TEIN SS spring rates

[blackster]

Anyone running the optional front/rear spring rates on the TEIN SS?

Optional rates for front: 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 kg
Optional rates for rear: 4, 5, 7, 8 kg

Standard spring rates 7/6kg

What are the advantages of running the optional spring rates over the standard spring rate 7/6kg on a NB for street?

[pepejesus]

Hi Blackster,

Looking at purchasing a set of Flex myself, which have the same (7/6) spring rates.

From what I've read, with stock bars the car will be biased fairly heavily towards oversteer with these rates. Possible solutions are removing rear bar, installing larger front bar, both, or changing spring rates.

There is a really useful spreadsheet made by a bloke named Shaikh who makes suspension gear for Miatas in the US. You can plug in spring rates and roll bar settings a get a rough idea of how each will change the balance of the car. Here's the link:

http://www.fatcatmotorsports.com/FCM_MSDS_v7_5.xls

You'll also want to convert kg/mm into lbs/in to use the spreadsheet - here's a link for that:

http://www.google.com.au/search?hl=en&q ... 2Fin&meta=

I'd be really interested to hear opinions from people already running the 7/6 rates as to what they thought of them. I'm worried that they will be too stiff for street use and also too biased towards oversteer.

I'm considering running 6/4, 7/5 or 8/5 rates. It's really hard to make a decision without knowing what the car is going to ride like. My car really only gets dríven on weekends and occasionally at night, but rarely for transport - it's mostly 'joy-riding' I'd also like to do some track days, etc., but I don't want the car to be a (literal) pain in the bum as it will still spend 90+% of it's time on public roads.

[pepejesus]

For what it's worth, Emilio at 949Racing, who's become a bit of a Tein Miata guru in the US, had this to say about the standard Tein spring rates:

\"As an aside, I think I'm finally making some headway into getting Tein to re-spec the spring rates for the Miata Basic, SS, Flex and upcoming Mono Flex. Took quite a bit of data flooding and lobbying to convince them but I think everybody that matters at Tein USA now recognizes it needs to change. We'll see what happens...

Ideally?
6/4 Basic
8/5 SS
9/6 Flex
10/6 Mono Flex (Spring 2008)\"

http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.ph ... ge=7&pp=25

[Matty]

summary: a rate ratio of ~1.5-1.7 front/rear seems to work best.

[pepejesus]

What spring rates are you running, Matty?

[Matty]

What spring rates are you running, Matty?

Springs? Who needs springs! (I've got about 28mm of air suspension at 120psi at the moment)

Though the car in my sig had Tein HA at 5kg/4kg. I had to sort that out with sways though (big front, little or no rear). I had planned to put 3kg springs in the back, but sold the car first...

[manga_blue]

I've got Matty's old 5/4 Teins (still going strong thanks Matty). The rates are a good compromise for street/track. Yes, a bigger ratio F/R would be better but you can manage this setup OK with driving style and tyre pressures. If I wanted to change I'd go stiffer front towards 6 or 7Kg and stay at 4Kg back for springs.

[pepejesus]

Hey manga_blue,

Can you tell me more about your experience with those spring rates? How stiff are they? Do they pass the 'significant other' test? Is your car a daily driver and if not, would they be acceptable on a daily driver?