Age old suspension question: Which Coilovers?
 

[UPDATE: 1-10-12 Bought a set of Bilsteins with QA1 7k/6k springs and Allstar sleeves]
The suspension hierarchy is great, but it doesn't give you an accurate comparison.

Here's where I am right now:
'95 Turbo Miata, ~200 HP
-RB Tubular front anti sway bar
-Roll bar coming soon
-FM Chassis brace most likely to follow (depending on how well it's handling)

This is an extra car, I do not DD it. I am looking for a streetable setup for summer twisty road driving with the occasional track day and AutoX event.

My coilover budget is ~$1,000

What I've been looking at so far is:
Tein SS $1,000:
http://949racing.com/teinsscoilovers...ngusaonly.aspx

FM V-max $695 W/upgrade to new suspension:
http://flyinmiata.com/index.php?dept...0%20%201990-97

Megan Racing EZ streets $799:
http://www.meganracing.com/products/...d=985&catid=86

I don't plan on driving much until summer so I can wait o the back order from FM.

These Teins?


http://949racing.com/teinsscoilovers...ngusaonly.aspx

Yes, I will be buying from supporting vendors. I was just copy and pasting quick links.

I don't know about those Teins, they're probably great. However I LOVE stock MSM Bilsteins with 300/225 springs and sway bars. I drove a set-up like this at Hallett recently and loved it.

I don't know if those are the exact ones? But yeah 949 FTW

I don't see how anything else can compete with the FM V-Maxx and FM Chassis brace as a combo for $1,049.

The FM V-Max seem to good to be true at this price. Is there something I am missing?

I think the consensus is that you're better off with a roll bar and door bars over a chassis brace. You need a roll bar if you want to track the car.

FM has certainly priced their V-Maxx aggressively. Seems to be a good value. No personal experience.

I will be installing a roll bar, the local tracks require them as well as I value my personal safety.

I'm already a bit big for the Miata (6'2") so I'm not super stoked on the idea of door bars.

All the articles I'm finding on the V-maxx is people complaining about them in the past, I haven't found much on the "revised" version from FM. FM is well respected, but they're not immune to marking up an inferior product with their name on it and making a few quick bucks.

I want a mid level to above average suspension setup, it doesn't need to be a full blown track star.

Door bars are one of the worst modifications I have made with respect to DD of my car. In conjunction with my race seats, I think the car will cripple me at some point.

EDIT: I would listen to Hustler, he's experienced good suspension. iirc there is a set of msm bilsteins for sale on the forum.

Build your own:
bilstein shocks
$440 at 949racing
$38 * 4 QA1 springs
$16 * 4 Allstar performance sleeves
$13 * 4 Allstar performance perch

~$750

pick your own rates, get as low as you need to for them with no problems. You can save money by:
ebay perches
used bilsteins (msm ones work too)
buy bilsteins from parts geek

I've looked into this but I worry about them not being adjustable should I not like my original choice. Since this is my first Miata, I don't have the experience of driving multiple setups. With the coilovers I give myself a ton of room to work with depending on what I like. Everyone has their own preference on setups, whether they lean towards street or track or somewhere in the middle. I would like to keep that option open.

which part are you worried about not being adjustable?

There's no shock adjustment, unless I am mistaken? What is the biggest difference between building your own?

How about these:
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/pts/2765287620.html
Already bought them!

Isn't that fairly soft? The Teins are rated at ~396/340

Performance wise, you pretty much get two options Koni or Bilstein. Bilsteins supposedly have tighter quality control, so shock to shock variances are smaller. Also rebuilds are cheaper. Koni on the other hand, have 4 adjustments, with lower quality control (therefor you might need to set some shocks on different adjustments to get similar behavior), and cost a ton to revalve. Plus, Koni won't let anyone else revalve their shocks, which sucks.

Its up to you really what you want, if you go with the Konis you will need to get the sleeve and perch for the koni shocks. they are a bit more expensive, but I would say its entirely worth it still.

With that said, I went through the whole koni vs. bilstein debate and I came out with Bilsteins. And as you can see, many people love the bilsteins on track.

The compression and rebound is solid up to 500 lb springs (mine seem a bit bouncy on very sharp bumps with 550, but very much in control and balanced on any track style uneven-ness around here. Particularly I track at VIR, CMP, and RA).

I wouldn't worry too much about shock adjustability, you won't find a serious performance batter in your price range unless you want to go with a stance or BC shock. You give up some shock travel for adjustable shock body, which is hardly for performance. I wouldn't do it for adjustability, simply because we are short on shock travel already. You will need to get much stiffer springs to stay off the bumps in that case, but then you aren't DD-iable anymore and new springs is going to be another 150-200 bucks anyway.

Sorry, a bit of a rant. You are welcome to go with what you like and try things out, but I think most people will suggest you get a bilstein or koni shock for track use.

those are pretty boss because you could probably sell them for same amount in a year.

not sure what the spring rates are on it, but its pretty fuggin good deal anyway. Its practically free springs, so if they don't fit your needs, you can sell the springs and save money.

Well that's good because I already bought them! I also got Whiteline sway bar endlinks & shipping for the $500 asking price.

7k front / 6k rear QA1 Springs
Allstar sleeves
Just got re-valved, hasn't even been put back on the car
Stock top hats

The guy has a ls6 turbo track car and needs stiffer suspension.

haha yea, he sure does. 7k/6k is a joke, especially for a v8 conversion.

BTW, those are QA1 sleeves, not allstar. better anyway.

Well excellent!
Yes that is why he has pretty much no use on them since he made the swap, they weren't enough.

7k/6k should be just fine for me. I'm going to be adding some weight with a roll bar and chassis brace but have taken a little bit of weight out with the Sparco seats, steering wheel and eventually lightweight wheels.