what suspension set up and why?

[RG.net]

just out of curiousity, and i'm sure it would make an intresting thread.

what shocks/coilovers and spring combination do you have and why, what benifits did you gain, whats the feel compared to the stock setup etc. as SM said, are you also running thicker sways, strut bars or that shinny fm butterfly brace?

Shocks:
Springs:
Strut brace(s):
Sway bar(s):
Other:(i.e rollbar, fm brace's, bushes etc)
Benifits:
Price(s):
Why: (what made you do it?)

[Alex]

might also be a good idea to include chassis mods as well, including things like rollbars, FM brace, and other extra's

not to mention swaybars on a stock setup (I'm interested in how different they feel, I already know they reduce body roll)

[RG.net]

might also be a good idea to include chassis mods as well, including things like rollbars, FM brace, and other extra's

not to mention swaybars on a stock setup (I'm interested in how different they feel, I already know they reduce body roll)

yeah was thinking that after i wrote it

[StanTheMan]

89 NA6
King & Koni Sports adjustable
shortened bumpstops
lower tower brace fron & rear.
upper tower brace
BD roll bar
Polyurathane bushes all around
NB8A standard sways front & rear.
installed 9 years ago travelled 140k km
Azenis RT615 tyrers

when I installed them all that time ago. It was probably the best suspension set up available for around $1000. To me now, the set up feels very medioka.

It feels too stiff since the polyurathane bushes were installed. However when hitting the bumps the whole car feels very solid. rather than clunky.

The stiff sidewalls of the RT615's certailnly don't help either but thats what you get for having a agressive street tyre.

recenly I've dríven NA6 on Buddy Club Coil overs. NA8 on Tein Super streets, NB8B on the PS999.

Loved the Tein Super streets. Unipressed with the buddy club Coil overs in comparison to my own Koni & king set up. they were just as hard & unforgiving as my own.
PS999.....not entirly sure.....bit stiff as well however the owner indicated he felt the spring & shock combo he was running wasn't really complimenting each other. So it will€ get changed. Looking forward to a ride in the SP when that happens.


At the end of the day.....Its going to be very hard to compare. as its all very subjective. I must also mention I'm probably going through a midlife crissis & couln't be bothered to put up with a non compliand ryde anymore.
In other words...I'm becomming an old man.

There is a good chance my suspension set up isn't all that bad.....I may be super paranoid. I've dríven another NA6 with all sorts of bracing & fantastic goodies. People rave on about it. But on the street... its to harsh for me. However on the track this NA6 is probably the sweetest thing since....err can't think of a fair comparison But it woud be real sweet.


for me....if & when I Can afford it......I'll certainly be looking at the Tein Super streets.

But the current set up.....on a road like Putty or the old pac....Patchy need not be ashamed. Its an average low cost set up with reasonable results. I Doubt the PS999 or Tein Super Streets would make it any faster. But certainly more comfortable.


my 02

[RG.net]

awsome write up stan!

i never knew the nb sways fitted the na's!, are all koni \" yellow\" shocks adjustable?

[mhj]

my nba had signature sways and a strut tower brace. that was better than before this 'cause it felt more solid and flat , more settled through corrners

the new car is lowered with 16 inch wheels, with 20k ( not ) old standard shock abs.....heaps better!! theni put the fm brace on, (roll bar to come.) feels heaps better still!!!

...it seems my preference is for no unsettling/ shimmying / wriggling around corners and over bumps, no crashing in pot holes....(and the cd doesnt jump)

good tyres have also made a significant difference...goodyear eagle f1 and gsd respectively

so.... good shocks. good tyres, am sway bars, and lowering....then for even better results the fm brace( and i hope) roll bar.

but then what would i know..it is all about feel for me,

enjoy

[StanTheMan]

awsome write up stan!

i never knew the nb sways fitted the na's!, are all koni " yellow" shocks adjustable?

some bending of the sway end link was required. I have the NB8A stock sways.

For the NA's The yellow koni is also height adjustable. for the NB's they do not have this option.For the NA's They have 3 preset heights to choose from. Height adjustment is no where as easily done as with proper coil overs. It can be done on the car though. but its not something you want to do every race day.

Konis for NA's & NB's have damping adjust ability.

[MxJadeMonkey]

Stan, maybe i'm way off here, but I was pretty sure the NB Koni Yellow had an adjustable platform also?

I have never noticed that they do not have one, but as I said before could be totally wrong here

[StanTheMan]

I'm willing to put a beer on it or a coffee...

I'm talking height adjustment.with that hideous circlip & 3 different hieght adjustments. If you were to fitThe coilover sleeve... would make adjustable on the NB's as well. I supose.
However If I'm wrong. I don't mind being corrected.

lets hear from someone who has them or knows 100%

[Steampunk]

I'm talking height adjustment.with that hideous circlip & 3 different hieght adjustments. If you were to fitThe coilover sleeve... would make adjustable on the NB's as well. I supose.
However If I'm wrong. I don't mind being corrected.

lets hear from someone who has them or knows 100%

Josh, STM, mine came off an NB and the fronts have them, but the rears look like they don't.

[Steampunk]

Dampers: Koni Sport (set at 3/4 hard fronts, halfway soft-hard rears)
Springs: Eibach
Strut brace(s): Cusco (front)
Sway bar(s): Whiteline 24mm solid non-adjustable (front)

Benefits: Now handles neutral, no tailiness at the track under heavy braking and badly timed downshifts. Scuttle shake reduced considerably with fitment of front anti-sway bar and top strut brace.
Konis and Eibach are harsh on the bump, but rebound is smooth as a babe's bottom.
Front anti-sway bar is the best value, ie price vs tangible difference, upgrade so far.

Price(s): Got them all second-hand . $450 Koni&Eibach, $120 Cusco strut brace, $100 Whiteline anti-sway bar

Why: Improving things on a budget, all stock parts done over 130,000km, and I can never get used to the tailiness of a stock NA. If your ass starts to go, that means you took the corner a little too fast. Now I can go around corners much faster but the car is planted firmly on the ground.

[Garry]

The early Koni yellows for the NB had a circlip but only 1 groove in the shock body, the later ones had a fixed shoulder. I guess to stop people adding their own grooves like I did.

[Tezzax5]

..

[Garry]

Applies to my SP

Shocks: Koni Yellow, re-grooved rear damper body dropping rear ride height 10mm. Set 3 blobs on the adjuster knob from full soft front/rear, or 4 blobs on the rear with the hardtop fitted.
Springs: Mazda
Strut brace(s): Stock
Sway bar(s): F:24mm non-adjustable R:14mm non-adjustable
Other:(i.e rollbar, fm brace's, bushes etc) non
Benefits: Brings back some of the feedback lost in the transformation from NA to NB. Improved rear traction off the line eliminating axle tramp and reducing wheelspin around corners negating the need for an LSD. Overall makes the car more responsive and \"chuckable\" through corners, while still maintaining a comfortable ride for every day driving.
Price(s): around $900
Why: (what made you do it?) I hated the rolly polly barge feel of the NB8B. It felt more like a Corolla than an MX5. It also felt light and nervous through corners, leaning heavily on the front loaded wheel while making the rear unloaded wheel very light. Not very confidence inspiring at all. But I still needed it to be civilised enough to drive every day or to take on the occassional 800km country backroad drive. I achieved all my goals. However technology has improved in the 5 years since I upgraded my suspension so there are probably better options available now.

[stevesports]

So what do you guys recommend to improve corner exit traction? I just get really annoyed that because i have a open diff, i just spin the inside wheel. I have a stock NB8B, of which i am going to get some Tein SS coilovers soon.