Human suspension.

Technical Area Steering & Suspension
2

Hi everyone,

We have had a 2011 MX5 Mark 3 for two plus years, and  our first Mark 2 in 2004. I am now 73 years of age cycle to keep fit, and am in good health. However, the back pain I now experience when driving the MX5 is becoming intolerable, and although my wife has no such problems we are reluctantly thinking of selling it. I have tried the seat in all manner of positions to  little or no avail. I think it improbable but does anyone know of any solutions to what is I suspect an ageing human problem rather than any inherent manufacturing/design problems?  If I could I would replace my human shock absorbers, but this seems very unlikely as the back symptoms disappear when driving other more upright vehicles. They do say that age does not come alone, but I  are reluctant to succumb to give up one of the finest cars I have ever driven. Any helpful comments would be most welcome.

R L Smith.

Bristol

3

I feel your pain, which is why my 5 is an auto…but my seats are bang on for me.

However, you may wish to consider experimenting with fashioning additional support.

Once you found, or if you found, a design of your own to suit, you could get whatever shapes covered.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/162581274641?chn=ps&adgroupid=51190283679&rlsatarget=pla-413085716843&abcId=1133936&adtype=pla&merchantid=113693667&poi=&googleloc=1007305&device=c&campaignid=1057753379&crdt=0

4

By coincidence we also have a 2011 Mk3.5 but a Powershift model, nevertheless I also find that the drivers seat gives me back pain and I get out like a cripple at the end of the drive.

I do think that the seat lacks lumbar support so I may try shoving a cushion behind me as a temporary measure, I’m sure I saw a lumbar support that could be retro-fitted to the MX5 somewhere?

5

Just a thought but the fashion trend says with every new model that emerges, not just MX5’s, the wheels MUST be bigger and the tyres need to resemble elastic bands.

 

A smaller wheel with a higher profile tyre will give a more compliant ride.

 

I ditched the 16’s on my 2.5 Sport (45 profile) in favour of 15’s with a 50 profile  and even my wife noticed,  , bless.

 

Paul G

 

6

It would be a terrible shame to sell the car when a solution could be very simple.

I am 20 years younger than you but also have a back that lets me know when it is not happy.

Would suggest getting professional advice from a chiropractor or similar to sort this out. A change of seat or support in the correct area will resolve your issue. 

Don’t let this compromise your enjoyment of the car.   

7

When I got my 2009 Mk3 it gave me back problems too. The lumbar support in the seat is pretty much non existant. You can open up the seat, there are zips along the back edge on each side and the bottom bit unclips, it sort of folds over to hold in place. Once you get it open you will see how little support there is inside. There are two zig zag style springs that go across the lumbar area of the seat but there is a gap between them and the padding so they really don’t do anything. I first experimented with a folded towel pushed into the gap between the springs and the seat padding. This certainly helped stop the back ache but was a bit too firm so I changed it for some thick sponge as used in seating. This has improved things dramatically and I can now drive a distance without getting out like a hunchback. It’s worth experimenting.

Ian

8

I feel your pain!

I have lower back pain, and it was first diagnosed twenty years ago when I was commuting around the M25, 38miles each way each day.  GP sent me to the hospital the first time it hit, and the fresh keen young Doc in Casualty did all the same tests as the GP and then admitted I really was in pain, to such an extent that I was in a cold sweat, had no knee-jerk reflexes, and had shut down all sensation below the pelvis, as he demonstrated by sticking pins in me which I did not feel even when I saw them going in.  He also asked two key questions the GP didn’t.

“Do you drive a lot?” - Yes.  An hour each way each day on the M25.

“Do you have a really comfortable car?” - Yes.  Astra LS with fully adjustable seats made by Recaro and adjustable steering wheel.

And the diagnosis and treatment.

“Then you have osteo-arthritis.  This is because of the inflammation caused by the subtle vibration pressure applied to the same spots in the spine all the time.”- What can I do?

“Take these pills - Diclofenac Sodium three times a day at meal until the pain goes away.” - (They were miraculous.) 

“More importantly put the seat in a different position for EVERY journey, to move around the pressure points in the spine.” - OK, easily done. (And surprisingly it works for me).

“Most importantly take plenty of non-load bearing exercise, to stimulate the circulation and healing.  Avoid jogging until the pain has gone completely.” - I hate running, but swimming for an hour a few times a week is OK.

