Want to lower - Most recommended method

[russman]

Hi guys, I'm going to lower my MX5 by chopping the springs.

(Just kidding!)

Here's my ride height right now:

(Front)


(Rear)


I'm looking close that wheel gap by at least 30mm and maybe at most 40-50mm. I'm daily driving this Five, so ride comfort is more important than track ability.

I initially thought coilovers were my best bet but having come across the Koni Shocks and King Springs idea being more comfortable, I'm lead to believe I know nothing!

What's your opinion? Any links and sites for prices would be greatly appreciated!

Russ

[Magpie]

Measure from the pinch welds in the first instance.

Coilovers are the most adjustable way and allows for customisation. However they do need to be setup correctly. If you lower without taking into account the shock length you could be loosing suspension travel and this will change the ride.

You could chop bump stops to get more travel but bump stops are an integral part on a MX5's suspension and again ride will be affected.

What is your intended purpose and budget? Do you have the time to setup the coilovers or would you prefer an off the shelf solution?

[davekmoore]

IMHO the only way to lower a Sunlight Silver one is coilovers. I may know where you can get a used set installed by a MX5er near you. PM me if you'd like info.

[russman]

davekmoore wrote:
IMHO the only way to lower a Sunlight Silver one is coilovers. I may know where you can get a used set installed by a MX5er near you. PM me if you'd like info.


Thanks Dave, I'll have to see what type of suspension set up I go for and then I might get in contact!

Magpie wrote:

What is your intended purpose and budget? Do you have the time to setup the coilovers or would you prefer an off the shelf solution?


I'll re-measure tomorrow from the pinch weld, had to google what that was haha. I'm intending to lower the car in the hopes that the wheels sit more flush against the guard, I like the look of less wheel gap. I drive the MX5 every day, so a more forgiving ride is needed, especially for my girlfriend. My budget is approximately $1000 +- $200

Setting up coilovers would be doable but I would rather not as I study part time, work full time and have sport training three times a week. An off the shelf solution would be ideal but again, I'm open to sacrifice ease for longevity.

[zossy1]

At that money, I'd recommend BC BR coilovers at 8kg/6kg spring rates.

[davekmoore]

At that money, I'd recommend BC BR coilovers at 8kg/6kg spring rates.

These could be the answer. If they're adjustable for compression and rebound they will also allow you to tune the car for track or road use. Tuned for the road they, or other coilovers, will be more comfortable than a standard setup, even if lowered, if done properly.
The solution I mentioned by PM, although way more expensive when new, may be possible within your budget with the used kit I think is still available. Let me know if you want me to enquire for you.

[ManiacLachy]

While BC BRs (and other coilovers in that price bracket) are around $1200, if he get's them professionally setup and installed, as recommended several times, the total cost will be pushed outside his budget. Could he do the setup and install himself? Yeah, but if this is his first set of coilovers and he's not that familiar chances are it won't work out well.

If budget is the main driving factor, and lowered ride height with comfort is the goal, maybe a cheaper setup with less adjustability is the way to go? Or, whatever dave has up his sleave.

[Magpie]

Yes setup and installation can be done at home. There are a lot of guides for changing the MX5 suspension using the long bolt method as this is the best and possibly quickest way. All you need is 4 car stands and common tools. However the long bolt is a 22mm (at least on mine) and not everybody has this size spanners. Possibly other forum members could help or organise a Dodgy Day

There are guides normally included with whatever coilover you decide on as to setting them up. Most will have the height adjusted from the bottom collar which is fine for most people. If you have the time setting up the length of the shock first and then setting height by preload is a much better way, but this is time intensive. Even better would be to set shock length first, height via preload and then corner weight.

I set my coilovers up via the bottom collar method initially, however when I went to the shock length method the car gained 27mm of suspension travel!

[zossy1]

As Magpie mentioned - easy home install in around 3 hours. He will need an alignment once they are installed though.

[Lokiel]

As Magpie mentioned - easy home install in around 3 hours. He will need an alignment once they are installed though.

"3 hours" if you've done it before and have ALL the tools, including a rattle gun - and that time doesn't include getting your ride height correct.

