I love my new 450/300 springs with 949 alignment
 

I must have been riding on the bumpstops a lot over bumps with my FM springs.

Anyway, the ride is smoother with the new springs than it was with the old. I swapped my rear FM sway for a stock sway. New ride height is ~ 4.75"/5.0", and I had it aligned using the 949 racing alignment. The old ride height was on the order of 4.25/5. It was a pain for DD. I would scrape my driveway if not careful, scrape the front on dips in the road, hit the fender while turning at times, and I couldn't fit a jack under the car without lifting on the fender. (I know, I know, get a lower profile jack)

WOW, I think the car feels much more neutral now. It's much nicer to drive with the caster at 3.5 to 3.75. This time next week I'll be at the track. Can't Wait!

Alright, enough of this manliness, I'm going to go plant some rose bushes.

what springs and alignment and ride height were prior vs now?


like before:

400/300
-1F -2R
12.5 FR

now:

450/300
-2F -1.5R
12.75" FR

Before:

342/228 (FM springs)
-2F -2R
4.25F/4.5R ( iirc 11.75F/12.0R)

caster was 5 (never again!)
1/16 total toe

Fm sways; F on front hole, R on rear hole

Now:

450/300
-2F -1.9R
4.75F/5.0R (~12.25/12.5)

caster ~3.5
toe: 0

Front FM sway on front hole, stock miata rear sway.

I wasn't a huge fan of what putting a "matched set" of aftermarket sway bars did on the red car. Very tail-happy. Wound up running no rear bar, and a comparable front bar to yours.

On the blue car (no turbo) I have a stock rear bar hooked up, but otherwise the same setup. Both FM springs on FCM Bilsteins.

I'm curious as to your "never again" comment on front caster. This is one thing I've never really played with, apart from to tell the alignment tech to give me "as far positive as you can without sacrificing camber," which usually worked out to 4-5 degrees. Are you running a manual or de-powered steering rack?

"Tail happy" is exactly why I changed my suspension to what it is now.

I'm running a depowered rack. It was very heavy at 5 degrees, but after reading a bunch, a lot of people seem to like 3.5 degrees. I think that is was 949 recommends.

The difference between 5 degrees and 3.5 felt like I repowered the rack. I regretted depowering the rack after I had done it, but now I am happy again.

+1. I can tell within the first 1/8 mile whether a depowered car has been re-aligned appropriately or not. It makes a huge difference.