Step 1: apply lube to the shaft.

Step 2: get everythign started on the shaft - there's a backing plate and a woodruff key (hold in place with grease) and you're also going to want to get the timing belt wrapped around the hub too. The damper integrates the timing belt gear, so you can't install the timing belt gear and get the timing belt on before installing the damper; it all goes on at the same time.

Step 3: attach press fit tool and turn to press the damper onto the long hardened shaft.

Tips: Grow an extra hand, you'll want to have 3 of them for this. Installing this without the engine in the car is preferred. If the engine is in the car, you're probably going to want to pull the radiator and drop the front roll bar, then shouldn't be an issue with one guy playing with it on top, and another guy playing with it on bottom.

If you are using the stock CAS then the trigger wheel is irrelevant to you and wither ATI or 949 dampener will work for you.

My tuner told me I needed the 36-1T trigger wheel aparently I am not on stock CAS

Find a tuner who's not incompetent.

Sorry to necro this thread, but the 949 damper is out of stock and patsmx5 was advising me to get an ATI instead of waiting a few weeks.

Does anyone have experience with both the 949 and ATI dampers? Differences in engine smoothness, durability of the damper, durability of the engine, engine failures with one or the other, etc, etc?

Current best price for ATI damper is about 450 on fab9. ATI is about 350. I am running off the CAS for timing and do not require a crank wheel.

Do some more searching. There are a lot of threads on this.

949 damper is tuned and engineered to the BP engine specifically. ATI is more dynamic for a lot of engines.

ATI Damper made a night/day difference in engine smoothness on my rods-only motor at the time I installed it. Mostly at high RPM, didn't really notice a difference at low RPM but 5,000+ it was just smooth vs this horrible vibration before. Since it was a rods-only motor, it wasn't balanced so that's probably why it vibrated a lot.

Agreed on do some research though if you really want to know which is a better damper. Like, searching on what a damper does, how they work, what parts they protect, what RPM ranges they are tuned for, how they are serviced, things like that.

I've been reading threads since yesterday and I get the basic idea of the two dampers, how they work, etc. My feeling is that the ATI is kind of a one size fits all thing which has probably not gotten any miata-specific R&D. The only reason I'm even considering it is because plenty of knowledgeable people on here seem happy with theirs. Which sort of feels wrong in the same way that buying coilovers based on reported "feels" is a bad idea. Not that it ever stops anyone.

I have just enough knowledge to realize I am fundamentally ignorant and relying on others here.

My guess is either would be fine, both are better than a stock 20 year old damper at protecting your motor. If you rev over 7,000, a new aftermarket damper is a pretty solid idea since aftermarket dampers are tuned to dampen at RPMs higher than a stock damper.

Beyond that, see post 27 for what to search for if you want to compare them.

I ordered an ATI back in November. They were naturally back ordered, because Miata part. Received it the last week of January to find that it had not been machined properly(belt guide thread depth). After getting into an email back and forth with an ATI sales guy about specs, they agreed to accept my return for machining and balancing.

The returns dept sends me a blank email titled "return label" a few days later. Days later I get an email with an attached picture of a return label with instructions " print this picture and use it." UPS doesn't work that way.

I have connected with the right people and the unit is back in their hands. We will see how the rest of this journey goes.

Just my experience with the support side of this product.

I agree with Pat that both will work just fine.

The SPM damper is cheaper, lighter, and designed for this motor.

With the $100+ price difference I just don't know why you would go with the ATI unless you had a supercharger.

Because 949 parts are awesome, they sell out almost instantly it seems. This made it really difficult for me to get one. I waited for two rounds of production. Missed out both times. Now I have an ATI.

ATI user because of Supercharger checking in. Many many many minutes above 8,000 RPM and never had a single issue with the bottom end of the motor.

One thing to note is that the ATI damper has a larger crank pulley on it, +10mm compared to the stock and 949 dampers. This can be good, bad, or neither depending on your specifics.

10mm larger in what dimension?

SuperMiata damper works fine. It, balanced internals, and solid 949 poly engine mounts and very few rattles. I daily the car and talk with the wife without yelling.

I used the crank bolt for install per 949 email. Been fine. Or I'm and idiot.

Outside diameter. So it will spin all your accessories a tiny bit faster. I was able to reuse the normal belts since it's only a tiny difference in diameter.

has anyone seen or heard much about the fluid harmonic balancers? Example: Fluidampr.com

There is no specific one for a Miata however my understanding of them is that they are exceptional for harmonic damping, far better than the fixed ATI style.

Not good.

Why not? What would be the difference between a slightly larger pully, or 1000 more rpm with a standard size? Real question.