hustler

iTrader: (6)

how many people actually corner the car?

hustler

iTrader: (6)

I suppose they will, if you properly set them up. When I cornered my car, it transformed into something unreal. The only real technical data is what I have from a day at the track with some instruments, with my set-up and a guy with spec miata suspension. I'd love to actually get together with some people and see what what kinds of #'s can be generated with the high dollar suspensions, and where it compares to my trailer trash set-up. I'm also weary of my suspension's ability to handle 225 r-comps. I fear a revalve may be in my future, with higher spring rates. I don't think 450/375 will be able to handle that much tire.

Around here, most people just buy $2k suspension, bolt them on the car, and clown on poor people who don't have green shocks.

mr_mazda329

Not clownin here. I've been wanting to get my Ohlins corner weighted since I installed them. I just barely found a Spec Miata guy here that has scales. Corner weighting isn't big out here in vegas.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

I guess if I made more money, I'd spend more on suspension...but I'd really like to see how many more lat-g's the high dollar **** will hold over my budget set-up.

Machismo

iTrader: (1)

And I guess if I made more money, I'd have an engine setup like yours.
It's just priorities at that level.
Edit* Waits patiently for Hustler's daily delt smash *

Savington

iTrader: (31)

Lateral Gs aren't king, bud. A car that pushes like a ************ will return stupid-high skidpad figures. You need to look at overall laptimes, steering feel, response, ride quality, etc.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

so the car should be drivable when comparing performance? Holy ****!!!!

y8s

iTrader: (8)

does this help? I like my FLEX better than the Advance Designs I had before. Overall at least. I do miss the firmness of the monotubes though.

hustle errr, why not get some of the FM AFCOs and be all set?
http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?...6200++STANDARD

you could probably rebuild them yourself.

grippgoat

iTrader: (1)

I had Flex for a while, and didn't like them, because at least the rears were simply too short. They worked on track after I put about 30-35mm preload on the rears. But they sucked on the highway.

The Koni race shocks seem too short as well, according to what I've heard. I haven't gotten a chance to get up close and personal with them.

The best setup I've seen so far is custom-valved Koni sports (damping similar to race) with custom NB-based upper mounts that pull the shock shaft way up and hold it in a spherical bearing. Kinda similar to FM's rears. Tons of travel and great damping. Combined with 550/350 springs (GC-style perches and I think hypercoil springs).

-Mike

y8s

iTrader: (8)

yes, the flex are limited for rear stroke. I think that's one reason the FM AFCO setup is very good. They dont limit rear travel by including adjustable shock length. Adjustable shock length is unnecessary if you consider that the car can be lowered to tires rubbing fenders and have 7 inches of droop travel without using shorter shocks.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

yeah, I have no shame in admitting I have a stiffy for those. They're simple enough that I could set them up too. I doubt they'd sell me just one if I needed it though, and I'd like to know how much a revalve runs. I might consider them if I could get $600 for my current set-up.

y8s

iTrader: (8)

dude, you call up AFCO and tell THEM you need one. I'm sure they'd hook you up. Hell, call them now and ask if they'd do that.

hustler

iTrader: (6)

I'm not trying to buy suspension right now though.

JasonC SBB

The problem with Ohlins DFV is that the rear shock shaft travel is even shorter than Tein's. PCV's shorter still.

The problem with AFCO's is that they are twin tube with more hysteresis (non ideal behaviour, transient loss of damping) than Tein, though this is not such a huge deal. They also cannnot achieve what I consider proper levels of bump damping ... because they are twin tube.

The 2way adjustability of AFCOs are nice, but the damping curves of FCM are better than AFCO IMO - look at the reviews that stated the FCM's rode better - it's a neat thing that when a shock rides better on bumps than another with similar spring rates, the traction's better too.

Matt, the "firmness of the monotube" of your AD's that you miss is not from its being a monotube, it's from the low speed damping. It's a bit of a paradox that firm low speed damping makes the initial part of turn-in feel sharper, but it also has detrimental effects... it's all a compromise. Tein's soft low speed damping is why it feels like it's "gliding" over small undulations, and why it has quick "snick snick" settling.

Hey Savington, will you tell them about the time you tried to follow me on Stage Rd with your R tires and uberstiff suspension, and me on my street tires and 330/280 springs?

mr_mazda329

Wheres your proof. The Ohlins shock travel, especailly in the rear, is good.

JasonC SBB

Did you take an actual ruler or caliper to it?

There was a post in MF with actual DFV measurements. I think it was emilio who did it, and it was less than the Teins.

On the PCV, I had a set in my hands and I was shocked with the actual measurements. Even Keith @FM commented on the effect of the short travel on the PCV's.

Klar

I have DFV's on my 99 10AE and love them.
Thats all...

Savington

iTrader: (31)

I was airborne half the time, but that road has potholes I could trip into. On a flat, smooth autocross course, given the same tires, I bet my car would stomp yours. Hell, I even got Bob to agree with me last week that my car's transitional response cannot be matched by a softer setup.

JasonC SBB

And I'll bet my setup will lose less speed in autox than your setup will lose on roads like Stage.

Savington

iTrader: (31)

I'll gladly sacrifice performance on roads I wouldn't want to drive down in a Rolls Royce to gain performance on the other 99.9% of roads I drive on, including smooth racetracks and concrete runways.