Keith Tanner's books indicate 6 hours which, now that I've done several installations, is about right IF you've done it before and have ALL the tools - especially a rattle gun.

Getting the ride height correct takes time since it involves jacking one side of the car up, adjust the front and rear height, then lowering the car again to check the height. This usually takes multiple iterations so gets old quick - this is where having FM frame rails saves a bit of time, you can jack the car up under the middle of the rail. Even then, you really need to do it again after a few days because the springs will settle even lower.

My first installation took 11 hours because I'd never done it before, I had no rattle gun, and the recommended method of removing the rear shocks wouldn't work for my SE (I needed an additional 10mm of clearance to get them out which wasn't there - this seems to affect SE's only so maybe their Bilstein rear shocks are longer?) yet I stubbornly persisted with it for over an hour before resorting to my own means.

Don't be afraid to do the installation yourself, the "long-bolt" method is well documented on the web and the whole process just takes time. You'll need 2x21mm wrenches for the "long bolt" method to remove the front shocks (consider a "shout out" on the forum to borrow these since you probably wont use them for anything else - mine are available to anyone in the Brisbane area if they want to borrow them) and if you don't have a rattle gun yet, buy one, it's one of the best tools you'll use on your car. I love my Ryobi cordless rattle gun, rusted/never-removed-before bolts are no longer an issue (make sure that you buy proper impact wrench sockets though - Kincrome make a very nice set) - it makes wheel changeovers easy too.

[Magpie]

Lokiel thanks it was 21mm and not 22mm as I posted (I could not remember but I have 2 x spanners now specifically for this job).

I agree on the time taken, it took me ages the first time I did mine. However now I can corner weight the car from thinking about it to finish in about 3 hours now.

[zossy1]

As Magpie mentioned - easy home install in around 3 hours. He will need an alignment once they are installed though.

"3 hours" if you've done it before and have ALL the tools, including a rattle gun - and that time doesn't include getting your ride height correct.

Keith Tanner's books indicate 6 hours which, now that I've done several installations, is about right IF you've done it before and have ALL the tools - especially a rattle gun.

Fair call - I have done it in 2 hours with a rattle gun and hoist but you're right - that did not include ride height adjustment.

It is still a very manageable job at home with normal hand tools. And unlike almost everyone else, I use the San Diego Miata Club method (google if interested) which does not require removal of the long bolt but does necessitate the removal of the lower ball joint from the lower control arm.

[russman]

Thanks for the responses so far guys, I'm in the good books with a panel beater who has a hoist so that could reduce time by a fair margin

[russman]

It would be my first set of coilovers so I'd be leaning to the 11 hour mark if I go down that avenue. I don't think I'd be adjusting the suspension often, it would have to be a very rare occasion to be honedt

[Lokiel]

It would be my first set of coilovers so I'd be leaning to the 11 hour mark if I go down that avenue. I don't think I'd be adjusting the suspension often, it would have to be a very rare occasion to be honedt

If you have a rattle gun and can remove the rear shocks in the standard MX5 manner, I reckon 8-9 hours would be more realistic for a first-timer on his own.

Additional Tips:

* NEVER use 12-point sockets for suspension nuts/bolts, or any large bolts, they'll round the nut/bolthead - always use 6-point sockets.

* The top rear shock nuts can be hard to remove if they start rounding, especially those on the passenger side since the fuel lines make them harder to access. I prefer to use impact sockets in my socket wrench instead of regular sockets for most suspension jobs since they fit much tighter than regular sockets so are less likely to round the nut.

* Swaybar nuts/bolts are notorious for rounding, especially if they've never been removed before (I once had to cut the nut off with a Dremel to remove it - not fun in summer working inside the wheel arch). I've never had a problem with them using an impact wrench and impact sockets though; prior to the impact wrench, I actually bent a cheapo 6-point ring spanner trying to remove one swaybar bolt.

* The 21mm ring spanners will most likely be 12-point rings - I've never had an issue with these rounding the bolthead, probably because it's so big.

* Start with the front shocks first, after doing them, the rears are "a doddle".