my new 94 miata needs shocks, which I can't afford just this minute.
the alignment is also really bad, supposedly because the last guy to do it was unqualified, not because anything was bent (the previous owner's story).
I want to get an alignment asap so I don't ruin my new RT615k's, but I don't want to waste an alignment if in two months I'm changing shocks & just need another one. Since the shocks don't locate the spindle, can I change out my dampners later without messing everything up?
If I recall correctly, you can change the shocks with out changing the alignment.
I'd look here:
http://www.miata.net/garage/shocks.html
Scroll down and you can see Andy Hollis' method that supposedly doesn't affect the alignment settings.
+1 on the Andy Hollis method.
If you're got no money, but plenty of free time, you could also attempt a DIY alignment and use the money saved towards those shocks...
There are a bunch of ways to change the shocks on a Miata without affecting alignment. Any method other than the factory one, actually. On an NB, I use the method described by Andy. On an NA, you can usually pop the upper ball joint out more quickly. That method doesn't quite give you enough room on an NB.
You have mail.
On an NA in the front (without reading other posts right now), i marked the lower front alignment bolts with paint pen or sharpie, and pull them out to drop the lower control arm. Did this a couple of times on SpecMiata's and it didn't affect the alignment at all. Just make sure to have a jack under the control arm (and jackstands on the pinch welds) to put weight on the spring and keep the bushings loaded when tightening.
