I see numbers on a spring.....that is all.

Nuh uhh...

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...0d3602d0dd.jpg

Def on the ground. Very, very close to the ground I might add...

I am very confused. What the hell is going on here?

Gordon is working on the clubroadster lifestyle, waiting for the delivery of his new stance 6ULs.

--Ian

G, u good man? The guy that has the quietest exhaust on the planet just slammed his car.......wut?

Is the turbo on?

2.5" at the pinch weld is what's going on here. Get on my level, breh
A rite-hite this classy requires something a little more quality, like Rotas, or American Racing or 'RAVS'
Now it's full Racing Beat stem to stern. My only regret at this point is not having bought the dual tip model. Such class, much wow.
NA is best! Boost just destroys the balance of the car. Just you wait, you'll see.

Actualee, you see, it is because, you need reboluchuns brrro!

The only thing I see is a mismatched front bumper. Now I can't unsee it.

:dealwithit:

There is a gap between the front tire and fender

this is unacceptable

what are you, offroading it now?

Offroading? That car would end up a teeter totter 1/2 way into my garage.

That's the reflection.

the fact that it would have enough room to teeter totter is already indicative of being way too high


needs moar low.

lol, it has more than enough low :giggle:

I sold my FCMs and picked up some used Xidas. I'm in love, so much win :likecat:

The only complication right now is I can't get the ride height I was expecting, but the seller indicated that he may have given me the wrong set of springs for the rear. Being the doofus I am I didn't look at the PN or measure anything before I installed them, so I'll check it tonight and see what's up.

I really like the xidas. Like, really really. But I need to stop driving the car until I can get the ride height thing sorted out. I haven't decided if I'm going to post about it here, or start another thread.

But because I touched something, now I have to fix something else. :facepalm: My ball joints are super loose. Like, work them around with your finger loose. They aren't floppy and clicky yet, but it does not take much effort to move them around. Sigh. And because I have an NB, instead of $30 replacement MOOG ball joints or whatever, I have to replace the whole FUCA. Goddammit. The other option is of course something massively overkill like the V8R uppers, but I don't have money to burn at the moment so that isn't happening. Yes V8R makes a replaceable ball joint for the NB arm, but each one is only $20 than replacing the whole arm. Ungh. I pulled the boots and skooged some Dominator into the ball joints and reassembled until I can afford to buy some new FUCAs. I'm not really driving the car right now anyway so fuckit, I just wanted it back on the ground.

Then I drove it anyway. lol. I put new suspension on it, why would I NOT drive it? Today I switched back to the WRX it feels like I'm driving a tank. Even though I have the heaviest NB1 on the planet, in comparison to the Subaru it feels super light and nimble and almost aggressive. The higher rate springs, bigger sways and smaller 195 tires make it super duper responsive. At this point I'm a set of bushings away from the "949 Big Grip Kit" and I completely understand why everyone loves that combination so much. I can't wait to get off my ass and get the ES poly + SadFAP bronze retrofit installed. Its gun be gud :party:

did you fix the stem/oil issue? I'm curious how your car runs without extra port lubrication lol

as in, how much more boost would it handle without blowing out the spark when the charge isn't diluted :D

Is there a way to rebuild you ball joints? like, properly.

I think its fixed. I need to do some more driving and confirm, but that's going to be held up for a bit while I work out the suspension thing.

Wait, I had spark blowing out?!

Not really. There are no good solutions to this problem. By "good" I mean "inexpensive and functional." I consider a pair of replacement $30 MOOG ball joints (like you can buy for an NA, and almost any other car on earth) to meet this requirement. Unfortunately, because the ball joint is riveted into the FUCA from the factory, MOOG would take on a significant amount of liability telling people to change out the rivets for some sort of bolt and nut fasteners, so they don't bother doing it.

The V8R replacement ball joints are pretty much the only option: V8 Roadsters adjustable/rebuildable front upper control arm ball joints ($150/pr)
But then you get to grind the rivets off the control arms to remove the fuckered ball joints, press the V8R ones into the old arms and pray nothing cracks or shears off, then tack weld them in place because lol? Plus you get to resuse your old, dirty, bent control arms!

OOOooooorrrrr....

For $350 I can buy V8R tubular FUCAs with fancy V8R ball joints: V8 Roadsters control arms - tubular Steel

OOOooooorrrrr....

For a measly $950 I can buy V8R Billet FUCAs with fancy V8R ball joints: V8 Roadsters X-Lite Billet Aluminum Control Arms

OOOooooorrrrr....

