Suspension Setups

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Today I'm planning on Installing my Bilstein HD's, FM Springs and FCM Bump Stops. I can't wait to see how it handles. What have you got done and how do you like it?

Originally I was planning on sticking it out in E-stock this year but yeah... I like modding :cool:

[caseyfoster]

Are we doing this today?

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Oh yes. Need to amass lots of Gatorade, possible Taco Bell, no doubt countless visits to Pepboys, and a pint of vodka for the eventual celebration.

[thx712517]

2001 Mazda Miata C-Stock setup

RB 1.125" hollow front bar
Gearhead Garage adjustable end links
Koni Sport OTS adjustable shock absorbers
-1.5 front camber
-2.2 rear camber
Close to zero toe at all four corners
Front caster maxed out
Stock 15X6 Miata wheels painted black for ultimate speed
Very old V710 slicks

I like it a lot. Very good at transitions if you're smooth (my car doesn't like getting jerked around), takes a set quickly and is very easy to balance through a sweeper with the throttle. There's a bit more understeer than I could care for even with a decent pressure differential in the tires, which is why I'm looking into getting some of FCM's crazyweird bump stops.

[caseyfoster]

Sweet setup kevin, about how long have you been auto crossing?

[thx712517]

I started in 2007 a month after buying the car. I was 21 at the time, which is why the car is 21 CS. I only made it to two or three events total in 2007, so I ended up building up the car and getting ready for the 2008 season. I've been to every event for the ARSCCA this season, although I'll be missing the August 9th event because of the family vacation. I went from fifteen seconds behind first place to two seconds, sometimes less. I'll place first one of these days.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

wow that's quite a decrease in times, pretty much what I'm waiting for to happen to me.

[caseyfoster]

At all the auto crosses that i have been to that you were there, it seemed that you were absolutely raping the track. Keep up the good work, you should elaborate on your suspension set up a little more. Like what you have changed here and there to get better times at the track.

[thx712517]

Me raping the track? Really? Sam Mobley is the one I usually associate with autocross domination. He's come in first place for almost every race he's entered. The guy's my C-Stock idol, I look up to him and Jim and David and what they're able to do.

I recently fixed my front swaybar. I had used an impact gun on the bolts for the swaybar clamps and that had tightened it down so far the bar didn't actually move up and down without a considerable amount of force. I went back in there, added some washers, and tightened things down moderately. The bar moves very easily now without a hint of stubbornness. Of course I had to put on the Mazdaspeed swaybar mounts. Those things are a real ***** to install. Mazmart and R-Speed both refused to do it, and after I was finished, I understood why.

I run shocks at full stiff on all four corners. It's easy and repeatable. Tire pressure up front is usually 26 to 29 psi, with the rears at 24 to 25. Doing it that way helps me to keep the car planted in corners and lets me get onto the throttle pretty quick without worrying about spinning it out. I'm going to be playing around with the settings on the rear shocks at the test and tune August 30th, to see if I can soften them up a bit and run more equal tire pressures without introducing a lot more understeer into the car. The biggest thing that I'm always told is to look waaaaaay ahead, don't coast, and don't be afraid to spin out.

[simontibbett]

My setup right now:

Tein springs
KYB AGX shocks
Seam welded chassis
OPM strut bar
Flyin Miata sway bar
ALL metal bushings
Roll bar welded in
Dont remember my alignment specs.

I am going to upgrade though, shocks to something different, and a LOT stiffer springs.

[thx712517]

Who seam-welded your chassis? What difference did you notice after it was done?

[metalman]

My 'for looks' street setup :D.... Koni adjustables, Eibach ProKit springs, FCM bumpers, and on my project car, Konis, Ground Control coilovers w/crap *** cut oem bumps. Have NB tops on hand that I will likely convert to when I stop being lazy.

[simontibbett]

Who seam-welded your chassis? What difference did you notice after it was done?


Previous owner did it, not sure what difference, I know the car is a rock though and not the most comfortable dd lol but I like it like that ;)

[caseyfoster]

Great write-up guys, solid information there. Tell your other miata autox buddies to get on here and throw down some of their information.

[redrumracer]

all i have is sleeved coil overs that came with the car :(

[ToddN]

95 car

Ground controls on AGXs with NB tops
RB hollow front sway, rear was too much went back to stock
Poly bushings

Bushings are brand new so only street driven on them. The rest seems pretty effective.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

How much did the NB tops cost mate? I was thinking of a set of them before I put my new stuff on.

[metalman]

If you order the parts from Mazda required to add NB tops to your NA, it comes to about $90ish

[redrumracer]

How much did the NB tops cost mate? I was thinking of a set of them before I put my new stuff on.


a whole new top mount stuff for my nb cost right at 45 bucks (no bump stops tho) i believe and that was from the dealership right there in athens near the sonic where simon does the athens meats........ i mean meets.

[Otto]

Great write-up guys, solid information there. Tell your other miata autox buddies to get on here and throw down some of their information.


IM STOCK! :D

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Ah well I installed the setup with the NA mounts, couldn't be arsed to wait for the NB ones. Next time then!

