low springs + shortened shock

Discussions relating to MX5 Tyre choice, Wheels, Brakes Suspension components and other items to keep you going around corners, stuck to the ground or stopping on a dime.

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Bwarp
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low springs + shortened shock

Post by Bwarp » Thu May 10, 2012 10:39 am

Kiaora Bro's and Broette's.

With the recent change in the cert laws regarding camber needing to be within tolerances, the LVVTA are making it very difficult to get adjustable suspension certified. If I slam the roadster on adjusties its gonna need cert obviously and I'm worried that its natural camber when lowered will be outside the tolerances with nowhere to go.

So I'm not thinking, rather than going adjustable, its probably a better idea to go to a lowered spring and a shortened strut.

The advice I'm looking for is, if anyone has done this combo before, what sort of set ups were you running (spring and shock combo) how much did you managed to take off the strut? And did it work well?

Also - I notice there was a shock and spring set up going on this forum, but I lost the classified link, I think they were KYB's and tein springs, brand new - any idea who had them listed and whether they sold/or the listing just expired?

Chur dogs.
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Kieran
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Post by Kieran » Thu May 10, 2012 11:16 am

Adjustable Coilovers With extended RUCA's to eliminate camber and proper fitting wheels (thats all there after) > Shortened Shocks and Lowering Springs (Ride is awful and bounces everywhere)

Mazdas Suspension is pretty bloody good from factory Shortened Shocks and Lowering Springs is a downgrade

Just get some coilovers and dont overdo the slammage and you'll pass no worrys

Bwarp
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Post by Bwarp » Thu May 10, 2012 11:43 am

Good to know re: ride quality.

Proper fitting wheels is my middle name, btw haha,

I just really really want to avoid cert, as they're just making it so difficult, and its getting more expensive by the day!

The car corners well on standard suspension, don't get me wrong, but you can definitely feel a fair bit of room for improvement.
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chris
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Post by chris » Thu May 10, 2012 11:56 am

Where can iI find info about the new law? :oops:
1 X Primera
2 X Silvia
1 X BMW E30
1 X Audi A6
3 X Mazda MX5 (1989, 1990, 1991)

Mr. Shine
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Post by Mr. Shine » Thu May 10, 2012 12:13 pm

As a guide, I'm certified with ~11.5" rear hub to fender and am unable to get less than -3 degrees of rear camber on factory arms. I'm glad I'm already certified...

Also remember if you go with shortened shocks and springs you're bound by the 100mm ground clearance. I'm currently about 70mm off the ground, so you'll be about 12.5-13" hub to fender to give you an idea.

Bwarp
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Post by Bwarp » Thu May 10, 2012 12:53 pm

Wow. 70mm seems LOW. Don't think I need to be that low.

Fuuu dunno what to do -_-
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Mr. Shine
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Post by Mr. Shine » Thu May 10, 2012 1:04 pm

I'm not quite tucking tyre at 11.5" rear, so you'd have a gap between tyre top and fender of probably 1.5" or so. Should help you visualise but I'll try to get a current picture :)

Only speed bumps I have problems with are the sharp-edged ones, as well as those miniature rubber ones you get at shopping malls. The rubber ones are fun though because I'm not worried about them scraping up and damaging my sills/rails :lol:

I'd wholly recommend adjustables though, even if you have to get adjustable arms to dial the camber back to -1.72 degrees at most. It really is worth it, and bizarrely I find scraping funny on the occasions I do.

Kieran
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Post by Kieran » Thu May 10, 2012 1:22 pm

you can get your rear upper control arms extended and that will take you back closer to -1.5 degrees

Kieran
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Post by Kieran » Thu May 10, 2012 1:27 pm

Bwarp wrote:Wow. 70mm seems LOW. Don't think I need to be that low.

Fuuu dunno what to do -_-
I thought you said you wanted to slam your car?
70mm isnt that low by Club Roadster 2012 standard

This is Mod Slam (roughly 50mm ground clearance)
http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/showth ... ost1224018
This is Slammage (roughly NO ground clearance :lol: )
http://clubroadster.net/vb_forum/showthread.php?t=13839
Attachments
Slam.jpg
Slam 2.jpg
Mod Slam.jpg

Bwarp
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Post by Bwarp » Thu May 10, 2012 1:47 pm

Oh right. keen for height of 3rd pic or close to it... thought itd be more than 50mm... hahah all good. Know where I'm headed now!

When you say get the upper control arms extended, does anyone make a full adjustable set?
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Kieran
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Post by Kieran » Thu May 10, 2012 1:51 pm

Bwarp wrote:Oh right. keen for height of 3rd pic or close to it... thought itd be more than 50mm... hahah all good. Know where I'm headed now!

