Rate your suspension

[Range Runner]

There are so many suspension options for a MX5. & most of them have been tried & tested right here. So how do you rate your current set up? How does it compare to others you've tried? Was it good value for money? Would you buy it again? & if not, what would you buy?
I've got Pedders XA Sports pack, with ride height adjustable shocks & beefed up sway bars. I wanted to get Billsteins, but couldn't source any out of the US, & they're too expensive to buy here. I'm very happy with the set up I've got. I put a new set of Potenza's on the same day, & that just completed the package. The car is extremely well planted. Though TBH there's not enough hp left in my tired old motor, to get close to getting out of shape. No matter how hard I try .
I think it's very good value for money. I paid $2600 fitted, & that included rubbers & tie rod ends. Fulcrum wanted $3500 for Tein shocks & sway bars only. I had standard Pedders shocks in my last NA, & never found them wanting. So not only would I buy Pedders again, I already did!
If they wear badly, & I need to fit something else, prematurely. I'd try & source some Billsteins from the States. But overall I'd rate my current set up as 9 out of 10. How about you?

[Juffa]

overall I'd rate my current set up as 9 out of 10. How about you?

Gary, If you want 10 out of 10 replace your suspension bushes. The Superpro bushes have a very good reputation amongest Aussie MX-5 owners.

As for rating suspension, this is very subjective...is the car a daily driver, or a track car. Is the owner after a hard ride or a soft ride. What was their budget?

I have had Koni Sport Shocks, with king springs. I had to cut the rear bumpstops to gain some travel. I found this setup to be quite firm, and tiring as a daily driver. 7 out 10.

I then had some Mazdaspeed coilovers that I bought from a wreckers. I was told that they had only done 20,000Km. Did'nt quite feel right so I had them checked out, turns out they were stuffed. Threw them out. 0 out of 10.

Now I have Tein Flex coilovers, with apexi tophats for more rear travel. Much more compliant than the Koni/King combination, yet provides heaps of confidence. The overall body of the shock can be reduced, thus allowing adjustable ride height without affecting suspension travel. Combined with Super Pro bushes and adjustable sway bars. 11 out of 10.

IMHO of course.

J

[rascal]

Rating a suspension is so open to interpretation its not funny,as one mans 9 is another mans 3,
however;

I've got Tein SS, 392lb f, 280lb r, (about 0.5 inch(?) lower than stock) Superpro bushes all round, offset, F&R adj ARBs.
10/10 for track work, which is what car is used for. Very balanced, neutral handling.
2/10 for road, (waay too stiff for me even with shocks on soft) which it only does 2 or 3 times a year.

Tiens were around $1900 fitted (DIY), Bars were ~ $400 fitted (DIY) and bushes were around $500 fitted (pedders).
For me a brilliant setup for the relatively cheap costs. (compared to some options/vendors)

My subjective 2c
Rus

[Caffeine]

Bilstein / mazdaspeed combination from an SE here, with superpro bushes. I'm quite happy with it, but if I did it again I'd go OEM rubber bushes instead of the superpros. They're too harsh for inner Sydney's crap roads...


Suspension was $400 from Boyracer, bushes were $600ish, plus fitting (I did the rears, Mania did the fronts for $350)

As for a rating, well, the only other suspension I've had on my car is 2 sets of stock, both of which were quite tired after 100000km, so the current setup is far nicer.

I've dríven other cars with tien SS's and bilstein PSS9's, both of which were very nice, but I think my budget setup offers 80% of the performance for 20% of the price

[hks_kansei]

I've got Tein SS, 392lb f, 280lb r, (about 0.5 inch(?) lower than stock) Superpro bushes all round, offset, F&R adj ARBs.
10/10 for track work, which is what car is used for. Very balanced, neutral handling.
2/10 for road, (waay too stiff for me even with shocks on soft) which it only does 2 or 3 times a year.

I always thought that Tein SS was supposedly relatively soft for a coilover? (never been in a car with coilovers, going off internet info)

or have you got stiffer springs in that the off theshelf ones?

