Lachstock and Four Turbo Charged Cylinders ['04 NB SE]

[ManiacLachy]

I have sent my v2.0 Elise seat mount design to the laser cutter.
...

They do look very good, and looks like it should allow the seat to travel further back than the Flipside Customs. The Flipside brackets put the front seat mount directly above the front rail mount, when the seat is racked fully back this ends up leaving a couple of inches between the seat back and the rear wall. Where as yours clearly put the seat mount behind the rail mount which will mean the seat back should end up closer to the wall, nice.

Your's probably weigh a little more than the Flipside's, being one big piece rather than 3 smaller bits, but yours looks like it would be a lot more sturdy, and certainly less fiddly.

While a floor mount would be my next biggest want, I will for sure check these out when they're made. They look like they address all the little issues that I simply can't over come with a trip to the hardware store.

Also, in my head this is what the change in back angle is like:

I am a white middle aged man, and I'm not afraid to drive like it!

[ManiacLachy]

My fuel economy went to poop.


Little umbrella man courtesy of a friend who saw the funny side

This happened once before, a hose clamp was loose. Different clamp this time, it was one up behind the fuel filter. Thankfully a quick job to fix after I got home from work, but a bit concerning none the less.

I think I need to look into a better solution under there.

[bruce]

It's a bit dark. Can you light a match?
!

[ManiacLachy]

As noted elsewhere, I went out to Magpie's on the weekend to join him and Daffy in some wrenching. Well, I really only intended to chat, but in light of my fuel issues earlier in the week I decided I should triple check every clamp in the fuel system (Dann asked me if I did this, and I had to admit I was too stupid to do so earlier in the week )


Photo shamelessly stolen from Daffy's thread

As I was getting ready to put the car back down I noticed a bolt missing from my chassis bracing Daffy's mechanic Darren had a look under there, found another empty bolt hole and soon determined that many of them had stripped threads, it seems someone has been a bit overzealous with a rattle gun (it wasn't me)

This is likely why I get some squeaking from time to time, it's the bracing moving about. So I've promptly ordered a variety of bolts, both OEM and general to solve this. Probably going to need some helicoil's or the like as well. But I can fix this. In the meantime, I'm not taking corners too aggressively.

I've also decided I will get all my new control arms blasted and powder coated. This means the front upper ball joint needed to be pushed out, and replacements ordered. There's a rumour this can't be done, but there's also a few write ups of it being done, and Moog create a ball joint for this very purpose. I commandeered Magpie's press to knock these out, nice and easy.
https://did-it-myself.com/miata-moog-ball-joint-boot/
http://www.moog-suspension-parts.com/moog-k500210


Popped right out, a little bit of grease splooge from the torn boots

Magpie actually had a replacement ball joint among his many parts, so I measured the OD of his new ball joints, the ID of the control arm and the OD of my old pressed out ball joints and I think it'll all work out. And if not, I've got my stock front uppers still there and I can use them with their old ball joints if I have to.

Beers on Sunday night at home, the can lid on this blew me away!


This is the future!

[Magpie]

You are more than welcome anytime ManiacLachy to use the shed/tools. I wish you would have left behind your SADFab bushing kit!

[ManiacLachy]

Thanks Magpie, the hospitality you and Tess provide is always much appreciated! I'm going to great effort to make use of that SADFab kit, I won't be handing it over Besides, I think it's time you got off the poly and onto the delrin/sphericals.

[greenMachine]

You are more than welcome anytime ManiacLachy to use the shed/tools. I wish you would have left behind your SADFab bushing kit!

I have one, but like ML, I am hanging on to it for my SE. However ...

I also have the full SADFab delrin bushings kit, plus the spherical knuckles, from the racecar part-out. Being a part-out, they are available - either in the arms or I can remove them, or I could do a swap for your arms. So what is your excuse now?

[ManiacLachy]

Do it, Magpie!

[ManiacLachy]

As mentioned, 2 weekends ago at Magpie's I found two bolts missing from my rear chassis bracing, and a few of the bolts were stripped. This was making the car do squeak and creak, and was surely making the car a little loose, if not worse.

