Afco Suspension

[Mingle]

does anyone know the part number for the AFCO shocks, or at least the specs?
i ask because i found this:
http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Garage...oke,51302.html
if it is the correct shock, then i am buying some.

[MoonieGT]

That doesn't look like FM's AFCO... but in any event that's over $1500 for four shocks with no springs and no top hats. In other words, for less money you can pick up a set of Xida Club Sports from 949racing.com and get what is probably the best shock for the money for a miata. Just my 2 cents...

[jeff_man]

ast is local and makes the 949 stuff, get them local for no shipping

[MoonieGT]

Will AST sell clubsport equivalents for the same price as 949 ($1849 shipped)? Last time I looked into it the AST were in another league in terms of pricing...

[Mingle]

Yea im pretty sure AST is around the $1800 mark.
There are other shocks on that page that are on sale also, i was just seeing if anyone had a part number so i could see if i could find them cheaper. Spending $1800+ is tough to do.
I just cant bring myself to buy Racelands, even though they are the same thing as the Vmaxx. Something about $350 coil overs screams "dont do it!"

[MoonieGT]

I just cant bring myself to buy Racelands, even though they are the same thing as the Vmaxx.

This is not correct. FM sources the VMaxx from Europe, not Asia where the Racelands come from. Whether or not you want to give the VMaxx a try is up to, but they are NOT rebadged Racelands... There are plent of options out there if you don't want to spend $1800. What's your budget? Here's my pyramid of suspension for those looking for street and track performance. The more tracking you do the more I recommend you spend (I'm not an expert by any means):

1) FM Vmaxx - $595 / FM Illumina/springs - $659 (Do you want height adjustment or shock adjustment, nice entry setup, all users seem to love them)
2) Tein Basics - $770 (People seem to like these ok... but I think you'll be better off spending more if you can swing it, perhaps a safer bet than the VMaxx)
3) Used Bilsteins, custom revalve by Stewart Development, and a set of ebay coilovers - $800 or less if you're careful, great potential if it's done correctly
4) Tein Flex - $1400 (This is a good street/track setup that is very adjustable, but for this money you're getting close to those Clubsports and I personally would want to change spring rates which means more $$)
5) Fatcat Motorsports Custom Bilsteins - $1647 (These are definately nice for the street, but track junkies don't see to care for them. And again, so close to Clubsports... At this price point, the Clubsports are worth the difference. I'd pay $1200-1300 for them)
7) Clubsports - $1850 (Nother better for the money :) ).
Xida, Xida-S, AST XXXX - $$$$ but very impressive

[modernbeat]

Back to the OP.

AFAIK, the Afco setup that FM sells is a custom shock length, custom shock body, and custom valving that does not have an off-the-shelf Afco part number. You might get away ording the 5" for the back and the 7" for the front, four top and bottom perches, then modifying the pin mount at the top, revalving a dozen times and trying a few spring rates until you are happy. Good luck doing that for less than something already developed and available off the shelf.

Been there, done that with aluminum bodied Bilsteins. First set cost me a fortune, next set will be around $1200 all in.

[jeff_man]

AST is the best thing on the market and will make a car faster. what you plan to do with your car should be the desider on what you buy

[jakepkoe]

Been there, done that with aluminum bodied Bilsteins. First set cost me a fortune, next set will be around $1200 all in.

Which aluminum bodied Bilsteins are you running? ASN or something else? A buddy and I are going the DIY Bilstein route - we got the shim kit and the rest of the necessary stuff to valve them ourselves. He bought a set of SN shocks and I haven't bought my shocks yet - keep going back and forth between the ASN and SN. Hopefully we'll have the upper shock mounts built in the next couple of weeks and can get these things going. A guy at Bilstein gave us a starting point for the valving, but if you don't mind sharing some of your experience and where you ended up I'd be grateful to hear it.

(OP, sorry for threadjack)

[modernbeat]

ASN 7" and 5", custom valving using digressive heads. You have to collect a lot of small parts to make it work.

[jakepkoe]

We're going with 7" front and we're going to try a 6" in the rear with a recessed upper mount. I'm sure we'll have to limit travel to some degree both front and rear. We'll also be running the digressive pistons.

One hurdle I haven't yet gotten past is the lower mount and the 1/2" eye of the shock vs. the 12mm bolt. I've thought about a sleeve, but the thickness seems so slight that I'm not sure it'll hold up. The other option is to tap the arm to take a 1/2" bolt. What did you do?

Did you keep the stud style upper mount or did you convert somehow? The upper mounts we're making will use the eye mount that the shock comes with.

[modernbeat]

Mine is for a commercial venture, so you'll have to excuse me if I don't hand over all my work.

[jakepkoe]

I don't want any trade secrets, was just curious if you were using the standard miata stud style upper mount. I know how we're going to do our uppers and I'm pretty confident it'll work as planned.

On the lower mounts, I'm sure we'll get it figured out. I've seen sleeves/bushings available aftermarket, so I know it's been done - just not sure I like it too much. I'm not trying to get up in your business, sorry if it seemed that way. I had no way of knowing you were going to market with your stuff.

[modernbeat]

Well, part of the design considerations was that they be bolt on without modifying the car. I did use pin style tops because that was what most people are familar with AND they are easy to make without losing a lot of suspension travel or opening up the wheel wells to the trunk and engine compartment. There are some decent designs out there to use eye-tops, but most of them end up modifying the sheetmetal around the rear attachment points in the trunk.

[949Racing]

Will AST sell clubsport equivalents for the same price as 949 ($1849 shipped)? Last time I looked into it the AST were in another league in terms of pricing...

Nope. AST does offer a Miata application but they are a different design and I believe, cost more.

[SirHustlerEsq]

Nope. AST does offer a Miata application but they are a different design and I believe, cost more.

Yeah, welcome to my emulsion rear shocks. I was happy to get them when I did, but today I wish I waited for the xida's. When money falls out of the sky I'll put my current 5100's on my daily for auto-x and get Xida CS for the track car.

[MoonieGT]

Well my wife's awesomeness continues... ordering Clubsports tomorrow! She said, "why don't you just spend a little more and get the ones you want?" Fantastic!

[Robert]

"why don't you just spend a little more and get the ones you want?" Fantastic!

Almost always a good choice, and often cheaper than buying something a little cheaper only to be unhappy with it, then buying what you wanted to begin with.

[Nails]

Nope. AST does offer a Miata application but they are a different design and I believe, cost more.

Are we going to see Xidas for the NC any time soon?

[SirHustlerEsq]

I'm jealous.