ND MX-5 Alignment Specs and Settings
Alignment is the cheapest handling change you can make to an ND. Camber, toe, and caster set how the car turns in, how it tracks at speed, and how fast you burn through inner tire edges. The factory numbers are tuned for tire life and stability; everything below trades some of that for grip.
Factory Specifications
Section titled “Factory Specifications”| Parameter | Front | Rear |
|---|---|---|
| Camber | -0.5° ± 0.75° | -1.3° ± 0.75° |
| Toe | 0.0° ± 0.13° (per side) | 0.17° ± 0.13° (per side, toe-in) |
| Caster | 6.8° ± 0.75° | N/A |
Factory specs prioritize even tire wear and stable straight-line behavior. They are conservative for spirited driving. The wide ±0.75° camber tolerance means two cars off the same line can sit nearly a full degree apart, so check what you actually have before assuming you’re at “stock.”
Alignment Ranges by Use Case
Section titled “Alignment Ranges by Use Case”Street Daily (Maximize Tire Life)
Section titled “Street Daily (Maximize Tire Life)”| Parameter | Front | Rear | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camber | -0.5° to -1.0° | -1.3° to -1.5° | Minimal inner wear |
| Toe | 0.0° total | +0.10° total (slight toe-in) | Stable, even wear |
| Caster | Factory (6.8°) | N/A | No reason to change |
Close to factory. Tire wear stays even, and grip is limited mainly by the lack of negative camber.
Spirited Street / Canyon
Section titled “Spirited Street / Canyon”| Parameter | Front | Rear | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camber | -1.2° to -1.5° | -1.5° to -1.8° | Moderate inner wear tradeoff |
| Toe | 0.0° total | +0.08° total (slight toe-in) | Slightly more rotation-happy than full toe-in |
| Caster | Factory or +0.5° | N/A | More caster adds self-centering |
A good compromise for owners who drive hard on the street but still want reasonable tire life. Expect somewhat accelerated inner-edge wear.
Autocross
Section titled “Autocross”| Parameter | Front | Rear | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camber | -2.0° to -2.5° | -2.0° to -2.5° | Optimized for max lateral grip |
| Toe | 0.0° to -0.04° total (slight toe-out) | 0.0° to +0.04° total | Improved turn-in response |
| Caster | Max available | N/A | Better camber gain in turns |
Aggressive. Inner-edge wear on the street will be heavy, so many competitors run dedicated wheels and re-align between events. See autocross tires and classing for how alignment freedom changes by class.
Track Day
Section titled “Track Day”| Parameter | Front | Rear | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camber | -1.8° to -2.5° | -1.8° to -2.5° | High sustained cornering loads |
| Toe | 0.0° total | +0.04° to +0.08° total (toe-in) | Rear stability at speed |
| Caster | Max available | N/A | Stability and camber gain |
Similar to autocross but usually with a bit more rear toe-in for high-speed stability. How much camber you run is a grip-vs-tire-life decision, and it pairs with your track tire and pressure choices.
Camber and Tire Wear
Section titled “Camber and Tire Wear”Negative camber tilts the top of the tire inward. In a straight line this loads the inner edge; in a corner it keeps more of the contact patch flat on the road as the body rolls.
| Front Camber | Inner Edge Wear | Cornering Grip | Street Tire Life |
|---|---|---|---|
| -0.5° (stock) | Minimal | Baseline | Full life |
| -1.0° | Slight | Improved | 90%+ of full life |
| -1.5° | Noticeable | Good | 75-85% of full life |
| -2.0° | Significant | Very good | 60-70% of full life |
| -2.5° | Heavy | Maximum | 50-60% of full life |
These are approximate. Actual wear depends on driving style, tire compound, alignment precision, and road surface.
Toe Explained
Section titled “Toe Explained”- Toe-in: Fronts point toward each other. Adds straight-line stability, dulls turn-in.
- Toe-out: Fronts point away from each other. Sharpens turn-in but reduces straight-line stability.
- Zero toe: Neutral — tires point straight ahead.
Rear toe-in makes the rear track straight. Rear toe-out makes it more willing to rotate (more oversteer tendency) and is generally avoided on the ND for safety, especially in the wet or on lift-off.
Caster
Section titled “Caster”Caster affects self-centering force and dynamic camber gain during steering input. More caster:
- Increases steering weight (more self-centering)
- Adds negative camber to the outside front wheel during cornering
- Improves high-speed stability
- Does not meaningfully affect tire wear
The ND’s factory caster is already fairly high, which is part of why the stock car feels planted. Increasing it further requires adjustable suspension components.
Adjustability (Stock vs. Aftermarket)
Section titled “Adjustability (Stock vs. Aftermarket)”Stock Suspension
Section titled “Stock Suspension”- Front camber: Eccentric bolts on the front lower control arm (roughly -0.3° to -2.2° at stock ride height)
- Front toe: Tie rod
- Front caster: Not easily adjustable without aftermarket parts
- Rear camber: Cam bolts (limited range)
- Rear toe: Eccentric bolt
With Aftermarket Suspension
Section titled “With Aftermarket Suspension”- Coilovers with adjustable top mounts: full front camber/caster adjustment
- Adjustable rear upper arms: full rear camber adjustment
- Offset upper-arm bushings (e.g., Karcepts): additional front camber range, roughly +1.1° to +1.5° beyond the stock eccentric maximum
For track-focused front camber beyond about -2.2°, you need offset bushings or adjustable upper arms. Competitive autocross setups often run -3.0° to -3.5° front camber with these parts. If you’re already in coilovers or running sway bars, set alignment last, after ride height is finalized — changing ride height moves camber and toe.
Alignment Shop Communication
Section titled “Alignment Shop Communication”When requesting a custom alignment:
- Bring a printed spec sheet with your target values.
- Specify whether values are per-side or total (especially for toe).
- Ask for the final printout showing achieved values.
- Verify cross-car (left-to-right) symmetry within 0.2° camber and 0.02° toe.
- Request that caster be matched side-to-side (within 0.3°) to prevent pull.