That is, in fact, the thread I was talking about.

 

I wrote a real nice post about what I learned at autox this weekend about this setup, but it made me log in again and I lost the whole thing...

Long story short 550/350 rides fine on the street with OTS Bilstein Sports, which I doubt are noticeably different from MSM Bilsteins. The car feels great on the track as far as body roll is concerned, but it's loose with both stock sways installed and easily gets upset under braking and in fast transitions.

Heavier springs would probably be better on the track, but you'll probably want revalved shocks and a trailer if you go much higher.

 

Yeah, I was planning on the Allstar sleeves and collars - the ebay ones are an inferior design and don't encapsulate the shock body clip.

I'm definitely in for hearing more track driving experiences from those who run these.
I'm assuming you mean the back end is loose? I was planning on switching to the 1.125 RB front bar and 14mm mSM rear bar, my understanding is that this matches well with 700/400 Xidas, so presumably it would be close with 600/400 billies. Maybe hold onto my stock rear bar just in case I need to go back to it to dial out any excess oversteer.

 

Yea. It seemed like just looking at the brake pedal with the wheel even slightly turned would break loose the rear end. It also seemed like I had to wait later to apply throttle on corner exit or the rear would break loose. This is also only my second year autoxing, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. We were on brand new, really smooth asphalt though, so that could have had something to do with it. Most of the miatas were struggling with it.

I'm going to keep my stock 11mm rear bar hooked up and just unbolt my end links if it becomes an issue at autox. May upgrade to the 14mm bar some day. I plan on doing a few track days next year, but the car will still primarily be used for autox, where most people run without a rear bar.

I wish I had gone with the Allstar sleeves. I'll post comparison pics & measurements of the car once I pick some up.

 

That sounds exactly a miata with a rear bar at an auto-x.

 

that is ridiculous, sounds like you have a ride height issue. Or alignment.

 

This is probably a dumb question, but for those of you with the Allstar sleeves, how do you adjust height without a spanner wrench? I imagine it would be much easier on a new setup, but in due time, the threads on the sleeve etc will be covered in dirt and grime, no? From pictures (since I haven't ordered anything yet), looks like the only way to adjust is to spin the collar by hand.

 

It spins easily once the spring tension is released.

 

Hey Ryan, I read your build log (nice work, nice looking car), but what length springs did you end up using on the MSM shocks? I'm looking for 7" front and back, but considering going down to 6" and adding 50# helpers instead to try to utilize all the droop travel, and keep them from going loose when the car is picked up...

 

I went with 7" springs. However, helper springs wouldn't be a bad idea as my springs do move around from time to time.

 

Hmm... How much movement or gap between the spring and top hat is there at full extension (ie, with the car jacked up and suspension in full droop)? Or said another way, is there room for a helper spring with 7" main springs?

Having felt the msm shocks moving by hand, I'm not sure if a 50# helper would really do anything beyond keep the main spring from flopping around. I was more interested in getting that extra little droop extension (for over bumps/whoop de doos at speed and to keep the inside wheel planted in turns) that FM and 949 mention on their Afcos and Xidas, respectively...

 

Nope. And my 7 in springs allow me to get full droop.

 

spanner wrenches arent exactly expensive to buy either.

 

That's good to hear, although the amount of droop and amount of spring freeplay or preload would vary with ride height. Sixshooter, are you on MSM shocks as well, or yellows? The top hats would matter too, NA/NB/ISC/etc.

Leafy, the AllStar perches look to just be knurled for grip to turn. I suppose you could get a spanner wrench or screwdriver jammed into the setscrew holes and use that as a means to rotate. On a whole, that's really the one thing I don't like about the Allstar perch/collar setup - setscrews? Really? I think I'd prefer the jam collar method or the ground control style where the collar pinches the perch like a 1 piece shaft collar.

 

I never tighten spring perches I really never worry about them moving on their own. If you really get in a pinch with the knurled perch you could use a strap wrench or at worse a money wrench.

 

I'm using the yellow '99 Hard S Bilsteins with the NB front hats and ISC rear hats. RyanG is using the 7 inch springs with MSM shocks and NB hats and gets full droop out of his setup. I helped him install them, iirc.

 

Where can one get one of these money wrenches?
Good point though. and I doubt they'd ever get to that point, hopefully we all remember to use some antiseize.

Thanks Sixshooter, that's what I was hoping. I believe he's using the ISC rears as well.

 

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Worked on my front shocks this weekend, ended up cutting a 1" lower snap ring grouve to lower the perges and making a set of top hats with spherical bearrings and an extra inch of shock compression travel, 175 tenders w 600 6" mains and thrust bearrings, will do the rears next weekend.

 

I'm thinking about modifying my current top hats/buying isc ones to get some extra compression travel. It looks like you have plenty of room left on your sleeve, was it really necessary to cut a new groove for the snap ring?

 

It was probably not nessesary to move the perch down up front but i did not want to find out that i needed an extra 1/2" when doing the aligment.
On my NA i did have to machine the Koni's on the back the get the ride height i wanted with tenders and 7" mains so ill probably move the purges down as well on the back just to have some extra adjustment.