When I got home that Sunday night I ordered some hardware from Collier & Miller (https://www.colliermiller.com.au/), they arrived Tuesday, great service I highly recommend them. I also ordered OEM replacements from Amayama, but they'll take a little while longer to get in.

So, this weekend I threw the car into Hover Mode and got to work! I chased each bolt and hole with a die or tap as needed. The brace attaches at 8 points, 4 in the rear subframe, and 4 into the body work (grouped in 2 clusters of 2). In the end I had 4 OEM bolts that were usable and had to use 4 of my Collier & Miller bolts. I used my 4 OEM bolts in the 4 points that go into the body, and the other 4 points got the new hardware.


A familar sight lately


Tap and die, cleaning the threads before use

One of the subframe threads was unsalvageable, the bolt screwed in but wouldn't torque, I could feel the threads stripping. So in this spot I put a washer and nut on the top and was able to torque it down, this thread is a candidate for a helicoil fix, but this works very well too. Every other point went in nicely.


New bolt versus wrecked bolt. And a new bolt into one of the subframe locations, in one of these spots I had to put a waser and nut on top to torque it down

The test drive was excellent, the car felt noticeably stiffer and the creaking and squeaking was completely gone. Great success.

I also made a few tweaks to my tune which was also successful. It's the little tweaks that take time to identify and implement, but really smooth the drive out.

[Magpie]

Good news!

[Lokiel]

I'm paranoid about stripped bolts these days and always try and hand-tighten as much as possible before resorting to the ratchet for final tightening.
When it comes to suspension though, sometimes the ratchet gun is necessary and I pray I don't strip the bolt - if it tightens down though you usually know you're OK.

[Gladiator]

I'm paranoid about stripped bolts these days and always try and hand-tighten as much as possible before resorting to the ratchet for final tightening.
When it comes to suspension though, sometimes the ratchet gun is necessary and I pray I don't strip the bolt - if it tightens down though you usually know you're OK.

Come on Lokiel, The only time I don't use my rattle gun is when it won't fit in the space.

[Daffy]

I got Darren a bottle of Grey Goose vodka today and told him that was from both of us

[Okibi]

Glad you fixed it, but sucks you had to in the first place.

[ManiacLachy]

I got Darren a bottle of Grey Goose vodka today and told him that was from both of us

I think I'll have to buy you a drink or two now! Maybe not the Absinth though

Anyway, yesterday over a month after ordering it I finally received a new shift knob from Moddiction. Holy balls their customer service communication is woeful. This was the 3rd time I attempted to order one from them, they just don't respond to email, and ordering internationally you have to email because their shipping calculator want's to charge you ~$150 for shipping!

So the product is good. It's nice and heavy, its smooth and feels great in hand. I really liked the shape of my old Voodoo, but I couldn't align the shift pattern any more. I needed another 1/4 turn to get it right, but the knob was bottomed out, and 3/4 back the other way was far too loose. I guess multiple re-fittings must have stripped the threads inside (seems to be my theme lately). I decided I wanted a heavier knob to help with the MiataRoadster SSK, and the Moddiction Anvil fit the role.

It's doesn't have the lip on the bottom like the Voodoo and so it sits a little lower. The threads are countersunk like the Voodoo, but unlike the Voodoo the hole is quite wide before the threads, allowing you to fit some jam nuts (included) within the neck to raise the knob a little if you like.


New vs old

I think a weighted knob like this is great with a stock height SSK, the extra heft makes shifts a lot easier. With a normal shifter probably not necessary and with a tall SSK I don't think it's needed.

Moddiction use a brass insert inside the knob to adapt to the various threads used in shifters by manufacturers. This insert wasn't secure on mine, I took my knob off to apply a little lock tight to the shaft and the insert was left behind on the shifter. I guess I'm going to need to lock tight both the insert and the shifter shaft.


Brass insert left behind


Before and after. If you tilt your head you could still read the shift pattern!