grifferjr

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Zrated
[B]Unfortunately I don't have any of my alignment specs, I never got them from the dealer.



my piece of advice is try and go back to the dealer and get the specs. If that is not possible in my opinion it is worth the 50-60 bucks out of pocket to have the alignement checked just to have the specs with you.

i plan on keeping the latest copy of the specs in my glovebox. i also worked out with the firestone/hunter guy an alignment package that will allow me to get my car aligned every 6 months without having to spend anymore money.

slaponte

iTrader: (2)

Well, here are mine. Some history again :

- Bought the car on Jan 2003.
- A couple of weeks later took it in for alignment check. They found it out of alignment (per the specs in place at the time) and adjusted, so the car was delivered un-aligned but I got it corrected within 500 miles.
- In Oct 2003, first front tires are dead. So feathered that flipping them over does not help the issue.
- By this point I had installed Eibach springs (1"drop about) and rear camber arms, front is OEM.
- Millage 8.5K

(NOTE: This are OCT 2003 specs listed here, not the most recent )

Front left
Camber: was -1.6, now -1.5, min -1.3, max 0.2
Caster : was 8.7, now 8.7, min 7.4 max 8.9
Toe : was 0.02, now 0.04, min 0.00 max 0.08

Front right
Camber: was -1.4, now -1.5
Caster: was 8.5, now 8.5
Toe: was 0.00, now 0.07

As you can see, due to the drop, camber up frant is out a little bit too far and it is not adjustable. Toe went up on both side but is within the specs at the time.

Front cross camber was -0.1 now 0.0 range -0.8 to 0.8
Front cross caster was 0.2 now 0.2 range -0.8 to 0.8
Total Toe was 0.02 now 0.11 range 0.00 to 0.16

Notice total Toe went UP, which now we know is supposed to be bad, but at the time was within spec.

Rear left
Camber: was -0.4 now -1.5 range -2.1 to -1.1
Toe: was 1.65 now 0.10 range 0.04 to 0.11

Rear right
Camber : was 0.0 now -1.4
Toe : was 2.08 now 0.11

Rear cross camber was -0.3 now -0.1
Rear Total Toe was 3.74 now 0.21

The rears were way out (due to the Eibach install) but brought back well within range with camber arms.

This is october 2003. After this alignment I felt the car more loose, seems to "wiggle sideways" after a bump. More loose on the hwy at speed 80MPH+.

In Feb 2004 I noticed the rear of the car behaving strangely on the rain. Upon inspection, the rear tires are totally bald. Slicks I tell you. Millage : 12.5K. I had a new set of rears and had them put on. The guy at the shop stated the alignment was "dead on" since they had worn totally evenly accorss the thread.

Now, at 20.5K, feathering is back with a vengance. The fronts (i can tell by the noise level) are toast. I want to go back and replace them and set the Toe as close to 0 as possible, or just 0. Camber I think I will stay with a little bit, like -1.0 if I can. I am also about to purchase the front control arms to adjust camber on the front.

BTW, all tires and alignments paid by me. All front tires have been the OEMs, the rears are now Pilots.

bwilliams

DO YOU HAVE NO TIRE WEAR PROBLEMS AFTER 5k MILES?

If so, we need your alignment data. To have a statistically meaningful analysis of alignment variations, I'll need to compare "good" cars to "bad" cars.
This information could help all owners to increase resale value, and help "bad" car drivers to enjoy the full Z experience.

If you know of "good" cars, direct the owners to this thread...PLEASE!

grifferjr

VERY GOOD POINT!!!!

We could have all the alignment data in the world but it aint gonna to squat if they are from cars that ride like offroad 4 wheelers.

Zrated

I will talk to my dealer about getting a copy all my alignment specs. I will double check the mileage at each service too.

Zrated

First Noticed Feathering ~4400
1st Fix @ ~ 5400
Second Notice of Feathering (Latest TSB)~ 1100 maybe sooner
2nd Fix @ ~12000

Currently 20000 with no sign of feathering returning
so it has been ~8000.

I still don't have dealer alignment #'s.

bwilliams

Date 10/13/04
2003 Performance
Mileage: 40k
(new style RE040 installed at 36.5k)

Left
______ After Before
Camber -0.8 -0.8
Caster 8.6 8.6
Toe 0.05 0.16 (degrees)

Right
______After Before
Camber -0.9 -0.9
Caster 9.2 9.2
Toe 0.05 0.17 (degrees)

L-Rear
______After Before
Camber -1.6 -2.0
Toe 0.1 0.01 (degrees)

R-Rear
______After Before
Camber -1.6 -1.7
Toe 0.1 0.21 (degrees)

Alignment machine: Hunter series 811 w/DSP600
Before: Good handling, since tires replaced at 36.5k. Started seeing mild (.007" deep) cupping but no noise yet.
After: Seems a little smoother. Mileage increased by 1 mpg.

Current alignment at independent shop. Previous alignment at dealership.
The noise from cupping becomes noticable at about 5k on past sets of tires. The "feathering" has started on current set...I expect the noise to start very soon. I have a "bad" car.

Let's hear from "good" cars!

bwilliams

Date 10/13/04
2003 Performance
Mileage: 40k
(new style RE040 installed at 36.5k)

Left
______ After Before
Camber -0.8 -0.8
Caster 8.6 8.6
Toe 0.05 0.16 (degrees)

Right
______After Before
Camber -0.9 -0.9
Caster 9.2 9.2
Toe 0.05 0.17 (degrees)

L-Rear
______After Before
Camber -1.6 -2.0
Toe 0.1 0.01 (degrees)

R-Rear
______After Before
Camber -1.6 -1.7
Toe 0.1 0.21 (degrees)

Alignment machine: Hunter series 811 w/DSP600
Before: Good handling, since tires replaced at 36.5k. Started seeing mild (.007" deep) cupping but no noise yet.
After: Seems a little smoother. Mileage increased by 1 mpg.