[rascal]

I always thought that Tein SS was supposedly relatively soft for a coilover? (never been in a car with coilovers, going off internet info)

or have you got stiffer springs in that the off theshelf ones?

I did choose the spring rates I wanted, however I went softer in the rears from the std 392/336 (7kg/6kg) they usually come with,
to better maintain the 1.5:1 f:r ratio that seems to work best with NBs..

With these, superpros, and F&R bars it is a very rough ride (to me) on the road, and bottoms out easily on anything resembling a large bump.

However some run the jap spec ones (560lb/450lb 10kg/8kg I think) and say they are great on the road, so very much personal taste..

[Caffeine]

I did choose the spring rates I wanted, however I went softer in the rears from the std 392/336 (7kg/6kg) they usually come with,
to better maintain the 1.5:1 f:r ratio that seems to work best with NBs..

With these, superpros, and F&R bars it is a very rough ride (to me) on the road, and bottoms out easily on anything resembling a large bump.

However some run the jap spec ones (560lb/450lb 10kg/8kg I think) and say they are great on the road, so very much personal taste..

Could be that you're sitting on the bump stops because the springs are too soft, and any suspension is then bump stop / superpro bush, which would be very harsh...

[mx52nv]

Subjective as this thread is, I have fitted so many different set-ups to MX5s over the last decade that I will contribute my say.

Categorised in three price ranges.

1) Best 'off the shelf' MX5 suspension I have ever fitted was a set of OHLINS DFV.
Cost: $3,000-$3,500
Rated: 10/10 for both street and track.
Ignore all the BS you hear about having to rebuild them often and get a set if you can afford it.
*PSS9 and TEIN MONOFLEX rates a mention in this price range but I preferred the OHLINS on the limit to the PSS9 and the OHLINS were more livable then the MONOFLEX on a daily basis due to spring rates.

2) TEIN FLEX in the $2,000-$3,000 price range.
Cost: $2750 or so
Rated: 8/10 with more emphasis on track then the street

3) Koni Adjustable Yellow Sport shocks with Eibach Pro-Kit Springs
Cost: $1500 or less
Rated: 7/10 with better compliance on the street than Kings but still very capable on the track.

Other components like SuperPro bushes, Whiteline Adjustable Anti-sway bars & End Links, Roll bars, etc all contribute to the added handling capabilities of the MX5 but for complete coilover suspension replacements, these are my humble recommendations barring any other parts. And I have tried pretty much everything.

Regards,
Les @ MX5 Shop
P.S. anyone got a set of 949 Racing XIDA suspension for review?

[rascal]

Could be that you're sitting on the bump stops because the springs are too soft, and any suspension is then bump stop / superpro bush, which would be very harsh...

I doubt it, as it didnt hit the bump stops with std springs and I'm now more than double the std spring rate (think thats 162f/118r) and run almost the same ride height.
I'm pretty sure its just a combination of the heavier springs and the bigger roll bars stiffening it up.

[Fatty]

i agree with rascal - i have tein ss , bigger adj bars and superpro bushes. it's a very firm ride, too firm for my tastes especially on the awful roads here in coburg. i can live with it (just) but my girlfreind hates being a passenger in my car now. however on the track, it's superb.

[Range Runner]

Best 'off the shelf' MX5 suspension I have ever fitted was a set of OHLINS DFV.
Cost: $3,000-$3,500
Rated: 10/10 for both street and track.
Ignore all the BS you hear about having to rebuild them often and get a set if you can afford it.
*PSS9 rates a mention in this price range but I preferred the OHLINS on the limit to the PSS9.

Ohlins make shocks for an MX5!?! Aw Man, if I'd have known that 3 weeks ago, I would've got them. Especially after a rap like that, & this good price I just found on the net. http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda-Pe ... -0015.html
Anyone want to buy a set of barely used Pedders shocks?

[Nark]

I have the Tein SSs and SuperPro bushes and I find the setup perfectly compliant. It tends to aggressively chase dips in the roads but it's not harsh, just not a magic carpet ride.

I do live in Canberra where the roads are really nice, though.