Suggested spring rates for Sebring?
 

Somehow, recently I've ended up with 2 Miatas at my house (my wife is shaking her head) and I'm starting to tear into one. Most of my track time is at Sebring in my Panoz which I sold recently "to make room"? I'm looking for spring rate suggestions for running Sebring. I'm going to be calling Bernie Stewart soon and just looking for feedback from those who run there often as I think there are a bunch of Miata guys in Central FL.

This is a for a dedicated track car setup with Grand Am Series Continental race slicks - 225 tires. Thanks.

I's call Emilio and have him make you a set of custom XidaS shocks for sebring, he mentioned custom tender springs or something in another thread about Sebring.

I'm quite certain the Xidas are great and I've checked out Emilio's stuff; however, based on prior experience with re-valved Penskes on my Panoz I'm not willing to spend that much on shocks. I was just curious about what rates others seem to like there based on experience. Thanks.

Part of the rate issue revolves around ride height. Emilio uses 700# front springs but his cars tend to be sub 12 inches.

I would think standard rates apply. Isn't Sebring a retarded rough track? I thought the design of the Xida would benefit you there.

Front and rear aero 800/500. No aero 700/400.

Curious what experience with revalved Penske's has to do with deciding to spend $1200 on full length revalved steel Bilsteins instead of purpose built Xidas (AST) for around $1800.

Thanks for the feedback.

I'm sure your shocks are great but I'm not willing to spend that much for this application and the used Penskes I had set the bar for me in terms of what's reasonable, in my opinion, to spend for a shock like that. If I came across a used set I'd look at them, if the price were right. I have Bilsteins on another car as well, I'm confident they will work here. This is just track day stuff. Not sure where the $1200 figure comes from. I'm looking at ~$800, the car I picked up came with ISC top hats, and I have extra springs to play with from other projects.

I'm not throwing my checkbook at this car like I do most others and I didn't pickup a Miata because it needs $1800 worth of shocks to handle well enough to be fun. Did I mention I have scrub slicks for $25/tire? Others follow a different strategy for fun but that's what I'm doing this time around the block.

Thanks again.

Please post pics and specs of your Miata, OP.

+1, I was just going to ask that.

The one I bought recently came with:

~ 1.6 Big nose motor swap
~ manual rack (not de-powered, power rack)
~ '94 brakes
~ hardtop
~ Raceland coilovers
~ mashed up frame rails
~ no rust

It also came with a 4 point diagonal HD bar that I did an even trade for an Autopower cage out of a Spec Miata. I think it's the older version but it's a cage. I'll probably add some more bars to it.

I also have a 1990 with 76k miles on it that I bought initially before I came across this other car with a hard top, manual rack, etc. I'm going to sell that car now. It's a clean car, you should buy it.

http://jmimac351.smugmug.com/Cars/19...54_hnzC6-L.jpg

http://jmimac351.smugmug.com/Cars/19...69_aAL9n-M.jpg

ban