another FM spring customer

After waiting about three weeks for my new Flyin' Miata springs to arrive (they ran out, oops), I was happy to see them roll in the front door at work today. Soooo, I of course put the Miata (a '94) up on jacks as soon as I got home.

The springs didn't take long to install, perhaps because the car had Racing Beat springs on it when I got the car last year.

The car does ride quite a bit higher than it did with the old springs, but man, the ride is finally bearable. Jouncing around on teh bumpstops was terrible. The previous owner didn't even cut down the rear bumpstops, so the back of the car had about 3/4" of travel. What a joke!

The springs are installed over KYB AGX shocks - the usual fare. For the moment I have them set at 4 front/3 rear.

Now, on to my question. The car has a Racing Beat front bar and rear bar. The rear bar is currently disconnected because the car was extremely tailhappy with the old springs and the rear bar in place (not to mention the uncut bumpstops, jeeze). With the rear bar disconnected and the FM springs in place, the car understeers, though it's not a pig. The question is, do you think hooking up the rear bar will make the car too loose? Yes, of course, I will try it anyway (why not) but I'm curious as to your predictions.

If the rear bar is intolerable, I'd like to get the car more neutral another way. A different front bar perhaps? Hmm.

If you feel the Racing Beat Rear Bar is too stiff, and no rear bar leaves a little too much understeer, why not try the stock rear bar?

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Originally Posted by mvalant

After waiting about three weeks for my new Flyin' Miata springs to arrive (they ran out, oops), I was happy to see them roll in the front door at work today. Soooo, I of course put the Miata (a '94) up on jacks as soon as I got home.

The springs didn't take long to install, perhaps because the car had Racing Beat springs on it when I got the car last year.

The car does ride quite a bit higher than it did with the old springs, but man, the ride is finally bearable. Jouncing around on teh bumpstops was terrible. The previous owner didn't even cut down the rear bumpstops, so the back of the car had about 3/4" of travel. What a joke!

The springs are installed over KYB AGX shocks - the usual fare. For the moment I have them set at 4 front/3 rear.

Now, on to my question. The car has a Racing Beat front bar and rear bar. The rear bar is currently disconnected because the car was extremely tailhappy with the old springs and the rear bar in place (not to mention the uncut bumpstops, jeeze). With the rear bar disconnected and the FM springs in place, the car understeers, though it's not a pig. The question is, do you think hooking up the rear bar will make the car too loose? Yes, of course, I will try it anyway (why not) but I'm curious as to your predictions.

If the rear bar is intolerable, I'd like to get the car more neutral another way. A different front bar perhaps? Hmm.

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I think you'd be suprised just how little rear travel you had with the RB springs - a stock Miata typically has ~3/4" of rear suspension travel at rest before contacting the bumpstops. With the RB springs you were probably in contact with the bumpstops at all times.

Then again, Mazda designed the suspension to utilize the bumpstops as a sort of poor man's rising rate helper spring. Unfortunately, the rate increase isn't linear, and your previous wild oversteer was probably due to the fact that the suspension was compressing the bumpstops into a region where they were adding hundreds of pounds to the effective rear spring rate after very limited travel.

I'd probably reconnect the rear bar, but not the RB one. I'd contact my local junkyard and look for an OEM rear bar and ditch the RB - unlike a fwd car, Miatas typically don't need a lot of rear bar to rotate well. Then toy with rear camber and toe until you find a setup that works for you.

OK, I got it. The car had roughly zilch travel in the rear before, and NOW it actually has some. I got it to bottom out over big road humps (like intersections) at speed, but the effect was so minor compared to before that I can still walk upright without lancing back pain.

I see two votes for a stock swaybar. Next question - anyone have one laying around I could buy?

BTW, if anyone needs a set of Racing Beat springs (oh God, why??????) I have a set I'd gladly trade for, er, dunno, a six pack or something.

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Originally Posted by mvalant

OK, I got it. The car had roughly zilch travel in the rear before, and NOW it actually has some. I got it to bottom out over big road humps (like intersections) at speed, but the effect was so minor compared to before that I can still walk upright without lancing back pain.

I see two votes for a stock swaybar. Next question - anyone have one laying around I could buy?

BTW, if anyone needs a set of Racing Beat springs (oh God, why??????) I have a set I'd gladly trade for, er, dunno, a six pack or something.

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I have an OEM one off of a 92 in the garage, but I would like to hold onto it. You are welcome to borrow it to try it and see if it gives you the ride you are looking for before you buy one. I am in North Dallas/Carrolton area.

Congrats, I think even the stock springs bottomed out way too much for my taste. I do like how the new FS springs and shocks ride. Its much much better.

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Originally Posted by Titus

I have an OEM one off of a 92 in the garage, but I would like to hold onto it. You are welcome to borrow it to try it and see if it gives you the ride you are looking for before you buy one. I am in North Dallas/Carrolton area.

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That sounds like a plan, especially since I live across from Dan F. Long Middle School, close to you I imagine.

Oh, one little design detail that I'd like to point out (as a first-timer) is the D-shaped holes for the top shock studs. Hello, why doesn't everyone do this??? No more spinning shock shafts and the temptation to put pliers on the shaft to get the nut off (thereby destroying the shock).

I'll look, I'm pretty sure I have a stock bar.

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Originally Posted by Sharpie

I'll look, I'm pretty sure I have a stock bar.

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That would be great! Let me know.