For $215 I can buy a pair of new OEM arms loaded with new OEM ball joints and new OEM rubber bushings that will probably go another 120k/mi (if I can stay off the curbing) for $215 from Mazdacomp.

OOOooooorrrrr....

There are a smattering of complete FUCA and ball joint combinations out there: DORMAN 524465 ($43.79/ea) MEVOTECH CMS80174/CMS80175 ($44.79/ea) MAS CB65027/CB65028 ($81.79/ea) but I'm not sure I trust Dorman or whomever Mevotech is to make a ball joint AND control arm AND bushing set for $44. As far as MAS goes, I don't know who the hell they are, but that's within ~$25 of the OEM price.

I think I'm going to buy OEM ones. :giggle:

I believe anything past 18psi resulted in it breaking up, I wonder if it would take 20psi without the extra oil

Huh. Well, there shouldn't have been any oil in the intake side, they were never leaking AFAIK. I thought that was because I'm lame and still on the stock 99-00 coils?

Do not despair, it IS possible to replace the NB upper ball joints with the MOOG units - I did it. It's a bit scary to press out the old ones, but it is possible!

I replaced both sides more than a year ago and it's been fine. Several AX's and HPDEs, no problems.

You very well might be right. I don't know for sure, that's why I wonder.

ORRRRR

Get used control arms for dirt cheap and run them till they wear out.

But if you don't want to deal with it, id just get OEM ones.

I like the V8 roadster upper control arm option IF you are running poly bushings. I guess it all depends on how long you intend to own the car. Has anyone replaced two sets of ball joints in the ownership of a single street Miata?

G, just to clear something up: Those front Billet arms are $475. That price isn't per arm. That's for a pair. I wouldn't have bought them at the $950 price point. I paid less than $950 for front AND rear billet uppers.

Orly? Pics somewhere? I assume you just used the NA ones? I was under the impression the taper was different so I hadn't perused this.

Well now that Aidan has raised the bar, maybe we should schedule some dyno time? :D I'd really like to get the firmware upgraded and boost control working correctly with the Turbosmart dual port. We'll see if I can also make 300hp on a 3lb spring :giggle:

I considered this, but not sure I can bring myself to do it. I hate replacing used parts with more used parts when new parts still exist. Its more of a "fix it right the first time" kind of deal. My world is one where "there is always time to do it right the second time for double the cost." :facepalm:

I will be running poly. I have a complete set of poly + Sadfap bronze retrofits waiting to be installed. If I pull the suspension apart again, this will probably actually happen. I've only been sitting on the poly for what, 6 years now?

Awww, you shouldn't have said anything. Now I'm not nearly as impressed with Hater. :eggplant:

you could get both your cars tuned together.
:likecat:

*380hp on a 3psi spring.

#humblebrag

Am I doing this right? :rofl:

Nope. That was a normal brag.

That was a braggy brag

But well deserved :D

These are the only pics that I could find;
Grungy NB vs clean NA (MOOG)
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...203c816fb4.jpg
The NA is a "hair" shorter than the NB, so I had to shave a bit off the mount point on the UCA in order to the same thread engagement as the NB ball joint.

Installed in the UCA;
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...db112e9be3.jpg

I've got no pics of the UCA...

Ok, so I did some things and completely forgot to post about them.

Rather than tempt fate, I decided to order new NB FUCAs direct from Mazda using my shiny new MMD account. The standard ones were out of stock (of course) so I had to buy the ABS ones. The price difference was like $7 so I'm not going to cry about the $130+ I saved over buying from literally any other vendor online. I also bought a new under-tray :) No regrets.

So of course the first thing you do when buying new parts is modify them!

Following along on another thread, went to the hardware store and I built things thing:

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1400392749
Not my pic, but you can go here to learn more -> https://www.miataturbo.net/suspensio...0/#post1132146

And I had my bushings removed in a matter of minutes. Does anyone want a set of brand new, never used OEM rubber FUCA bushings?

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...fe2ca8e459.jpg
Flanges still intact! Seriously, you want them let me know otherwise they are going in the trash. I've got way too much shit in my garage already.

The next step was to install Energy Suspension FUCA bushings that I've been sitting on since I bought the complete vehicle kit back in April of 2014:
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...11967da6a4.jpg
Also seen here is the most excellent poly bushing bronze retrofit kit by those hansom devils over at SADFab. You can learn more about this in the Big ass bushing info thread

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...25e87a9d60.jpg

As you can see, it all went together flawlessly. Note that the retrofit includes zerk fittings for ease of maintenance.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...f6beffae51.jpg

And because Amsoil Dominator is appropriate for everything, I've chosen to use it on my suspension bushings as well.

