NA6 - Daily drive - suspension options?

Craigp · Postby **Craigp** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:11 pm

Hi guys,

Looking for some help with replacements. Just had a suspension check and its wasn't a happy prognosis. Shocks are done, bump stops perished, lower bushes soft but apparently the springs are ok.

Car info: 1990 NA6, previous owner has done work to the car but did not provide a parts list so dont know what the current springs are. The car is lowered and I quite like the aggressive look it gives. Having said that would be happy to go up 1/2 and inch or so if that means not having to limp over speed humps in shopping centres.

198036_5375996484_5533_n.jpg

I use the car as my daily drive and haven't ever done any track work. Occasionally like to go out and find me some twists and turns for some fun but priority is not having to grit my teeth every time I hit a bump in the road.

Not really sure whether to go the coilover route or just replace the shocks. Would be very grateful for any ideas/advice.

Cheers,
Craig

hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 3:22 pm

Do you know what the shocks are?

OEM? adjustable? other?

Common ones are:

Koni - yellow shock body, with an adjustment knob on the top.
Stock - Black body with "showa" stamped into the lower body of the shock.
Bilstein - was stock for the clubman, not sure what they look like.

If you're happy with how it rides you can get KYB ExcelG for about $500, they are an OEM equivalent shock.

If you're prefer it to be a bit stiffer, you can then go for something like the Koni adjustables (but, they cost more)

If the springs are yellow they are probably Kings Springs, which work quite well with Koni adjustables from what I've read.

lee · Postby **lee** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 4:04 pm

I just got a set of Koni adjustable shocks from shox.com shipped to my door for $650

My first suspension mod was to replace the stock front sway bar with something thicker, and that tightened up cornering significantly. It still leans a bit from the stock shocks & springs, but turn in was dramatically improved.

Craigp · Postby **Craigp** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 4:27 pm

Just jacked the car up to have a quick look. Springs are red and couldnt find any markings on them. The shocks are Tokico U680 or something. From memory I think that the sway bars have been stiffened but have no idea how to confirm that lol
I have to drive over some real crappy roads each week so really need something that isnt too harsh

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hks_kansei · Postby **hks_kansei** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 4:48 pm

Hmm.

Red springs could be anything.

Off the top of my head there's:

Pedders
Autoexe
Mazdaspeed (from the SE)

They most likely aren't Mazdaspeed due to the flat base, and that they're lowered (NB springs raise an NA)
If they're Autoexe the brand should be stamped on a coil.

If they're pedders they won't have any stampings, Pedders used paper stick on labels (Which of course, fall off)

As for the shocks, Tokico do make stiffer shocks for MX5s, but they aren't common in Aust, and from my knowledge are coloured white/blue rather than black.
(note, I'm not too familiar with Tokico shocks at all, so might be wrong)

SuperMazdaKart · Postby **SuperMazdaKart** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 6:48 pm

I quite liked the KYB AGXs that I had installed to my NA6 when I had one. Dampening adjustable via an external knob on the shock absorber housing.

wassup · Postby **wassup** » Thu Jul 12, 2012 9:09 pm

I had a similar dilemma When I wanted to refresh the suspension on my NA. It's tough. The more you read the more you find the reviews contradict each other. Sure. If you're prepared to spend big dollars youre more likely to get the right result.

KYB's excel G are said to give near stock results. But that's with stock springs. It'll be beneficial for you to identify what springs you have if you want to match them up with a replacement set of shocks and get a predictable result.

I took a slight risk and went for a set of Bilstein NA replacement shocks. Again. Mixed reviews with some claiming a very harsh ride. I hoped that the shock mount kit and suitable bumpstops from flyin miata would give me a ride suitable for weekend drives and the odd spirited run with the breakfast run club and they have, so, for me, this combination with the stock springs have resulted in the car feeling much more modern with just the right ride height. I'm very pleased with how the car feels.

Good luck with your search!

mx5lover · Postby **mx5lover** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 12:49 am

lee wrote:I just got a set of Koni adjustable shocks from shox.com shipped to my door for $650

My first suspension mod was to replace the stock front sway bar with something thicker, and that tightened up cornering significantly. It still leans a bit from the stock shocks & springs, but turn in was dramatically improved.

Hi mate
$650 is a really good price.
BUT just confuse list price on shox.com is $648.8
Is that means the freight cost is less than $2 :?:

lee · Postby **lee** » Fri Jul 13, 2012 1:46 am

mx5lover wrote:
lee wrote:I just got a set of Koni adjustable shocks from shox.com shipped to my door for $650

My first suspension mod was to replace the stock front sway bar with something thicker, and that tightened up cornering significantly. It still leans a bit from the stock shocks & springs, but turn in was dramatically improved.

Hi mate
$650 is a really good price.
BUT just confuse list price on shox.com is $648.8
Is that means the freight cost is less than $2

I forgot the actual price, so i rounded it up to $650. You're right, it was $648.80. There was no shipping charge. No joking, I got a set of adjustable Konis from the US for that price, with free shipping.

Jace · Postby **Jace** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:42 pm

i daily drive my car with Yellowspeed coilovers, the dynamic sport ones. i thought i'd never have coilovers in a daily again but i checked out yellowspeeds in a friends car and was so impressed that i bought a set!
they're not much firmer than stock and they're height, preload and damping adjustable.

they're cheap for what they are i think, mine were $1025 delivered from Wholesale Suspension

davekmoore · Postby **davekmoore** » Mon Jul 16, 2012 11:30 pm

Coilovers are great if you get ones that adjust for rebound/compression and ride height/preload as you can make them do nearly whatever you want.

sailaholic · Postby **sailaholic** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:17 am

davekmoore wrote:Coilovers are great if you get ones that adjust for rebound/compression and ride height/preload as you can make them do nearly whatever you want.

Except if the valving is crap then they will never do what you want.

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Craigp · Postby **Craigp** » Tue Jul 17, 2012 6:07 pm

Jace wrote:i daily drive my car with Yellowspeed coilovers, the dynamic sport ones. i thought i'd never have coilovers in a daily again but i checked out yellowspeeds in a friends car and was so impressed that i bought a set!
they're not much firmer than stock and they're height, preload and damping adjustable.

they're cheap for what they are i think, mine were $1025 delivered from Wholesale Suspension

How do they cope with crappy roads/pot holes/bumps/rail crossings?

Just got car back from the mechanics..He is pretty sure that the springs are pedders. Told me that if I want a better ride that I need to raise the car

Then mentioned something about putting it back to stock shocks and springs

Jace · Postby **Jace** » Wed Jul 18, 2012 6:21 pm

i dodge potholes and bumps when i know where they are. they're a bit brutal over massive bumps, speedhumps for instance i take at the bottom of 2nd gear.

i drive pretty carefully when i don't know the roads or when i know the roads rough, partly because of the coilovers but mostly because i don't want to damage a wheel or two.