Kris's MY08 NC

[Guran]

Did you notice the coilover fitting guide in the previous issue of Club Torque?

http://www.mx5.com.au/nsw/PDF%20Content ... 04_web.pdf

[kris]

Hey Guran,
Thankyou for the timely and excellent coilover guide! I think i will give this project a go as soon as i get a free day, and if it all goes pear shaped i will go cap in hand to the experts. Am i correct in saying that no spring compressors are required for the rear?

[Guran]

Replied to PM too ...

You've got new shockers to fit, right? I believe you will need spring compressors to separate your old springs from their shockers, and then same again to assemble the old springs with your new shockers. Charlie Brown could confirm this (he is the author of that coilover fitting guide).

[Sailor]

Hi Guran,
Kris has a set of Ohlin coilovers.
Kris you will need a spring compressor to remove the tophats and bushes from the rear shock so they can be reused.
You can do the job without but for a first timer, I'd not attempt it as It involved jacking up the rear shock in place then undoing the nut on the shock shaft and slowly release the jack.
Its a little dangerous and like I said not really a first time job.
Buy a cheapo set of compressors from Ebay or your local parts joint...under $30
BTW it's better to loosen the shaft nut while still in the car, don't remove it, just undo it a couple of turns before removing the entire assembly.

The fronts come out complete and will not need dismantling as the Ohlin has it's own top mount.
Both front and rear Ohlin can be assembled on the bench and the spring just preloaded as per the instructions before install.
Don't forget the thin 'plastic' gasket that fits on the front mount that is reused from the originals.
Adjust the height before install so the lower part of the Ohlin is about 6 turns further in than the groove that's cut in the body of the shock...you'll see it by unscrewing the lower part from the upper till you can see it.

Install, drop it back on the ground THEN after a bit of a bounce or a gentle drive JUST around the block, tighten the control arm bolts and adjust the height to about 6mm higher than you want the car..it'll settle a little.....you could adjust the height prior to tightening the bolts if it's way out.
Drive it, readjust and get it aligned.

Follow the maintenance instructions religiously by cleaning and lubing the body regularly so the ally doesn't freeze up.
Then drive the bastard...a lot!

[kris]

Brilliant, thanks for the sound advice, i'm really keen to get these bad boys installed. I've run through the different install instructions a few times, watched a couple of tutorials, and i think i'm capable of doing this job, apart from finding the brawn to turn the lower lock nut / height adjustment lock nut (which is on bloody tight) i think everything else shouldn't be tooooo hard!

[Charlie Brown]

Kris,
As per my instructions both in the Technical section of this Forum and as Bryan has printed in the Club magazine, the rear shock can be remove without the need for a spring compressor but it’s a bastard of a job with one person. You need a second pair of hands to lever down the lower arm to get clearance to the bottom of the shock to allow removal. I have a spring compressor but its shape and the location of the spring in the NC’s bodywork prevented me using it.

The Flex came fully assemble with its own top hats so I didn’t need to reuse the Mazda top hats. If you need to borrow a spring compressor give me a yell.

As Sailor said, adjust the preload to the manufacturers instructions before you install the shock because if the Ohlins are like the Teins, the multi link suspension on the NC can get in the road when you try and access the locking nuts, requiring you to slip a jack under the suspension and raise it to gain clearance to operate the ‘C’ spanners.
Have fun.

[CoffeeBoss]

Hey Kris,

was nice to meet you at the run on the weekend.

Wow - Ohlins. Seriously considering the same to replace my aging TEIN Super Streets.
Make sure you visit Stu once the Ohlins go in, and report back on them also.
By all reports, you should find them a considerable improvement over stock, and they are quite light too.
Actually, if you think of it, would be a good idea to chuck them on some scales and compare the weight to the standard shock/spring combo.
It's one of the benefits of going with the Ohlins. You should also find the ride comparable (some say better) than stock.

Those are some pretty serious tyres you've got yourself too.
As you would probably know from reading my thread I'm a pretty serious Michelin fanatic.

[kris]

Thanks Charlie I probably will give you a yell soon for those spring compressors once i finally get a day free to devote to this project- also my wife is getting a bit sick of the ohlins being in the house and sharing my attention!

It was great to finally meet you as well Mr C Boss! I really like these tyres, and after much advice mainly from Charlie Brown (also with regard to coilovers) I decided on the pilot sports. I was also aware that yourself and others on this forum spoke very highly of the michelin- i had never tried it so i couldn't wait to order these! Initially i was going to go with the ps3 but the michelin guys and a little research confirmed that the pss is meant to be a better tyre in everyway. I haven't had a chance to put these tyres on yet and infact i'm having a bit too much fun with the current tyres to make the change just yet

I will try and get an accurate weight for the suspension, but from the crude measurements i've taken so far the front is weighing in at about 3.0kg and the rears at 3.1kg but this is not very accurate!

Just need to sort out a helmet- tried a few on the other day at evolution racing, and then get into some track work

[kris]

OhlINs.

Well, the last month or so i've been too busy to get the suspension on my car done. Yesterday I had the day free and thought yep, i'm going to do it. Today, my Ohlins are installed by yours truly. (seriously!)

After meeting up with some mx5 mates at the Wednesday MB night and grabbing a few parts (thanks GMI for the jack stands) I got to work yesterday morning. I had another look at the instructions on line particularly the coilover install guide in the technical section (thanks Charlie Brown) BTW, forums and enthusiast groups like MX5CARTALK make things like what i achieved possible. I mean this in all seriousness, there is no way on earth i would have even considered doing this job with out the support of the MX5 Community.

Anyway, Prop'd Up the mx5 (which you all know just happens to be the best car that was ever made!), took out the olds and put in the news, front then back. Now I'm a complete amateur, and have never done anything more on a car than really just changing a tyre so this was pretty daunting but I got through it in about 9 hours For any other complete beginners like me who are thinking of doing something like this, i'm more than happy to share what i have learned, since for a beginner there are often things that just aren't mentioned in guides because i suppose often the people writing them just don't realise how beginner some people really are! Then you find out about those things mid job haha.

Sorry Coffee Boss - just couldn't find a scale to accurately weigh the stock vs OHlins but i'd say from guaging each one in my arms the Ohlins are perhaps 50% lighter? But infintely% sexier ;D

I installed the Ohlins at the height they arrived set at, took the car for a gentle once around the , ok, slightly bigger block, and then re-torqued everything. So far So good.

Next I am going to try lowering the car- i'm going for the reccommended 345mm all round, then let is settle, have a play with the firmness, put the new michelin supers on, before heading down to stu at spinning wheels to get the whole thing aligned and a good look over.

I Also need to figure out what to do with the strut tower brace. Drill some holes in it to put the adjuster through? Or get a new brace? As always advice welcome!

Then i'm going to mx5 track days and get taught how to really "drive".

[kris]

More Photos

[kris]

Few more

[Gmi]

OMG!!!

Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!! good work!!

National park or old PAC run time

[CheyneX5]

These coilovers really look the business. I probably should not have looked to see if they were available for NA...

[kris]

Thanks GMI and Cheyne, I love these coilovers... I didn't think it would be possible to love my car even more

Coilovers went in at 58180, quickly laid down 200km over the weekend crusing around the eastern suburbs... i thought this was a good test for the new suspension, well 5 minutes i think would be sufficient given the quality of Sydney roads. I played around with the stiffness settings... lots of joy Still working on height adjustment.

Eastern Sydney often resembles the motor show, rolls roycles, lambos, its all there cruising about. Here are some other cars i spotted that i really like.

[PaulF]

I think I recognise that NA, and it's parking spot...

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