mx5cartalk.com

Posted: **Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:01 pm**

ok,
What else can i do to my suspension to make it handel better..
1990 mx5 NA6

the list so far...

bilstein (non adjustable) suspension (keeping in mind i dont want to lower the car or replace this at this point in time)
replaced all bushes with pro-flex bushes (25% stiffer)
I have obtained but not fitted anti-sway bars
25mm at the front & 19mm on the rear
a front (under gearbox) chassis brace
a front strut brace
and about to build / make rear chassis braces (similar to the NA8)

is there any improvements if there is a rear sway bar?
Some people will probably say roll bar, but for the moment, its out of the question...

has anyone tried the \"frogs arms\" from miatamania.com?
any comments on how they go?

and the FM butterfly brace would be good, but i think it will be to heavy and too expensive at this moment.
suggestions / comments?

let me know what else you can think of. =)

and no... its not a track car..
just for fun!

Posted: **Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:32 pm**

Define what you mean by handle better. It is sensation or raw cornering speed? The frog arms from what I read were just for reducing scuttle shake. I've never felt what I would consider scuttle shake in my car but it's rather stiff and setup for the track. I also always run a hard-top. You can also get an equivalent of the underbody brace from an NB8B/8C. Probaly not as good as the flyin miata one but possibly much cheaper.

Posted: **Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:45 pm**

generally handling refering to the way the car \"feels\" to drive

tyres make a difference
hardtop doesn't make too much of a difference IMHO just changes the sound
install the sway bars first
not sure about the frog arms, they have been brought up here before but i don't think anyone has used them, maybe search the big forum

Posted: **Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:59 pm**

i want to have a car that is going to be solid
i need it to go around corners like you wouldnt believe...

I've got 195/50/15 C-Drive tyres at the moment
without the sway bars I can already fly around the corners with no scubbing

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:04 am**

muzza2 wrote:i want to have a car that is going to be solid
i need it to go around corners like you wouldnt believe...

I've got 195/50/15 C-Drive tyres at the moment
without the sway bars I can already fly around the corners with no scubbing

if its not for the track then chuck the sway bars in and your done! if your flying around corners already, why push it to its limits if its not being track dríven?

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:30 am**

MXHEVN wrote:
muzza2 wrote:i want to have a car that is going to be solid
i need it to go around corners like you wouldnt believe...

I've got 195/50/15 C-Drive tyres at the moment
without the sway bars I can already fly around the corners with no scubbing

if its not for the track then chuck the sway bars in and your done! if your flying around corners already, why push it to its limits if its not being track dríven?

because it's for street racing purposes

jks

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:04 am**

Power steering my freind....or at least..... the power steering rack without tyhe power steering.

and make sure its the NA6 power steering rack. The ratio is a little taler. so steering is a little quicker.

Thats my next mod.

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:11 am**

Roll cage

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 9:44 am**

StanTheMan wrote:Power steering my freind....or at least..... the power steering rack without tyhe power steering.

and make sure its the NA6 power steering rack. The ratio is a little taler. so steering is a little quicker.

Thats my next mod.

already done my friend
its a Eunos, so standard VLSD, P/Steer ect ect...

a cage..
are you crazy :shock:

im flat out affording a roll bar let alone a cage

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:07 am**

There will ALWAYS be something else you can spend your money on. You have to have a goal. That way you can weigh up the options.

Install your sway bars as a matter of urgency; that'll make a noticable change.

Boags

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:56 am**

I agree with boags weigh up all the options...

List them and add them up carefully, then think of options to counter eg light weight wheels, racing seats, aluminum fly wheel....

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:13 am**

wun911 wrote:then think of options to counter eg light weight wheels, racing seats, aluminum fly wheel....

...driving without clothes on ... the list can go on and on hey Wun? :mrgreen:

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 12:21 pm**

19mm is huge for a rear sway...

I say forget the frog arms, I'm an engineer and I can't see what they do except add weight.

Bracing is good on the early cars, do that. Butterfly brace is supposed to be good but expensive over here.

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 1:06 pm**

i want to have a car that is going to be solid
i need it to go around corners like you wouldnt believe...

I've got 195/50/15 C-Drive tyres at the moment
without the sway bars I can already fly around the corners with no scubbing

By the sounds of it you need (in order):

- Wheel alignment. HUGE effect on handling. Get a proper one from someone who knows what they're doing.

- Better tyres. Tyres are said to be 75% of the setup of the car, buy the best rubber you can afford, even R spec tyres work magic on the street (R888 anyway).

- Install sway bars, yes put it on the back too, they make a huge difference, but yes 19 is huge, i've got 16mm, also adjustable ones are better.

- FM butterfly brace definitely. Its not too heavy and has a huge effect, give you that solid feeling you want.

- Get proper adjustable endlinks for the sway bars.

- Get a roll bar (stiffness and safety and looks)

- Other stiffening bars

- Lowering the car loweres the centre of gravity allowing faster cornering.

- High performance adjustable dampers and stiffer springs

- Remove mass from the car

etc...

The list is almost endless. But most of important of all, you can get all the parts under the sun but it won't give the effect you want unless you tune it. You need adjustable parts so you can get the balance you want, in particular the sway bars, wheel alignment, dampers and spring rates.

Posted: **Tue Jun 17, 2008 3:19 pm**

Sasso wrote:
i want to have a car that is going to be solid
i need it to go around corners like you wouldnt believe...

I've got 195/50/15 C-Drive tyres at the moment
without the sway bars I can already fly around the corners with no scubbing

By the sounds of it you need (in order):

- Wheel alignment. HUGE effect on handling. Get a proper one from someone who knows what they're doing..

Its coming, L & D around ashgrove area (QLD)

- Better tyres. Tyres are said to be 75% of the setup of the car, buy the best rubber you can afford, even R spec tyres work magic on the street (R888 anyway).

I completely understand and agree, however I've just bought new rubber and this is what i could afford =(

- Install sway bars, yes put it on the back too, they make a huge difference, but yes 19 is huge, i've got 16mm, also adjustable ones are better.

these are 3 way adjustable on the rear & 2 way adjustable on the front

- FM butterfly brace definitely. Its not too heavy and has a huge effect, give you that solid feeling you want.

definatelly considering. however cost is a factor. definatelly on the wish list though, and may consider in the future

- Get proper adjustable endlinks for the sway bars.

I'm putting in an order to get racing beat very shortly

- Get a roll bar (stiffness and safety and looks)

as above, cant afford it yet

- Other stiffening bars

- Lowering the car loweres the centre of gravity allowing faster cornering.

agreed everyone is saying the same thing.
however i cant. full stop. not that i dont want to lower it. its that i cant get it in the driveway.

- High performance adjustable dampers and stiffer springs

again, dont need to lower the car. the bilsteins seam to be pretty stiff at the moment.
I am looking into getting stiffer springs though. I'll have to get them from King Springs apparently...

- Remove mass from the car

no... its a street car.

etc...

The list is almost endless. But most of important of all, you can get all the parts under the sun but it won't give the effect you want unless you tune it. You need adjustable parts so you can get the balance you want, in particular the sway bars, wheel alignment, dampers and spring rates

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