Current alignment at independent shop. Previous alignment at dealership.
The noise from cupping becomes noticable at about 5k on past sets of tires. The "feathering" has started on current set...I expect the noise to start very soon. I have a "bad" car.

Let's hear from "good" cars!

bwilliams

Date 10/13/04
2003 Performance
Mileage: 40k
(new style RE040 installed at 36.5k)

Left
______ After Before
Camber -0.8 -0.8
Caster 8.6 8.6
Toe 0.05 0.16 (degrees)

Right
______After Before
Camber -0.9 -0.9
Caster 9.2 9.2
Toe 0.05 0.17 (degrees)

L-Rear
______After Before
Camber -1.6 -2.0
Toe 0.1 0.01 (degrees)

R-Rear
______After Before
Camber -1.6 -1.7
Toe 0.1 0.21 (degrees)

Alignment machine: Hunter series 811 w/DSP600
Before: Good handling, since tires replaced at 36.5k. Started seeing mild (.007" deep) cupping but no noise yet.
After: Seems a little smoother. Mileage increased by 1 mpg.

Current alignment at independent shop. Previous alignment at dealership.
The noise from cupping becomes noticable at about 5k on past sets of tires. The "feathering" has started on current set...I expect the noise to start very soon. I have a "bad" car.

Let's hear from "good" cars!

bwilliams

If your tires are not feathering (no roaring) after 5k miles, please help out by posting your front alignment numbers, at least these numbers:

Mileage
L Castor
L Camber
R Castor
R Camber
Total toe (indicate degrees or inch)

rotaryrocket7

I'll post alignment when I switch rims this weekend. don't believe that the issue is a Toe problem. I think the issue is a direct result of a caster problem. The caster is allowing the tire to have excessive tread flex, which is why you see step wear. The front of the tread is higher than the back as you look at the tire when turning on the correct rotation. This is why Nissan switches the tires to the opposite side. The rotation of the tire when mounted on the opposite side rim is reveresed and the tread wear than occurs the opposite way leveling off the tread. Caster on this car is unfortunatly a static setting, there has been a great deal of speculation that this is why Nissan has not "found" the problem and many different reasons float around. Replacing the a arms would be costly.

I had this issue with an RX-7 as well and Mazda had to do a correction to fix it. The tire swapping is only a temp fix to by time to address the real issue.

Sorry about the long post, and this isn't necessarly fact, but I would bet good money.

HokieZ

iTrader: (1)

I'll post mine when I go back to the dealer. They ordered me some new tires. Thus far, inside edge is bald, outside almost un-touched. Big props to my dealer for going to bat for me on the new tires since by the letter of the TSB they didn't qualify (they were actually too far gone). Purchased July, 2003, took in at 11,000 miles.

cpoe52

I had my first set of front tires replaced by Nissan and realigned at 6,700 miles (total).

The second set were replaced by Nissan and realigned with the TSB that came at April, 2004 at 12,500 miles (total).

I took my car to an independent tire and alignment shop at 17,000 miles (total) and the front tires were removed and cross rotated.

At over 20,000 miles, the feathering has not returned.

The last alignment specs performed on my car are the following:

Front Caster
Left was 9.22 degrees after 9.21 degrees
Right was 8.80 degrees after 8.79 degrees

Front Camber
Left was -0.87 degrees after -0.92 degrees
Right was -1.04 degrees after -1.01 degrees

Front Toe
Left was -3/32 inches after 1/32 inches
Right was 1/16 inches after 1/32 inches
Total was -1/32 inches after 1/16 inches

pulpz2

cpeo52, thanks for the positive feedback. In april, were the tires replaced with the orginal RE040 tread pattern or the newer RE040?

cpoe52

The original/older tread pattern.

Late this afternoon I replaced all four tires with Good Year Eagle F1 GS D3 tires. My rear tires were showing a lot of wear and slipping so with winter coming, it was time.

I had my alignment re-checked at the same shop and it was right on.

The Eagles have a nicer ride and are a lot quieter.

Tomorrow, if it doesn't rain too hard, I am going on a day trip of over 200 miles to one of the Indian Casinos near Palm Springs, CA.

Zrated

Still no specs (sorry haven't been to the dealer since the last post) Almost 2000 more miles for ~10,000 since latest TSB and no return of the feathering.

myz8a4re

iTrader: (2)

looking forward to those specs!

-justin

cpoe52

I forgot to mention that when I went to the independent tire and brake shop at 17,000 miles the feathering had returned with Nissan's magic settings of the April 2004 TSB.

The independent tire/brake shop performed the alignment settings from my above post, NOT NISSAN. They laughed at Nissan's numbers.

Nissan will never remove my wheels, inspect my brakes or perform another aligment on my car.

Stevie Wonder could do a better job than NISSAN!

myz8a4re

iTrader: (2)

Do any of the front aftermarket camber arm manufacturers make arms for the 350z with caster adjustment? I may sell my kinetix front arms & get a set with caster adj if avail......

-justin

pulpz2

bump. How are things going with the tire feathering?

My Z is pretty much in the garage for the winter. This spring I'm getting the alignment checked.

I'm seeing mild feathering on the outside tread so I tihnk 0.08" is a bit to much toe in. I'm going to have it set to 0.06" total toe instead. Maybe this will be the sweet spot with no inside or outsde treadblock wear.