mx5cartalk.com

whats with the understeer?

sure my tires arent all that flash. Falken Ziex ZE-512... but theyre on the front and back... give me oversteer anyday...

it feels like a balance issue... is it just mx5's?
im new to the mx5 game, any advice here?

please dont tell me its my entry speed or technique, ive been trying different things for a while now... tried babying it, tried chucking it...

its a NB8A, stock except for the mazdaspeed bodykit and upgrade 16\" rims... 135,000kms but shocks still feel ooookay... still good rebound...

IS IT THE RIMS!!!??? apparently theyre super heavy 16's... like 10kg+

ive ordered some new light(er) 7kg ones...

its the stock suspension in general. I would say they have ballanced the car with slight understeer because quite a few of the target market would not have been THAT interested in pure driving - it did not get a hair dressers car name for no reason, hair dressers bought it. i found the same thing on my stock nb8a but teins superstreets will fix that right up!

okay cool, thanks for the advice!

any cheaper options? im an apprentice...
will aftermarket shocks and springs setup do the trick?
or are coilovers essential?

i could possibly afford coilovers if i fitted them myself... is it a task?

i have not done sway bars but a thicker rear sway bar could do this (i think) and they are only 210 bucks for a whiteline adjustable item - anyone want to elaberate who have done it.

I spose its that or take it to your local fulcrum and tell them the problem and what you want it to drive like. They should be able to allign it with the stock suspension a bit more to your driving taste

yeah okay, sounds good. cheers!

anyone have the whiteline sway bar?

i have teins and front and rear adjustable sways.

i found good gains with the sways and being adjustable you can have a fiddle. i run med front soft rear (with teins and lsd) some adjustable end links would be nice aswell

not sure what sways with orig shocks and springs would be like but i'd imagine it would solve your issue realativly cheaply while saving for teins. ( i installed them my self, fairly easy)

like mentioned get a good wheel alignment; you may be plesently surprised ($100)

You need a wheel alignment by the sounds of it......at least. MX-5s don't understeer normally.

okay sweet!

well when i get my new wheels installed hopefully this week i'll ask them to do an alignment for me too... or maybe ill wait and go somewhere suggested instead. ive lost all trust in mechanics and tire shops...

cheers guys

my car was never understeering with standard suspension. just get an alignment done. much cheaper than buying new shocks and sways that you don't actually need. as JBT, mx5's don't understeer normally. they are very neutral. if anything, they tend to oversteer more than understeer. get it aligned by a good suspension place (not just your local bob jane or whatever. they will just set it to stock specs)

+1 for a really really good allignment.

Boags

x3 for a real alignment. Search this site for all the alignment threads. Essentially they all say go to a good sports suspension workshop and not a tyre outlet.

I think NBs were set up for a little more understeer than NAs in the first place.

If it's done 135k then you're more than likely due for new shocks as well.

Agree with the alignment, I had understeer got a alignment last week and no understeer now
BTW car is on stock suspension I used CTZooms specs from here
http://www.aus-cartalk.com/viewtopic.php?t=15398

x100000 on alignment as the first place to start. MX5's are extremely sensitive to wheel alignment. But make sure you take it to someone that knows what they are doing and generally avoid franchised tyre retailers unless they have a lot of MX5 experience. Setting up an MX5 is a lot different to setting up a Camry.

With that many km on your car your suspension is starting to get past it's prime too so it might be worthwhile starting to think about some suspension upgrades in the future.

Alignment, then suspension. At 130,000k, they need replacing. Don't worry, you don't need height adjustables. Alot of people go with Kings spings and Koni shocks but apparently the ride is quite harsh.

I've got Eibach springs with Koni shocks and it is a very nice and sporty ride without being too harsh.

At 130,000 km The suspension should be changed sooner rather than later.

He could kill two alignments with one stone.

It would be a waste to do an alignment now then change the suspension a month later and pay for another alignemnt.

(ie you will need an alignment after you change your suspension anyway)