The QA1 torrington bearings fit on this style of ebay sleeve/collar. You can see the part number I used.




I need to throw this style of spring isolator in the trash, correct? I can't really envision these working properly without taking a 2" holesaw to them.



Is the NHV going to be terrible if I don't run any? If that's the case does anyone have the part number to a cheap set of isolators?

 

Yeah those isolators are junk. Post a link to your collars that work with the 2.5" torrington. Mine were off by like 1-2mm, obviously if you force them on they don't work.

 

My Toyo's from Amazon don't fit either.

Here's a link to the bearings he used above...
QA1 Coil-Over Thrust Bearings at Summit
$26 for a pair, including the washers... i.e. $52 for two sets required for the car.

(These were the ones I was going to buy until I found similar ones on Amazon... boo)

 

I don't see my kit on ebay anymore, I bought it last year. This is the closest, but it's three times the price now so screw that:
Miata 90 97 Coilovers Springs lowering Red Spring Coilover | eBay

I remember it being labeled specifically for the 99-05. Just plain aluminium collars, not the ones with the height-adjustment numbers on them. They have the junk plastic isolators.

On the bearings, I ordered from Jegs. They were a few bucks cheaper than summit with shipping if you don't get to $100.
QA1 7888-109 QA1 Coil-Over Shock Adjusting Tools - Free Shipping on All Orders @ JEGS

So what's the verdict on running w/o isolators? I've waited this long so it's not a big deal to order a set. Thanks.

***EDIT***

These Acura collars look exactly like my set:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ACURA-HONDA-...3D351046622801

 

Waste of money. The spring is your vibration isolator.

 

Speaking of potential wastes of money...

My plan is to run 600lb 6"/300lb 7" on an NA with a 12.5" or so ride height on revalved R-package Bilsteins...

I'm fairly aggressive on the curbing.
Is it worth the $200 extra for helper springs and couplers?

I'm leaning towards no...

 

Probably not. You need them if your car sits too high with zero preload on the main springs.

 

So no on the isolators?

I'm making Ben some top hats but I need to know if the lack of isolators will make him hate life since I can't find any 2.5"ID isolators that would fit around the pipe extension I am going to use to locate the spring.

 

I have no isolators and it is fine. And that is what they said also^.

 

Gud deel.

 

****'s about to get real
...
...
...

Since I have (had) one of the top 5 most rusty Miatas on this site; any removal of suspension bolts requires 72 hrs of soaking in penetrating oil, or

I started spraying the bolts last night and I only have Saturday morning available for installation. I'll give myself a 50% chance of success. Survival chances for the OEM rear end links are much, much lower.

 

I LOVE that this is the new fad.

 

Use a good 6 point socket for the end links, they will snap off if too rusty. Just run to Home Depot for bolts if that happens.

I think helper springs would be great in a 100-150 range and 1.5" compressed length, problem is finding 2.5" helpers for a deal.

 

Club ricer raceland takeoffs?

 

Where did you guys get your MCU bumpstops?

 

Summit.

 

Aren't those like 20#? And 1.25"?

 

These are the valving numbers from Bilstein that I've accumulated.
Feel free to reference for whatever they are worth.

 

Thank you for posting that information. It is very useful.

The Mazda part numbers for those shocks might be useful to add to the spreadsheet since a Google search for the Hard S number nets me nothing useful. I had the number for the fronts in a previous post but I'll try to get one off the rear next time I have a chance.

The regular HD in the middle has way too much rebound and no compression. I can see that they are designed to jack down to the bumpstops and stay stuck there on stockish springs.

 

Hard suspension dampers...
Front damper: NC12-34-700D
Rear dampers: NC12-28-700D

Straight from the Mazdaspeed website.
They cross reference with the Jim Ellis website as well.

PS. If you are a Mazdaspeed member, your price on these are like $103 fr/$90 rear.

I know it isn't talked about much, but it's very cost effective to join their program.