Mx5, Chapter 2

ManiacLachy · Postby **ManiacLachy** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 8:34 am

You don't rate the frog arms?

The American · Postby **The American** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:05 am

All of the reviews speak of reduced NVH, but not performance benefits from stiffened chassis (hence the ballast comment). I went to bed after fitting the first one, so have another one to do before I go for a drive!

I started fitting these to break my run of buying bits that I store and then sell. A.k.a, the oil relocation and cooler kit that I should have kept and fitted! :oops:

pressure pack · Postby **pressure pack** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 12:28 pm

Most of these after market bolt-ons are just bling and weight. At low speed, road use, hill climb etc. there is no advantage. On high speed corners with good tyres and grip, where they are needed they don't seem to have much affect either. If the car is fitted with diagonal braces in the door openings and even better the top of the roll hoop to the passengers floor. The main flex point will be corrected. The big advantage is the suspension will be able to be tuned for speed, spring rates, corner weights and shocks will now have noticeable fine adjustment.

The American · Postby **The American** » Mon Jan 04, 2016 9:16 pm

Fitting frog arms adds weight, but also takes away a little as well. Gravel, leaves, glass, little bits of foam and rubber, animal hair, insect wings...

There can also be some rediscovery... These covers from the wiper and cowl plastics had been missing since I've owned the car. It turns put they'd migrated down into the guard and had been caught in the drain space. The smaller one is broken, and the larger is a very loose fit to its spot on the wiper - explains why they'd migrated.

The American · Postby **The American** » Thu Jan 07, 2016 9:50 pm

I fitted up the second Frog Arm, and then the heavens opened for two days, and then I decided to swap out the brake pads for a set that match what I do with the car. For this reason, I have not dríven with the frog arms installed yet.

It this point I made a rookie error - I whipped the rotors off, measured them (all less than half worn) and dropped them off for machining (drivers side rotors both had substantial grooving), but I did not check if my pad choice was actually available before getting started.

A+ were able to get the fronts but the rears are a few weeks away. As a result, there be no mx5ing for me until end of January.

Always wear decent foot wear in the garage (a rule I usually comply with). Right after I took this shot, while shod in thongs, I tripped on the billy cart I made at Christmas, year before last = stitches and a friendly visit from the A/H doctor.

The American · Postby **The American** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:43 pm

The next addition to the MX-5 adventure:

Why?
1) Run the R-comps to the very end rather than to the legal limit for the drive home (and don't burn them on 300km round trips to distant venues)
2) Get there and back on diesel rather than e85 (and sitting in something other than a race seat)
3) Get home if it breaks
4) Go with the family to more distant events rather than alone

Magpie · Postby **Magpie** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 8:59 pm

Good move! What about a tyre rack for different conditions?

The American · Postby **The American** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:49 pm

This year, I'd like to try out some regional Queensland and Northern NSW events. The candidates:

1) Gatton Sprints, 4-6 March - entered
2) Leyburn Sprints, 20-21 August
3) Pittsworth Sprints, 2-4 September
4) Wondai Sprints, 11-12 June
5) Oakey Street Sprints
6) Maryborough Street Sprints
7) Millmerran Sprints

Grafton Hillclimb

I'd also like to head back to Noosa for the hillclimbs on 16/17 July and 5/6 November.

Any other suggestions? I can't see myself finding the time to get to all of these, but writing a bucket list for the year is fun.

Lakeside, QR and Carnell Raceway are also tracks I haven't dríven.

The American · Postby **The American** » Thu Jan 14, 2016 9:52 pm

Magpie wrote:Good move! What about a tyre rack for different conditions?

It's an option! I'm back to having only 4 wheels for the car, so I'd have to expand the collection! I'd really like to find some more Ssr's that will interchange with the current set but they don't pop up too often.

The American · Postby **The American** » Tue Jan 19, 2016 1:59 pm

Not enough capacity to tow an Mx5:

Enough for a 300kg trailer and an 1100kg Mx5:

The American · Postby **The American** » Fri Jan 22, 2016 8:03 pm

Re-posting as the originals are not hosted properly.
98 vs E85:

12psi on 98; 16psi on E85:

The American · Postby **The American** » Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:22 pm

I've wondered what ratio diff was in my car, but never bothered to count it out before. It's currently sitting on axle stands waiting for brake pads to arrive from a distant land, which means the rear wheels are nicely suspended above the ground...

It appears the previous owner had a Torsen fitted to an Nb8B 3.63 diff, which I'm happy about as it's the tallest ratio available without joining one of the 3.3 group buys...

I marked a point on the brake dust shield, aligned it with a wheel stud and a white mark on the drive shaft, visible through the side of the PPF. It took 6 turns of the wheel closest to me (opposite side not moving) for the marks to all line up again, and in that time, the prop shaft rotated 11 times. 11*2 / 6 = 3.66. 11*2 to account for the lost prop shaft rotation as a result of the offside remaining stationary. Have I got this right?

The American · Postby **The American** » Tue Jan 26, 2016 8:07 pm

It fits - car on trailer, trailer in shed

...and it fits very neatly on the trailer. The previous owner used it for an Excel, but the stone guard is set up perfectly for an Mx5, and the tipping point is just right for the weight distribution.