Anyhow, off to go get this stuff installed. :party:

I'm 100% sure someone will want those cherry bushings. srsly, post them in the fs section

I'm glad this baby is getting some love finally :)

MRLS is coming up so, u better get on the turbo stuff

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...38a6defa00.jpg
Well, that's not right.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...2c8917bf5f.jpg
Neither is that.

Oh well, take it all off again. :bang:

what am I looking for in the first pic?

Edit: nvm. I see it

Did you buy your set in the group buy?

^^ hi_im_sean and I have been chatting and taking measurements of things since yesterday evening, and we are both pretty much convinced the bushing thing is some sort of production variance/tolerance stacking on Mazda's part. You can get away with a lot of mismatch with a rubber bushing, but even less so with poly. Or delrin. I ain't even mad, its not like they can possibly take all variances into consideration when they build these things.

I'm going to try to buy some fender washers to use as shims today and try to figure out how much slack I need to take up in the FUCA. Not looking forward to trying to do this on the drill press, but the work vice should help. After that its find a lathe and see if I can (or more accurately, have someone else) remove the appropriate amount of material from the inner sleeve.

Although... I could just leave the washer shim in place and use that to adjust caster? :p

I know a guy in SJ with a lathe if you can't find anyone over there

AIUI, you need to be careful machining oil impregnated bushing material, because if the tool isn't super sharp it will smear the porous metal and you won't get proper lubrication on the surface that was cut.

--Ian

@gesso has one, I just need to get up there and use it. I need to make some couplers as well, we just need to find some time to connect.

I'm in a strange spot when it comes to machine tools. I started working with CNC and never got a chance to learn the basics on a manual machine. I know the basic theory of operation, but I need someone who knows what they are doing to look over my shoulder and make sure I'm not going to kill myself.

You are correct, I've worked with these types of materials in the past so I'm familiar with their particulars. Fortunately I'm not turning an OD on impregnated bushing, I'm turning the length on the steel support sleeve that rides inside that bushing. I'm guessing its something like 0.5~0.75mm per sleeve, but that remains to be seen. It "should" be cake, but I seem to find new and novel ways to fuck things up.

If you can hold the sleeve in the chuck, you can bolt a piece of HSS or what have you to the table and make it a vertical lathe. Or if its anything but convenient to find a lathe, I can make some custom sleeves for you and we can just exchange yours.

And another point on oilite, if you get it even just warm, it pisses all the oil out.

Much appreciated :bigtu: Unfortunately, I don't have anything that has a chuck large enough to grab the bushing otherwise I'd try to do it on the workbench. Because I have that particular type of crazy.

Except I don't need to touch the bushings themselves, just the sleeves. I was under the impression the sleeve is some flavor of steel and the bearings themselves are SAE 863 Oilite. Is this not accurate?

If it's just the steel sleeve you can probably shorten it with a grinder. :)

--Ian

The thought had crossed my mind, but I'm not super confident I can get it perfectly square again.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...6dacc55d0b.jpg

I'm outta town this weekend... But if you send me your bushings and tell me how much to cut off I can get them back to you quick like.

I mean your car can sit like that for another week right?

Depending on the batch, sleeves are either 4130, 1144, or a513. You have 1144, cuts like butter. And yea all oilite bushings are SAE863. First time I cut some SAE841, it took me a min to figure out why oil was flinging off the chuck lol.

I had to cut off 3mm off each FUCA steel sleeve. It would knock around otherwise when braking. Still works like a charm otherwise.

Hahaha! Yeah, the sintered/powdered bronze stuff is a trip to work with. When I did bushings with that stuff, we would buy the material as tube with a nominal bore and only machine the OD, and then press them in to cast iron roller wheels for some godawful piece of palletizing equipment. I fucking hated those things because they would bring me a big pallet of rollers and I'd have to press out the hooped up bushings, measure the bores, sort them by size and then cut bushings to fit. Eventually I got tired of all the front end sorting work and small batches so I just bored all the rollers to a standard ID and only had to make one bushing. After 2 trips through the shop, I didn't have to measure them anymore. My foreman was shocked that I was able to do them 3x faster than anyone else had previously, though I'm pretty sure they continued to quote the same amount for the job :giggle:

3mm PER SLEEVE? So 6mm of material removal per side? Jeebus. Ok, so my 1.5~2mm doesn't sound nearly so shocking now. Thank you for the data point :bigtu:

Thats because you have V8R front upper arms and I sent you the wrong sleeves(for oem arms). Gordon just has a weird issue as his sleeves are the correct length for oem arms.