“Swimming is excellent, but avoid breaststroke!” - So  a couple of times a week instead of lunch I swim Front Crawl and Trudgeon for a few kilometres with proper warm-up and warm-down.  My back never goes away completely, but then it does not hurt so much as to make me shut down.  And after the swim it feels great.

 

Current cars then.  My NC with the leather seats is great, I can do many hours at a time in it, but I am still in the habit of moving the seat around a bit (reach, rake, height) for each longer journey. The Mazda3 is less good despite the adjustable lumbar support and I cannot get comfortable in that and need to stop after an hour to ease out my back and reset the seat, but SWMBO thinks it is just perfect, and if she is happy, then I am very happy.

When I tried the 1.5l ND (twice, Goodwood and then Hughes)) my back was hurting after only five minutes, the 2l ND (Hughes) after about ten minutes.  In each case I needed a ten minute walk and stretch to ease my back off again.

I always carry with me some controlled release Diclofenac (Motifene version) and sometimes it is needed - long-haul flight, long coach transfer to the ski resort, dreadfully soft hotel bed, etc. But I can go for years without needing it, so long as I keep up the swimming!

 

9

Hi I would echo an earlier suggestion of seeing a Physical Therapist such as a Physio, Oesteopath or even Chiropractor.
I am a Bio mechanical assessor using Bowen and similar techniques: and deal alot with people who have back issues. I salute your cycling, its a brilliant way of keeping fit, but keeping fit is not necessarily keeping supple.I cycle myself and it does have a tendency to tightne up the muscles around your posterior and backs of legs and hips. May I suggest see a therapist and get a series of exercises, even go to Yoga or Pilates classes. Now all of this may seem bonkers, but I have an Etype as well a MX5, so I get the change in positions when sitting in a sports car. When you sit lower it puts a strain on the muscles around the back of your upper legs (which may be tight in your everyday movement) and they pull up to your lower back. This compounded with more outstretched arms when steering, means that the lower part of your back is under tension, hence the back pain. Of course age related injuries of the back may be contributors. I recommend you go and learn how to do regular stretching and strengtheing exercises that are targetted to your own back diagnosies (from a therapist). In my experience many aches and pains can be dealt with/ controlled/ eased through specific sets of such exercices. You may still be able to hang onto the car!

10

It goes without saying, mature age worn out back. My consultant more or less said, what can you expect at my age, I was 75 then, your spine deteriorates over your life time.

I altered the angle of my Mx5 Mk 1  by loosening all seat anchor bolts to the floor and put a 25 mm thick washer in the two rear anchor points. I had to get a longer bolt though to hold the seat in position. I found that a FIAT garage had the correct threaded bolt to the length I required. The thread is not a metric one for some reason. That, and a few years later using Voltarol, its a diclofenic that you can get on prescription from your GP, reduces the pain whatever car I drive. 

ps I am in my 83rd year and have just finished cleaning all the moss off of the roof tiles, of my bungalow, couldn’t have done it without first using the Voltarol.    

11

I found an easy and effective solution to my back problems in my mk3 was the following:

HALOVIE Air Inflatable Cushions Back Support for Car Home Office Chair Portable Pillow with Pump Wine Red Removable Mesh Pillow Case 30cm*36cm

(paste into amazon). 

Just undo the two zips on the back of the seat and push the cushion into place in front of the two zigzag springs. I put a piece of card behind the pillow and ran the air tube out of the bottom of the to the outside of each seat.  It’s a really easy mod and lumbar support is now very good and infinitely adjustable - transformed the car for me!

12

That sounds an even better idea than the sponge I put in mine. I think I’ll try one. Altering the seat to make it comfortable has to be better than taking drugs to mask the problem surely?

 

Ian

 

13

Thank you very much for this.

I haven’t yet investigated whether this is viable on the ND but I have ordered one to try - at worst I can use it loose.

I am OK with the ND for half an hour, then I get lower back discomfort and start shuffling about. So far I haven’t found a seat position that avoids it.  I didn’t have this problem on a NB.

The ND seats are a bit like deck chairs.  I read somewhere that they use webbing instead of springs so it remains to be seen whether the airbag can be inserted into the backrest.

A telescopic steering wheel might help, then I could try some different seat positions.  I believe the 2019 car is getting fore and aft steering wheel adjustment, but I don’t really want to buy a new car!