Need suspension help, feel free to rip me a new one.
#21
Supporting Vendor
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Lake Forest, CA
Posts: 7,956
Total Cats: 1,008
Echoing what others said, it's silly to spend $1500 on suspension for a Miata. You're better off going with a budget Bilstein setup, or spending the $2k it takes to get the Xidas.
You also don't NEED the helper springs (and can add them later on too). The Konis don't have them, so apples the apples the Xidas are only $1800 including new NB tophats.
You also don't NEED the helper springs (and can add them later on too). The Konis don't have them, so apples the apples the Xidas are only $1800 including new NB tophats.
#22
Two options. Xida's for $$$, or revalved Bilsteins with sleeves, springs, and extended hats for less $. Find the Bilstein thread. Do you have track experience? If you're a broke college student, you'd most likely be better off with a ~$600 Bilstein setup and more track time. Just get 200TW street tires. Hankook RS3's for example.
I have koni/gc. don't do it. I bought the konis before researching, wish I would've at least bought FM stuff to begin with. after seeing what Xidas can do, I have two words for you.
Save up.
The thought has crossed my mind to at least upgrade to the koni race, but the nut behind the wheel doesnt want to accept that. at the very least, the bilsteins would be ok for you
Save up.
The thought has crossed my mind to at least upgrade to the koni race, but the nut behind the wheel doesnt want to accept that. at the very least, the bilsteins would be ok for you
#23
Echoing what others said, it's silly to spend $1500 on suspension for a Miata. You're better off going with a budget Bilstein setup, or spending the $2k it takes to get the Xidas.
You also don't NEED the helper springs (and can add them later on too). The Konis don't have them, so apples the apples the Xidas are only $1800 including new NB tophats.
You also don't NEED the helper springs (and can add them later on too). The Konis don't have them, so apples the apples the Xidas are only $1800 including new NB tophats.
#24
You can see in videos of Xidas while on track they are doing their job. If you decide not to use them the main spring will come unseated when going over large bumps or rumble strips.
If you already have NB upper mounts then that saves you a bit of money and gets you below the $2k mark at least.
#25
Definitely get the helper springs.
You can see in videos of Xidas while on track they are doing their job. If you decide not to use them the main spring will come unseated when going over large bumps or rumble strips.
If you already have NB upper mounts then that saves you a bit of money and gets you below the $2k mark at least.
You can see in videos of Xidas while on track they are doing their job. If you decide not to use them the main spring will come unseated when going over large bumps or rumble strips.
If you already have NB upper mounts then that saves you a bit of money and gets you below the $2k mark at least.
#26
Supporting Vendor
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Lake Forest, CA
Posts: 7,956
Total Cats: 1,008
Sure, helper springs are a good idea and worth it. I was just saying that without the helper springs you've got more of an apples-to-apples comparison, and you'd be better off going with Xidas without helpers over the Koni setup.
And oi, that sales tax tho...
And oi, that sales tax tho...
#28
Welp, you guys have convinced me. I'll be ordering the Xidas tomorrow with the helper springs and 700/400 main spring rates. I was speaking to Emilio for a while, and he was saying that the 949 sway bar combo is highly recommended seeing as I'd get a lot of over steer with my current sway bar setup (FM front and rear). He said I could temporariliy drive with the stock rear sway bar and the FM front sway bar. I was wondering what sway bars you guys are running with your Xidas and how you like them?
#29
FM front with stock rear will be fine - it's gonna be such a huge improvement I wouldn't stress too much about having the sways yet - you can pick them up at a later date.
The FM front bar + 11mm stock rear and 700/400 springs gives you a roll stiffness of 3577 lb-ft/deg vs the RB 1.125 & MSM 14mm bar (the 949 combo) and same springs gives you a roll stiffness of 3882 lb-ft/deg: ~8% difference.
(for comparison factory springs + sways is somewhere around 1000lb-ft/deg)
The FM front bar + 11mm stock rear and 700/400 springs gives you a roll stiffness of 3577 lb-ft/deg vs the RB 1.125 & MSM 14mm bar (the 949 combo) and same springs gives you a roll stiffness of 3882 lb-ft/deg: ~8% difference.
(for comparison factory springs + sways is somewhere around 1000lb-ft/deg)
#32
Yeah that's a good point, right now I'm running with Star Specs (TW200) but I plan on trying out some NT01s next (TW100) so I'll make it a priority to get the sway bars first. I really wanna get those coaxial billet mounts as well. I thought I was almost done putting money into this car for a while but we all know that's never gonna happen with any of our cars.
#33
I'd just save up and go without NT01s. What wheel size are you running? Tire size?
Save your money on a hard compound like any of the Toyos (outside of the RR) or the NT01 (technically a Toyo), and just run your Z2s and go to R-S3s on a 9" wheel with the money you'd be spending on a 100TW. The difference in lap times between something like an NT01 and Z2 is about 2 seconds on 2 minute course, and you're just getting Xidas, so trust me... you have plenty of time to find out there without going to a dedicated R comp.
Save your money on a hard compound like any of the Toyos (outside of the RR) or the NT01 (technically a Toyo), and just run your Z2s and go to R-S3s on a 9" wheel with the money you'd be spending on a 100TW. The difference in lap times between something like an NT01 and Z2 is about 2 seconds on 2 minute course, and you're just getting Xidas, so trust me... you have plenty of time to find out there without going to a dedicated R comp.
#35
I'd just save up and go without NT01s. What wheel size are you running? Tire size?
Save your money on a hard compound like any of the Toyos (outside of the RR) or the NT01 (technically a Toyo), and just run your Z2s and go to R-S3s on a 9" wheel with the money you'd be spending on a 100TW. The difference in lap times between something like an NT01 and Z2 is about 2 seconds on 2 minute course, and you're just getting Xidas, so trust me... you have plenty of time to find out there without going to a dedicated R comp.
Save your money on a hard compound like any of the Toyos (outside of the RR) or the NT01 (technically a Toyo), and just run your Z2s and go to R-S3s on a 9" wheel with the money you'd be spending on a 100TW. The difference in lap times between something like an NT01 and Z2 is about 2 seconds on 2 minute course, and you're just getting Xidas, so trust me... you have plenty of time to find out there without going to a dedicated R comp.
No competition or trophies, just interested to see what they're like. Hopefully i'll be competeting next year in some autox events but we'll see. I enjoy road courses more for obvious reasons but autox is much cheaper seat time although they're obviously two different categories of seat time.
#36
Supporting Vendor
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Lake Forest, CA
Posts: 7,956
Total Cats: 1,008
Autox is a cheaper event, but usually not cheaper seat time ($50 for 5-6 minutes of driving at an autox, vs $250 for 1.5 hours of seat time at a road course HPDE).
But I get what you're saying, indeed.
But I get what you're saying, indeed.
#37
Good point, but last autox event I went to there were only 4 other people besides me and the the instructor. We got an insane amount of seat time although it was 75 bucks. This was on Easter though so that probably won't happen again unless it's on another holiday. I could've potentially gotten 5.5-6 hours of seat time but I only got about 3.5 hours since I wasn't out there constantly. It was a great experience minus the fact that my battery got overcharged, heated up, swelled up, vented, and spewed battery acid in my trunk.