NC Lowering - Newbie question

[Mick93]

The biggest problem I had with thing Kings were there inconsistency in manufacture. When we put the the springs in a \"shock dyno\" each leg was noticeably different the compression load was up to 20% different and the rebound of the spring was up to 30% I was told by my friend (who imports Ohlins and sets up most of the V8 supercars) that this was down to the tempering process of the spring. This makes it hard to set your shocks up and I had Koni adjustable sports. I know that Eibach say they test there spring I imagine to stop this sort of inconsistency. Without driving a NC with Kings I suppose it is hard to tell. I would imagine there are god Kings and bad ones Lou who has had about a million MX5's now also commented to me he tried a NA with Kings/Konis and said the same thing as I so maybe they have a better spring for the NC.

[Mr Morlock]

Mick93 sounds like a bloke who knows what he is talking about. The one thing that jumps out at me is that quality suppliers are ones that produce consistency and that only comes about through Quality systems and their application. The guy in the street often does not really know what he is buying. There are few suppliers around who possess the standards demanded by the OEM car makers. We often have to rely on guys like Mick to help out in the selection process.

[Murphster]

I have decided to go with Racing Beat springs. I have ordered them from Go Miata for $184 the set - not a bad price.

I chose them mainly because of the drop, no more than 15mm and yet they still give an overall rate increase of 25% (Haha, I have not idea what that means but as the Mazda speed ones quote 26% increase for double the drop it sounds good to me!)

I really wanted to avoid lowering the car too much but do believe it needed to be lowered somewhat as it just does not look right the way it is at the moment.

They were designed especially for the MX-5 stock shocks, so I am hoping I have made the right choice.

[Murphster]

So got my Racing Beats fitted and am very happy with them. Not lowered too much and they seem to sit just perfect, the rim nicely follows the curve of the wheel equal all round (does that make any sense?).

Anyway just as I wanted, The pictures really do not do it justice, bit dark in my car park so will try to take some pics in the sunlight over the weekend. I guess they might drop a little more once settled?? or maybe not, I have no idea what I am talking about.

[wun911]

Looks ok not scraping the tops of speed bumps are you?
With a small drop do you notice any diference around the corners?

[Murphster]

Looks ok not scraping the tops of speed bumps are you?
With a small drop do you notice any diference around the corners?

To be honest not really given her a decent drive to test her out. She certainly feels stiffer and somehow more solid (hard to put into right words) but only been driving in the city since it was done.

Certainly not low enough to hit speed bumps, probably only lowered 15mm at the most, so not much at all but just enough for arches to fit nicely around the wheels which was my only issue with the car. Exactly why I went for the RB springs in the first place.

[@ndrew]

Doesn't look lowered

Springs haven't settled yet...

[mx5racing]

you could go for the \"fully dropped\" look.



Handles great on a very smooth road......... other times its about as handy as a hip pocket in a pair of speedos.....

[@ndrew]

Whats the setup on that

[mx5racing]

Whats the setup on that

Tein Flex shocks all round and Whiteline adjustable bars.

Similar to our race cars and they hang on pretty well.... at least on the track

[Murphster]

Doesn't look lowered

Springs haven't settled yet...

Yeah, but weird that the pics do not show it, def lowered, noticed it from a mile away when I picked her up from the garage. Even the scraped the bottom when exiting my car park (which is something I always did in the SP23, now it is only when my wife is in the car!!).

Will take some pics in the daylight, think the reflection from the flash on the wheel arches somehow make this look higher than it is. It actually has turned out to be a perfect hight.

[colster3]

After driving a Volkswagen Golf GTi as a company car when I get back into the NCLE it feels a bit like a boat. Boy that GTi is a bone shaker. Thought I was gonna need a weekly chiropractor's visit when I first got it.


I have been watching Charlie Brown's progress with interest as Mrs Colster reckons I have enough cars to modify now (with ex-Nick & Matilda car)

I would think twice about the lowering more than the 15mm. Our tow car, a V6 Vienta is lowered and Mrs C gives me grief after every visit to the major shopping mall. (For 10 years now )