Savington

iTrader: (31)

SMMD is up there with UPS Dogs as one of the best FB pages I follow.

2slow

If you look at an actual SM suspension kits for sale, they are $1500 with sways and end links. Even that spreadsheet picture shows them to be $1110 if you assemble the kit yourself. So $1050 for shocks without springs/sways/end links, but with bumps, hats, etc is right in the ballpark. I assume a part of the reason why is that while Penske shocks are 2x price of Bilstein for shock itself, it will not require sleeves/perches. So it ends up being close enough for a total setup cost. And Penske will probably be valved specifically to SM rates, so no re-valve job is needed to get the most out of them (at least in theory).

Dietcoke

Going to be hard for other shocks in the 8-1500 range to compete with a $1k set of penskes, to be honest.

Junkwhale

Interested to find out whether they're damping adjustable and what spring rates they're aiming at.

They've gone through some serious development (and will go thru more before they're released apparently): http://mazdamsports.staging.wpengine...s-Evolving.pdf

Dietcoke

Which is bad news for Xida owners, really.

Twibs415

iTrader: (8)

2slow

Reading through the PDF linked above - I can't wait to try them out. I'm sure these will be threaded bodies and for current spring rates, but should provide much better ride quality. $100 not including shipping for rebuild is not terrible either IF they last and work as well as Mazda claims they will.

I'll jump to them in a heartbeat if they are anything like they are made up to be.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

That spreadsheet is NOT an SM suspension. It is not relevant for anything except determining how much more it will cost to build an equivalent street setup on Penskes, and the answer is "a chunk more."

Again, just to make sure this makes sense, your "budget" Penske setup is going to start with $1300 in shocks and hats. If that's something you want to play with, then sure go for it. MY point is that at that point, it's not "budget" in the context of our cars. That's "Xidas." That's not "competitor to budget Bilstein." Might be good anyways. Probably would be. Comparing them to Bilsteins in this regard is intellectually bankrupt though. Of course they'll be better. That comes with spending a lot more on shocks.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

Lol why? These aren't the super pimpnasty Penskes...They aren't adjustable, they're probably not aluminum bodied (we'll see) and they're set up for SM, which isn't relevant to most Xidas users anyways. I'm sure they'll be sorta in the ballpark maybe sorta kinda, even my custom valved Bilsteins were IMO. But what sort of moron is going to cross shop "Well i can have this off the shelf" against "Well i can spend the same money and figure stuff out myself trying to make these non-adjustable shocks valved for a car that isn't set up like mine to hopefully match the off the shelf option?"

Not this moron. Maybe someone who has a weird vendetta against Emilio and won't stop posting about it.

Schroedinger

SM spring rates are 700/325 IIRC. So these should be valved pretty well for 700/400 then, at least compared to Bilsteins.

Steve Dallas

I have no dog in this hunt, as I am one of those weirdos who drives on a Fox setup, but I do like dealing in facts, so...

According to the info we have so far, a complete set of shocks, stops, and hats costs $1050 shipped.

If the linked PDF in this thread is to be believed, they are aluminum bodies. What we do not know is whether they are threaded. If not, a sleeve kit ($120) obviously needs to be added to the price of the setup. That plus the cost of springs ($300) does indeed begin to approach Xida territory at a total cost of $1470 shipped. The ~$500 price difference will be a determining factor to some people, however.

That doesn't change the fact that the SM spring rates suck for everything except racing in SM.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

700/400 is a decent street setup. :P There's been a bit of a spring rate arms race as of late. Even i'm on 900/500 with street tires.

I failed at dollars and i apologize.

Efini~FC3S

iTrader: (4)

Midtenn

iTrader: (15)

Reading through the PDFs and other information present it states that what Penske brought to the table was equal in lap times to the current SM Bilstien setup (in qualifying and race lap times), but they will be revising and testing the valving more to improve the lap time. I don't see why the bodies wouldn't be threaded because that's all I've seen offered from them in the past.

If you're lazy and/or tend to forget to adjust your dampers at the track and want a non adjustable, high performance quality option, I could see making a good DIY setup from these. Not saying their better than XIDA or similar offerings, I just thing there its another good option. Especially if you have everything besides the Bilstiens laying around.

ryansmoneypit

iTrader: (6)

comparing a non adjustable shock to a Xida seems silly. since the Xida will more than likely outperform the Penski on a single setting, being able to adjust back to a comfortable street setting is a major bonus.

2slow

I have adjusted my shocks before/during the event exactly once. Ever since (and through multiple cars) once set, i don't touch them really. I bet this is the case for many people, this is also true for anyone rolling Bilsteins since they are not adjustable in the first place . So getting non-adjustable setup for around $1,000 is not a huge deal. If the performance of Penske is better than Billies, then I don't see why anyone wouldn't go with them instead. After all, they will be valved specifically to the springs in question (unlike Bs) and fine tuned for racing Miatas. Really, I think this is a massive and positive step for SM and see only good things happening here.

concealer404

iTrader: (3)

Agree. Definitely great for SM.

Now the question is.... how many of us have SMs?

hector

This might work for some people or for some shocks but this hasn't been my experience with my set-up which has 8300 Penskes. And of course the subjectiveness of "comfortable" is a rather wide range. Since I have proper spring rates, I don't have a whole lot in compression damping. And since said spring rates are kinda high for a comfy street ride, backing of rebound made the car floaty which I wouldn't call comfortable. Then add the Sadfab enchilada package, BFG 1.5 S tires, 3 piece front sway, etc. Yeah, ain't nuttin gonna make dat comftabow. So I don't make any adjustments for the ride home but then again, this is an autox set-up so maybe track set-ups will be different.

Now that ACE thing that 949 has where you can run super low spring rates I could see being close to comfortable when it needs to on the ride home and fast at the track.

Oh, and I don't *think* Penske makes a steel shock or one that doesn't have a threaded body.

cabowabo

1000/500 on xidas isn't plush by any means, but the difference between track settings and street settings is night and day. Low damping is a little floaty, but completely composed on the steet and much more comfy. Well worth it for a dual duty car. Would never want to be locked in at track damping.

I read on the SM forums that it'd be aluminum body, but not threaded. Will have to port sleeves over from billies. We'll find out soon enough.

2slow

Im sure SM Penske will be aluminum alloy as they listed current (Bilstein) shock as, and I'm paraphrasing here, - "made of steel and having poor heat dissipation capability". This indicated that the plan is to use a different metal for the body.