rear tyres rotated on to the front in an attempt to even out the wear. Alas I have to report that the old front tyres which are now on the rear, are sadly stating to wear excessively on the inside edge.
the tyre was 4mm deep on the outer edge on both tyres. They are now a bit less than 3mm. this is in less than 1000 miles. At this rate I reckon I will need a new set of tyres in about two months time....
I hope that Mr Mazda has his cheque book ready becuase I certainly aint forking out for them......
Mazda UK kindly sent me a customer satisfaction survey letter this morning. I have never been so eager to fill one in..........
 
Yeah, I was gonna say... I was filling up today and I suddenly realized how much negative camber there is! Especially in the rear, but even in the front. When you look at it from the right angle, the top of the wheel disappears behind the fender.

Crazy.
 
I'm wondering if this is something that Mazda has implimented for all of the cars in their current lineup??? I've observed the same negative camber is present on every Mazda 3 and 6 I see...

On a side note, my 5 has the negative camber as well, but I have yet to see any tire wear at all...My sincere condolences to those who have had to purchase new tires already though...If it's one thing I hate it's having a car with allignment issues and having to buy tires all the time...Oh man have I had that problem in the past...
 
Negative camber isn't what is wearing the tires, unless there's HUGE amounts of it except in combination with another alignment problem. Meaning, even 2 full degrees of negative camber won't wear out front tires with ~0 toe unless you're driving them quite hard (i.e. autocrossing, which is what does the wearing, not the negative camber).
Wear on an inside (or outside) edge is caused by either the combination of improper toe along with the camber, or a suspension issue. Since I don't know the alignment settings or the design of the rear suspension (i.e. what's easily adjustable and what's not), I'm guessing there's a setting that's "not adjustable" and that's causing the problem. Those kinds of things are a function of the structure of the car, but are essentially always adjustable with shims or other means too complex for a dealership or basic alignment shop to deal with. They are available for adjustments after a crash, though, and can be implemented at any time by a shop with the knowledge and skill to do so.

I'd still really like to know what the stock alignment specs are. Anyone who's having the issue(s) care to ask the shop(s) the next time you're in? I'd appreciate camber, caster, and toe for both front and rear. Thanks, and good luck getting the problem solved!
 
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