I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __Suspension
First post newbie so be gentle + I’m in Yorkshire so all options must be cheap
Recently acquired a 2007, NC Sport, 84,000 miles, on Bilsteins with Eibach black lowering springs. The look is great, whereas the ride is merely acceptable but not brilliant and the suspension rattles and clunks (all of which I have learned about after purchase thanks to the forum). Changing ARB bushes did nothing to improve this; all bushes look good with no movement and drop links renewed in last 12 months with no discernible issues when it was up on the ramp.
Thinking I was being clever, I bought a set of standard, 2nd hand Bilstein shocks and springs locally thinking I could cannibalise parts but given the Bilstein’s reputation I am now not sure this was a smart move! If you’ve got this far I’d like some opinions:
Take out existing Bilsteins and swap in with the spare standard set. Does the standard Bilstein set-up (normal springs) clunk and rattle and is the ride decent? How 4x4 like is the look?
Take out existing Bilsteins and swap the Eibachs to my spare set. Of course there’s no guarantee that these won’t also be rattly and clunky.
Save up and get some MeisterR’s fitted, you won’t regret it. It’s a considered purchase @£800+ fitting (could be more now I’m out of touch on prices) then properly set up.
As I say a large lay out but if the car is being kept long term then worth it.
Another Meister fanboy here! Mick, the sportive ones are significantly less money to purchase? Keep the original set up in the shed and if ever selling the car, swap them back on and sell the Meister’s separately? There are a few on here with the Sportive set up (DavyF, bally3 etc) they may be be able to offer advice?
I’ve actually just fitted the Zeta CRD’s and am very happy. My Bilstiens with -30mm Eibach springs were fine (56k miles on the shocks, 25k on the springs) and I did doubt my sanity in spending £850 on the Meisters. But so far it seems it’s money well spent. Hopefully someone will buy my old shocks.
Hi, I would concentrate on finding the source of the rattles and clunks first.
I have the Bilstiens and lowered Eibachs springs, there are no rattles or clunks at all.
Unless you have identified it is the shocks or springs you could spend the cash and be left with he same problem which as a fellow Yorkshireman would right nock my duck off.
When the car was on the ramp with a well respected MX5 specialist, we couldnt find anything wrong with the suspension. If i hit a big bump it’s fine, no noises. If I’m travelling over uneven roads then it rattles. Its not really loud but you know something is amiss. General opinion points to the Bilsteins although this is not conclusively proven. My ‘better not tell the wife fund’ doesn’t extend to MeisterRs so I’m pondering on my options really.
Knowing my luck, I’ll swap them over and there’ll be no improvement!
I am new to these cars, but have just removed both my rear shocks to paint them (09 Billies) and i cant see how it could rattle from the shocks alone unless its the top mounts. One of the many lateral arms/joint sure.
Like Binty say, find rattle source first. Maybe not suspension?
Are you sure it’s the suspension making the noise?
It could be the door bushings. As the car twists and turns over uneven surfaces [ripples, level crossings etc] the doors do move a little and can sound a little like suspension rattle. Fitting new door bushings or tightening the current ones so they are snug in the clamps could make a difference.
100% not sure its the suspension . I thought ARB hence changing the bushings. Drop links have less than 2500 miles on them. Will look at door bushings too.
@Bruce225 - can’t hear it on mine with the roof down either. Seems a common issue.
My 3.75 looks okay (IMO) at the height it’s at, possibly a few men a lower may look better. It seems to ride okay enough over bumps, although I will say I think it rolls a bit to much, ARB’s definitely on my list of changes this winter. Mine has only 17K so that probably helps it work well.
Then I read this and I’m so close to pulling the trigger on CRD’s. How fickle we are.
Do people really think I’ll notice enough difference to justify the out lay. Decisions decisions.
I’m well aware this only ends one way, now where is that credit card
I’d put money on it being the Bilsteins, mine was exactly as you describe. As soon as I drove it away after having the MeisterR’s on, bliss, no more rattles.
I’d suffered for 2 years and checked everything plus new droplinks.
Keep the Eibahch springs, swap the Bilstein’s for new standard Sachs shocks. They don’t knock or rattle unless your drop links are to blame. Make sure you have the paper gasket between the top mount and the car as this also stops noises (people mistakenly throw them out, they’re cheap from Mazda).
The Eibach springs and bilstein shocks are what’s causing the horrible ride; the two don’t work well together and it’s a known issue. I have Eibach springs and standard Sachs shocks, it’s still a beautiful ride with very little body roll, with characteristics better than my previous cars (including the Boxster). For the price, it’s a no brainier.
I’m not saying the MeisterR’s aren’t good, but if you’re just after a lowered look with good ride quality and much less body roll, just get the standard shocks and keep your springs. There’s no need to spend £££’s on coilovers unless you’re really going to get the use out of them with their adjustable damping and ride height. Of course the ride quality will be better with the MeisterR’s, but it’s not worth the price difference for what you may be looking for.
Here’s mine on new Sachs shocks and new Eibach springs.
The ride quality is beautiful, the look is spot on, and the handling is outstanding. Very cheap compared to coilovers, compliment over all roads which makes it very useable day-to-day thanks to the Eibach’s progressive spring setup.
So although MeisterR’s are undoubtedly better build quality with more features, if you won’t use the damping and height adjustability, just get the shocks, save the money and spend it elsewhere. Polybushing, better brakes, even a new set of Michelin PS4’s for the change you’d get out of what you’d be spending on the MeisterR’s.
This sounds like the thing I want lower the car a little without spending lots at the same time change out the old shockers seeing there off the car, but with a PRHT sport is there options to put in a cheap basic shockers, every site says not.Do you need specific shocks for the PRHT??
I have a PRHT and believe the shocks are the same as the standard model. The “top hats” on the rears may be different (someone told me they were, but haven’t seen with my own eyes), but the same shocks fit. The PRHT is marginally heavier, and when I fitted my CRDs I put an extra turn of preload on to compensate, but no idea if it is needed or not.
I did also (briefly) fitted a Bilstein Eibach kit, and there was no difference in kits for standard or PRHT.
. I thought ARB hence changing the bushings. Drop links have less than 2500 miles on them. Will look at door bushings too.