When you say get the upper control arms extended, does anyone make a full adjustable set?
I wouldnt buy aftermarket ones I have heard they can go really wrong and have fitment issues with different wheels/suspension
also since the factory ones are fully adjustable theres no point i'll find a pic of an extended RUCA any automotive fabricator will be able to do it

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Post by Mr. Shine » Thu May 10, 2012 2:03 pm

Bwarp wrote:Oh right. keen for height of 3rd pic or close to it... thought itd be more than 50mm... hahah all good. Know where I'm headed now!

When you say get the upper control arms extended, does anyone make a full adjustable set?
I'd estimate myself being an inch higher than the third picture, so you'd need to throw 2-3 inches more on that ride height if you were sticking to the 100mm limit.

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Post by Kieran » Thu May 10, 2012 2:15 pm

Heres pics of the Extended RUCA's
I believe they only extend them by about 1/8" maybe even 1/16" but dont quote me on that
Attachments
RUCA 2.jpg
RUCA 3.jpg
RUCA.jpg
RUCA 1.jpg
RUCA 1.jpg (28.25 KiB) Viewed 15104 times

Mr. Shine
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Post by Mr. Shine » Thu May 10, 2012 2:36 pm

Also, I take it you managed to get the Roadster WoF'd yesterday for Sunday? :D

Bwarp
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Post by Bwarp » Fri May 11, 2012 8:03 am

Yes and no. Haha it got a WOF.... JUST.... need to trim my tint strip at the front, and the powersteering belt is cracked, so need to replace before next WOF, but everyone else on our trip bailed. We had 9 people going up from welly, we now have 3..... so we can't afford to take two cars up, so I've given my skid pan spot to my mate in a GT4 celica, so we are going up with him. Keen for a yarn on Sunday tho.
I'm bringing a helmet up so you should take me for a skid passenger side!
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Bwarp
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Post by Bwarp » Fri May 11, 2012 8:05 am

Also - what's the legality of extended RUCA? Assume they also need to be certed yeah?
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Post by Mr. Shine » Fri May 11, 2012 10:20 am

Bwarp wrote:Yes and no. Haha it got a WOF.... JUST.... need to trim my tint strip at the front, and the powersteering belt is cracked, so need to replace before next WOF, but everyone else on our trip bailed. We had 9 people going up from welly, we now have 3..... so we can't afford to take two cars up, so I've given my skid pan spot to my mate in a GT4 celica, so we are going up with him. Keen for a yarn on Sunday tho.
I'm bringing a helmet up so you should take me for a skid passenger side!
Damn! Cruise up from Wellington would've been great in the Roadster! More than happy to give a few shotgun rides, no promises on my skid skills though! You'll be able to see how ride heights are to compare, though :)
Also - what's the legality of extended RUCA? Assume they also need to be certed yeah?
Yup, all suspension modifications require certification unless contained in the LVV Certification Threshold Schedule.

Kieran
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Post by Kieran » Fri May 11, 2012 11:01 am

Bwarp wrote:Also - what's the legality of extended RUCA? Assume they also need to be certed yeah?
Yes but the way I look at it is a vtnz Wof station wouldnt notice them so i wouldnt worry

and i say vtnz station because my mates s13 (factory ca18de) just passed a WOF with a sr20det
He failed the first time on a worn tire changed it and passed

Bwarp
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Post by Bwarp » Fri May 11, 2012 12:08 pm

Yeah I've had a mate with an S14 silvia that passed wof with no cert with an R33 rear subframe diff and brakes and 4 corner hub conversion. And I've got another mate who passed in a GTST 4 door skyline that had an RB25 transplant. Hahah some of them just have no idea!
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aidwano
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Post by aidwano » Sat May 12, 2012 12:22 am

What is this new cert law? I got cert 6 months ago with F 290mm R 310mm hub to guard no problem. I'm a bit lower than that now but cops dont look twice at mx5's yet and its quick to adjust the height for wof.

You want short stroke shocks with threaded bodies to get decent ride quality when low. It'll be so much better than shortened standard shocks.

Welded upper wishbones will need to be tested and x-ray'd for cert I think. You'd want to check with a certifier before buying any.

Bwarp
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Post by Bwarp » Sat May 12, 2012 7:56 am

New cert law is regarding camber. A mate of mine with an EK9 civic failed cert on his buddyclub dampers because of the natural camber that occurs. Meaured at -2.35 degrees, he failed..... looking at -2.35 degrees camber is FUCK ALL. But it more that 1/3rd different to the standard fitment for an EK9.....
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dynofiend
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Post by dynofiend » Tue May 15, 2012 7:34 pm

Any non certed modded suspension components will fail a WOF... if theyre spotted. You would be lucky to get DIY welded suspension components through a cert as well.

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