Coilovers feedback

[manxman]

I am now just about to start putting everything back together, having stripped my donor and more or less cleaned up the running gear.
The time has come to decide on springs and dampers.
There have been several people who have mentioned that they have used the Raceland/Rokkor/Ta technix coilovers from e bay in their build. They look very similar does anyone know if there are major differences?
Is everybody happy with them and the spring rates etc. now that they have been able to use them in practice?
Is there anything I should look out for before I order such as revised spring rates?

[rharris19]

Look at the Flyin Miata VMaxx system. The spring rates are split well and will give a sporty ride. The shock setup it pretty high quality for the price. They are around 600+ shipping.

I have driven a car with racelands on it and wasn't impressed at all with them, but others have had good results. I am pretty critical of suspension though and have been spoiled by driving in vehicles with well developed systems. It's honestly like crack. Once you get a little of the good stuff, you don't want to go back.

Don't be intimidated by higher spring rates if you are getting a quality shock valved to that handle it. I have 700lb/in springs, which is roughly 12Kg/mm, on my track car and I drive it on the street too. My suspension will be 9kg/mm front and 6Kg/mm rear on my Exocet with the Monoflexes.

[manxman]

thanks for the feed back rharris19. I'll have to try to find some more in the budget!

Does annyone else have any comments?

[Deleted]

Ive stuck a set of raceland coilovers on my first one and will prob stick the same set on the next one im building.
It really depends on what you want. the raceland set come in at about £170 delivered so are a budget set, but that said theyre going on a 400 kg lighter car, so give a stiff ride and adjustable height, but if you want a proper race set up then spend more. you do get what you pay for in adjustability/ride etc but everyone has a budget to work to - and everyone has different levels of experience and expectations. I'm more than happy with raceland, but then i'm not a racer/track enthusiast, I'm sure others would want more....
Each build is individual and tailored to how that builder wants it / budget allows!

Alex

[rharris19]

Nov 14, 2011 12:47:44 GMT @alexandeharris1981 said:

I'm more than happy with raceland, but then i'm not a racer/track enthusiast, I'm sure others would want more....
Each build is individual and tailored to how that builder wants it / budget allows!

Alex

Alex,
I completely agree that you need to build to your budget and each person has different suspension needs. I just know that a long time ago I had an entry level coil over setup on my daily Miata and when I moved up to a system that had spring rates that worked well with each other and quality shocks that were valved for those rates, it completely transformed the car.

I don't think you will really lose much on the suspension if you buy it, use it for a year or so, and then sell it to upgrade. I know that if I had my car built and had the spare funds to look to upgrade something, the coil overs would be the first thing.

Also, don't stair step it very much. I lost a fair amount of money by going from one suspension to the next, knowing that I was not getting the one that I wanted since it cost a little more. Save for the proper setup.

If the racelands get you on the road and enjoying the car, then by all means do that, but just keep the idea on the back burner for the upgrade.

If anyone has any questions about particular suspension setups for the Miata, please feel free to ask me. I have experience with just about every setup on the market today and would love to help you figure out what would work best with your person goals in mind.

Stay safe.

[manxman]

Thanks for the feedback.

My main worry was whether the spring rates work reasonably. My theory is that fitting a standard MX5 kit with uprated springs to a significantly lightened car would make the whole thing too hard. It is difficult to get information on the spring rates for these cheaper kits.

Since Alex is going for the same set on his #2 build, it would seem that they will be the way to go.

I appreciate that they are a budget set up and so will not provide the ultimate control of the more expensive makes but buying twice makes the whole thing more expensive. Hence the question.

With regard to the FM VMaxx set up, are they different to the set that can be bought in the UK?

Once again thanks for the feedback, much appreciated.

[Deleted]

@ rharris19 i do agree with you on all counts, and in the long run it will probably cost me more to upgrade later, but having done the first one I know how easily budgets run away from you, so Ive had to draw the line in a few places. I suppose the other option would be used, but that said it makes the car look 100 times better with new shocks as its all on show.....

manxman i tried the cheap option of painting and tidying up the dampers and slotting in new 30mm lowered springs. that coupled with the floflex bushes made a very hard ride indeed, and a bit of a clearance issue too!
the raceland ones are adjustable height from a 20mm drop to a 60mm drop. i went for the 20mm and the car sat fine with no clearance issues and was more comfy too. I think correctly installed bushes would help a lot too, as some of mine were binding at first, but when i got them loosened up it made a big difference too.