The Bilstein HD's with Fm springs and FCM bumpstops feel brilliant so far.

[Grantri]

I'm REALLy happy with my suspension mods. Did em one at a time so I could get a feel for things before I progressed

I'm running Koni sports w/ stock springs on the lowest perch,set about halfway to firm (a bit stiffer in the front IIRC) with the stock NA mounts, FCM bumpstops and boots (I'd have to look up which ones) Flying Miata Sways set as they recommend. I did all this before I put any decent tires on her, it was actually pretty fun to slide the thing around for a while.

Mounted 195/55R14 Toyo T1R's and yahoo!!

Car is comfortable as a DD,completely predictable and "tossable" and a total hoot to drive. I have no doubt that there is "more" to be had with some other set ups but the combination of comfort and performance is making me grin every time I drive the thing! I run out of balls before I run out of grip and the tires even work well in the rain

It's time to do some work on the wife's 92, its got 200K on the original shocks. Sway bars are a no brainer, and I'll probably add some chassis bracing on that one too. I'm thinking about going with the new Koni STR.T's as the price is right. Anyone have any feedback on those units yet?

[lance]

Me raping the track? Really? Sam Mobley is the one I usually associate with autocross domination. He's come in first place for almost every race he's entered. The guy's my C-Stock idol, I look up to him and Jim and David and what they're able to do.

I recently fixed my front swaybar. I had used an impact gun on the bolts for the swaybar clamps and that had tightened it down so far the bar didn't actually move up and down without a considerable amount of force. I went back in there, added some washers, and tightened things down moderately. The bar moves very easily now without a hint of stubbornness. Of course I had to put on the Mazdaspeed swaybar mounts. Those things are a real ***** to install. Mazmart and R-Speed both refused to do it, and after I was finished, I understood why.

I run shocks at full stiff on all four corners. It's easy and repeatable. Tire pressure up front is usually 26 to 29 psi, with the rears at 24 to 25. Doing it that way helps me to keep the car planted in corners and lets me get onto the throttle pretty quick without worrying about spinning it out. I'm going to be playing around with the settings on the rear shocks at the test and tune August 30th, to see if I can soften them up a bit and run more equal tire pressures without introducing a lot more understeer into the car. The biggest thing that I'm always told is to look waaaaaay ahead, don't coast, and don't be afraid to spin out.


A couple of points on your post.
1. never use an impact gun to tighten anything on your car. Get a decent torque wrench and tighten to spec, you car will love you and you will be thankful when you want to take things apart.

2. Saw your tire pressures and have a concern that they are too low for autocross. I spent a lot of time autocrossing my Plus 8 Morgan. 205 tires, lighter car, and I was using in the high 30 lb range.

run a chalk line down the side of your tire, do a few sharp turns at speed and see how much of the chalk is worn off on the side wall. You don't want a lot of the chalk wearing off of the side wall, rolling over too much means you need more pressure

Lance
Admitted old guy with lots of experience modding and racing cars

[MeFryRice]

^^ Some good advice there. I've used the chalk trick numerous times before auto-xing in the past.

[thx712517]

Tire pressures are based on what Sam was running, they do good but I'll probably bump it up a tad before Points #9 since I could see some sidewall deflection in one of the last photos of my car. V710s have a pretty stiff sidewall (spent an hour or two fighting those things onto the wheels) and I've been told I can get away with lower, but...

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Is there really enough increase in grip from running a lower pressure to offset the benefits of running high pressure and added stiffness?

Or I suppose you want to find the lowest pressure where the tyre walls stop rolling and the handling is at its mos balanced.

[amaff]

1992 Miata
Koni RACE valved yellows all around
Koni threaded sleeves
Hyperco springs (700#/in (f) / 450#/in (r))
Racing Beat 1 1/8" front sway
Gearhead garage endlinks
No rear sway bar

Front
camber -2.5
caster 4.5
toe 1/8" out

Rear
camber -2.0
toe 1/16 in

I haven't weighed it in a while, but after the weight reduction I've done, having weighed it earlier this year, it should be around 2050 lbs (hopefully less ;))

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

That's like a much stiffer version of mine. I'm not sure of my camber and etc with the new springs and struts, it definitely sits lower and looks like it's got alot more. What've you removed for weight savings?

[amaff]

That's like a much stiffer version of mine. I'm not sure of my camber and etc with the new springs and struts, it definitely sits lower and looks like it's got alot more. What've you removed for weight savings?


about 10 lbs in the seats, 20 lbs of power steering, and 50 lbs of rollbar. The AC was removed last year long before I originally weighed the car, so I'm not sure how much that saved me. I was 2130 at the beginning of the season. A quick 'n dirty number crunch (as I don't have all the exact figures in front of me) should put me right at 2050 lbs. I've also got less weight in the wheels, tires, and lug nuts (LOL), so you can subtract those too. Hopefully a lightweight battery is next to shave another 15 lbs or so :D

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

You taken the front teeth off? Tommy, aka Roadster is obsessed with removing nice things for weight. Do you still have carpet out of curiosity:whistle:?