Which one is preferred for FM springs/Illuminas?

Do they both give the same suspension travel? What's the difference b/t the two?

 

using NA or NB shocks? the top mounting features of the NA shocks are not designed to work with the NB mounts (as stock)

 

That's pretty much the difference. NB shocks are designed to mount into NB tophats. The FCM tophats are modified to allow NA shocks to mount into them.

The NB mounts, whether stock or modified, allow somewhat more shock travel than the NA design. They also lower the car slightly.

 

Oh wow. You guys saw FC and automatically went to FCM.
Meanwhile I was wondering what some wack-o was going to do with RX7 hats on his miata.


Dude. You forgot explosives.

 

holy crap, where have you been hiding ben?

 

Just to reiterate:

I would need NB Illuminas to work w/ NB top hats?
NA Illuminas will not work w/ NB top hats?

 

Not hiding, more like just dealing with an unimaginably bad sequence of events.

 

NA shocks will not work with unmodified NB tophats. If you search around (i'm too lazy to do it for you) you'll find threads discussing how to modify an NB tophat (with parts list and pictures) to accept an NA shock. This is basically the service that FCM provides on their NB tophats (along with a couple of upgraded bits)

edit: Here, I searched for you:
https://www.miataturbo.net/forum/t28427/
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2343497

 

get koni's with tophats and follow that cardomain write up.

I did it and it was freakin easy

lemme know if you need help

 

what about iscracing top hats?

 

From what I can tell they don't use a bearing so that's why they're cheaper.
That and it's basically and flat plate, some tube, some more flat plate, and a rubber piece (instead of reworked OEM parts or fancy CNC aluminum).

Simple, but it works.
Hopefully someone with more knowledge will jump in.

 

FCM NB hats FTW! Wow thats a lot of letters.

 

Shameless plug:

I happen to be selling some FCM modified NB top hats for the Illuminas cheap.


Let me know if you need them kenzo, I also have the FCM 36mm bumpstops and spacers that came with them.