[pincherrn]

Hi Alex,

So the Raceland setup with Floflex bushes was ok and not too hard. My donor car has lowered PI Springs on it and it is a stiff ride as it is but I wanted to replace all the bushes when I MEV it but worried that this will make it too stiff. So the option would be to get a set of Racelands instead and sell the lowered set up I have. I am still wary of the Racelands though as a few people who know MX5s well have warned against them on the MX5OC Forum. Quality issues being the main problem.
But I think it may be a case of you get what you pay for.

Cheers

Colin

[Deleted]

Colin, you definately get what you pay for but budget comes into it for a lot of people. I did a bit of research and the main issues seem to be bottoming out racelands on the MX5s, but as were 400kgs lighter this hasnt affected me, plus im only running a 20-25mm drop, as any more and she wont clear speedramps well!

The main thing you ablolutely have to do with the floflex bushes is make sure you fit the bushings as tightly as possible (if they are two piece rubber) and use plenty of copper grease when you put the crush tubes in. the whole point being the suspension arm is a tight non moving grip on the rubber and the crush tube is held tight by the chassis. therefore rubber rotates around crush tube. if you dont use copper grease ( like one or two of mine) the suspension is either super stiff, or will compress but not rebount after a bump!
you need to make sure the crush tubes poke out past the ends of the rubber so its the crush tube pinched and not the rubber. hope that makes sense!

the real factor here though is budget, and how far/much your willing to go/spend to get what you want.

My view is that its a cheap kit, to make a cheap build with a fun result, but each to their own, which is completely the point of kitcars and makes it a very individual thing!

Alex

[pincherrn]

Hi Alex,

Thanks for the info. Yes cost will be a bit of an issue for me. I want a smart build but it definitely has an upper limit so will look into the Racelands when I get round to it. As my donor is a very early 1990 model I think the bushes will definitely need replacing. My donor still has MOT till April so am running around in it till then. Along with my other 2 MX5s. ;D

Colin

[manxman]

THanks for the advice on the bushes Alex. I am replacing mine and bought the master kit from RacingXS on ebay. This is comprehensive and contains every bush on the car including the diff (which was vey musshy on my donor for some reason. This kit is actually the US made Prothane kit which Flyin Miata sell (unless Prothane do 2). It also comes with special(?) grease.
Pincherrn I too am looking to do a smart build but completely agree that there has to be an upper limit. As Alex says, this is a fun car, not a garage queen. But, the cheapest option is to buy once not twice. Hence my question.
That is the great thing about this forum, so many people will help by sharing their information.
I haven t attempted to start a build blog yet as I am still at the stripping and cleaning stage that has been well covered by many others here. But the kit is on order so delivery is imminent. Looking forward to working with clean parts!
Cheers,
Graham

[Deleted]

the biggest downside with new bushes seems to be tier size. the standard mazda bushes dont protrude past the metal when in place, and if they do its not by much, but the poly bushes seem to have a much larger lip on them, which sticks out as much as the crush tubes, my mechanic friend suggested trimming them with a stanley knife prior to fitting so the crush tube protrudes past the rubber! all trial and error and eventually it works!!

[blobnnob]

Hi you lad's interesting to read your posts with regard coilover's, but don't really understand the comments with regard spring rate's and the bushing issue's??
The problem we have is that the exocet frame is hitting the sub frame on the rear drivers side, so we are thinking of some adjustable coilovers to give us some adjustment.
We have no knowledge of the pros & cons of suspension but just want to stop it bottoming out, we have used all the origenal shocks off the MX5, with the lowering springs bought from Stuart, with no other alterations or bushes, also, we are on a tight budget.
Do you think coilovers are the answer and what bushes will we need.
Any help with regard advise and any suppliers you would recommend will be very much appreciated. Thanks again regard's Jeff

[rharris19]

Your problem doesn't seem the be the bushings, but more of the shock/spring combo. You need a stiffer spring, higher ride height, or both. Your best bet probably is the Raceland setup. It will have stiffer springs and fully adjustable ride height.

[sspogman]

Sounds like you've got an early version of the kit - can't remember the answer myself but if you read through alexanderharris1981's first build thread you should find that he covers this issue off.