I've read the whole thread and had my calculator totalling up the bits to do this and my math tells me , I should buy the Vmaxx Classic or extreme from FM. Am I wrong?

 

Bilstein = better shock than Vmaxx.

 

I posted this in another thread, but I'll repost it here.



So, sure, you maybe can't replicate this exactly. I lucked into a pretty good deal on MSM's with good bumpstops I can reuse and crappy springs I can resell. But other than than, it's pretty close to something anyone else could piece together.

Go find some Bilsteins in decent shape and do something similar to this.

 

Posting images that contain hyperlinks....

I made my set a while ago, but I'm gonna pick up some of those delrin thrust washers. Seems like a way better plan that the torrington bearings, as far as maintenance/contamination.

If it helps anyone, I have 10AE Bilsteins (Hard S) on an NA with ISC 1"/1.5" and can put the tire into the body at full bump (205/50 r15 Rival S on an et +15 wheel). To maximize bump travel without losing more droop than necessary I'd do .5" front 1" rear hats if I could go back. I'm running ~26mm bump stops.

I have 6" 600lbs front springs and 7" 400 lbs rear. RB race bar with brace blocks in the front and no RSB. No coil bind and the car handles really well for autox (neutral with throttle controllable oversteer) . I'd put the stock rear bar back on for track though (can just unhook one endlink for autocross and then reattach it.)

 

Here:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

 

I made some shock spacers from plastic cutting boards for my front shocks with ISC 1 inch top hats.

 

Is this setup better than a MeisterR Zeta?

 

Well, one engineers their products for the rigors of drifting and gives it a nifty German marketing name and the other is an actual motorsports supplier and OEM supplier with a hundred years of manufacturing experience.

I'd trust Chinese shocks sold out of England with a German name over anything, personally. But I verifiably don't have a lick of sense.

 

Verified

 

I driving NB. So if I'm buying new shocks from the Mazdaspeed program, it appears that the following part numbers would be the ones to get? (I believe these are the "Hard S")?

Front damper: NC12-34-700D
Rear dampers: NC12-28-700D

 

Those look like the right ones.

 

And another $400 going in the pursuit of speed

 

Hey

I am gathering parts, and I can find these in EU, but can someone tell me if they are the correct ones?
MX-5 Stoßdämpfer Bilstein hinten NA
MX-5 Stoßdämpfer Bilstein vorne NA

 

Those are the correct NA shocks

 

I picked up some suspension goodies in the hopes of assembling DIY coilovers to tide me over until tax time. I had a couple concerns though:

I got a set of Öhlins shocks (for the NA) that I'd really prefer to use. Besides being superior shocks, they have multiple grooves for the circlip so that I can choose where to mount the adjustment sleeves. I also have a connection at Öhlins if I need to re-valve them.



I also picked up a full set of '04 MSM assemblies.

Upon measuring the two sets of shocks, I discovered that the Öhlins are significantly smaller than the Bilsteins. I'm now doubtful that the FleaBay coilover sleeves I ordered will work with them.









I'm also somewhat concerned about using the NB tophats with the MSMs as I've heard the MSM Bilsteins are the longest shock. Would I need to run ISC or GarageStar tophats to compensate?

 

This entirely depends on your ride height. I'm at 12"/12.25" with MSM Billies and I wouldn't want any less than 1.5" top hats. I actually went for the first drive with the new hats a few hours ago and it was wonderful.

 

Would you mind listing which components you used?

 

The Ohlins look at least 1/2" dia smaller than the MSMs. Which did you get your sleeves to fit?

And never mind that the Ohlins look way shorter too.

 

MSM Billies (revalved), 36mm FCM bumpstops, 550/400 6" springs, Fleabay sleeves, OEM circlip location, 1.5" custom top hats.

For the top hats, I used a 2.5" hole saw to cut the top hat in two pieces, and welded 2.5" tube in between. The hole in the chassis for the front is too small for 2.5" tube, so I widened that. I machined a guide for the hole saw (ID = hole saw drill size, OD = top hat hole size, then a lip so it doesn't slide through), then I used the hole saw to drill through the chassis and top hat at the same time.

 

Thanks for that.

I've found some adjustable sleeve kits that will work with the Öhlins:

Bilstein Coil-Over Sleeve Kits B4BOA0000187 - Free Shipping on Orders Over $99 at Summit Racing

I'm still undecided on tophats, but I guess there's no reason to upgrade unless I go with the MSM shock.