Story of my life :P

Next track day is October 6, so I guess I should start trying to do things. :giggle:

One thing I've been complaining about for a while now (wait, just one thing?!) is that I'm the jackass in the 300hp Miata with the stock seats and 3 points, so to that end, I've decided to do something about it.

Enter: the Hard Dog Harness Bar

I ordered from Goodwin and it showed up with no drama. Its a very nice looking part in black powder coat that of course matches my HD roll bar.

My problems started when I opened the box and discovered no instructions. The Harness Bar included 6 washers and 2 black powder coated steel tube spacers zip tied to one of the bolt holes. And thats it. Not to have my enthusiasm for new parts be dampened, I forged ahead anyway.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...7010b8cf70.jpg

I started by removing the pesky seats so I had room to work.

The first order of business was to figure out where the bar needed to go, either over or under the existing ears on the roll bar where it ties into the seatbelt tower bolts.

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...b7a5d54452.jpg

The short spacer on the left is the one included with the harness bar, the taller one on the right is the one that was installed in my car like ~8 years ago when Gesso and I installed my roll bar. Just FYI, they were an absolute bastard to pry out.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...c21bba866b.jpg

This tiny ass bolt is probably useless, but it at least gave me a data point about location.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...96d6b14599.jpg

Short spacer, harness bar ear, and roll bar ear. Harness bar is obviously rotated back in this picture, but as you can see, there is quite a gap.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...535e330d3a.jpg

Here is the passenger side with the gap. It doesn't look squared up because the bar is not rotated up into place quite yet, plus the angle of the camera is stupid.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...1f3c61a1de.jpg

Well, through some online inquery and process of elimination, I cam to assume this is what the 6 washers are for, to take up the space between the top of the harness bar mount ear and the ear on the roll bar. Unfortunately, it took all 6 washers to do just one side and there is still a huge gap on the drivers side. And I don't have any more washers. Goddammit.

Somewhere in the back of my mind I remember when we installed my roll bar there were some gold cad plated spacers that were left over. It was an old and fuzzy memory, but it seemed like they might be the perfect fit. If I could find them.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...93f2ec75fd.jpg

I tend to bag and tag the hardware that comes off the car when I do mods, and sometimes it actually makes it into the big box of stock stuff.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...d4fa2ff745.jpg

Hell yeah! That little gold spacer is the one I remembered, and its almost exactly the same height as 6 of the provided washers stacked up.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...e29e96525e.jpg

Damn, perfect fit! Double dammit! I only have one of them :cry:

If I had a lathe I'd measure and cut something to fit, but I don't have a lathe so that's out. I absolutely did not want to go to the hardware store to buy a bunch of washers I dug through the garage and ended up using leftover ARP head stud washers that I didn't use when I installed my head.

I mean, I understand production variance, but... really? Oh well, shit's installed. Next step is to get seats and belts and harnesses setup :party:

Being strapped in and not having to brace makes such a huge difference.

I suspect you are correct and this will provide a confidence boost, to be sure.

I'm hoping to make some actual progress today seeing as it should be in thr mid 80s rather than the 107 I had yesterday. Bleh.

It makes a huge difference. Also, quit being a bitch... lets go have sno cones

Can I have snow cones? I'm in VT tho and it was 50 today...

Ok, passenger side is done. I had a little challenge getting the factory seatbelt receiver bolted up, and I'll probably buy another one (hint: if you have one to sell LMK) so I can bend it to fit a bit better, but it's good 'nuff for now.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...4434e8fb31.jpg

PCI mount is in, and out again, and back in again. I invited my friend Jeremy over and we made the adjustment to the tunnel sheet metal so I could get the full amount of left/right travel out of it. I'm on the second from the bottom hole in the front, and the top hole in the rear and that puts me about where I was with the foamectomy seat. Tomorrow I'm going to drop it down and see how low she can go. The fore/aft adjustment is a bit of a challenge because once you loosen the bolts enough that you can slide the seat, it's almost impossible to get out of the car without screwing up the location. It's not insurmountable, but a second person would make it a lot easier.

It's a really nice super high quality part, it almost seems a shame to cover it up with a seat.

I have a couple from an NA, if you want.

What exactly did you do to the tunnel to get it to fit?