- My model of MX-5 is: __ND 2 1.5
- I’m based near: __West Midlands
- I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __
Hi, we have recently returned back from a 2000 mile trip around Scotland which also included the NC500. The ND coped pretty well on those roads & in many respects was an ideal car to do it in. The quality of the roads is though variable and of course some were a challenge to the ND’s suspension and chassis. Although I am glad we have the smaller wheels not the lower profile rims on the 2.0 !
For future trips I’d like to explore any mods that could make the ND feel more capable. The current ride height and damping are IMHO fine, but would like to make the cars chassis feel more capable (and rigid) Does anyone have for example experience of the chassis bracing . If so which ones would you recommend? I do realise new dampers springs could be on some peoples list, but am feeling that would be something I’d tackle later on. Many thanks ,
The biggest thing I can think of would be a remap;
Other things that might help;
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Thanks Simon ! Will take a look … I was hoping someone here had tried chassis bracing to give more rigidity for potholes etc. I’ll probably try the IL Motorsport strut brace first … 1.5 doesn’t have one at all … and go from there.
The strut brace is not going to transform the car as it does not have MacPherson strut front suspension.
I think you may be on an expensive and slippery slope trying to achieve something that may prove very elusive.
You already have the the most compliant suspension , it may be cheaper to slow down and steer round the bad bits.
Only part with your money with your eyes wide open.
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You mention capability and rigidity. It seems to me that a suspension change would probably bring a change/improvement to what you’re describing. But you need to be careful that this isn’t to the detriment of the standard setup’s compliance. It can be a tricky balance to achieve.
Have you also considered any driver training/advanced motoring courses? Or done any additional training previously? If not, this will bring benefits without changing anything on the car. As the old saying goes, ‘upgrade the driver, not the car’.
Cheers,
Steve
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where are you going next ? if its touring France, or better still Switzerland, then you will find your MX-5 set up is perfect. its not the car’s fault. 
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Currently thinking of Ireland next year … outline planning. …
Ireland, very bumpy then, from what I recall a few years ago not such much potholes as holes that have been filled in and end up as a small hump, and lots of them. But still better than over here where we are now not far short of Italy for worst roads in Europe…
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Given you seem pretty pleased with the car ‘in the round’ I’d be inclined to go for more sophisticated damping.
Something like Koni Active Damping where the idea is you get a comfortable ride until a more vigorous response to the road surface is needed.
If you are keen on making the car more rigid I’d go for the rear of the car. If it’s like my NC, it seems less braced than the front as standard.
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Thank you … I will take all suggestions into consideration… anyone doing the NC500 I would advise being vigilant at all times re potholes etc … especially around the Wick area … truly sorry for the locals , we felt that the road condition was very dependent on council budget as it literally changed on village and town boundaries… overall though , wonderful trip , amazing place , people and would love to do it again someday … we even had amazing weather !
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Not been to Ireland for many years but I still remember how unbelievably bad some of the roads were, way worse than the Scottish highlands!
I went for eibach lowering springs on my 2.0 sport and am very happy with them.
I think it would be worth ringing Adam at CleaR Motorsport to discuss your options as he runs an ND1 1.5 with 15" wheels and high profile tyres which might work for you to give you more comfort and lower unsprung weight.
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Thank you for the mentions / recommendations, Simon!
Rich, I also have the 1.5 and though many of my efforts with modifications have been aimed at “performance”, I bought the car completely standard and always have an eye on comfort too, since my car is also a daily driver. I know exactly what you mean about the feel in stock form! Just a little lacking somehow, a bit wet and floppy, not quite cohesive.
I have added various braces in stages to get a feel for what each of them does. The front and rear upper braces make a surprising difference - not to handling per se, but more to the overall feel of the car, reducing rattles / shakes / general unease of the chassis over bumps. The car feels more premium with them fitted, less like a toy, if that makes sense. The cheapo rear one on eBay (£60) appears to be identical to AutoExe and GWR. I have this and highly recommended - amazed for the cost. The same shop also used to list a front one but I haven’t seen it recently. I think the reality is an 80:20 situation here - something is better than nothing! The brackets Simon linked to above allow you to fit the front brace without swapping the scuttle infill panel.
I have also recently developed a very simple and neat lower front brace which is currently being trialled by a chap in Scotland, but I could do with another tester. Feel free to give me a shout directly if you’d like to try one, no charge of course!
In terms of other mods… if comfort is really high priority then the OEM dampers, springs and bump stops offer a very nice balance in my opinion.
Lowering the car will reduce the “free” travel (eg. that before the bump stop is engaged) significantly, or remove it altogether in some cases, which can leave the ride quite jiggly. I tried Eibach Pro on standard shocks and didn’t like it. With the bump stops engaged (very frequent occurrence with lowering springs and the 1.5L’s OEM dampers), the car felt very unsettled when loaded / pressing on / through larger rolling bumps since the dampers don’t provide enough control when the spring rate ramps up (which it does very quickly when you hit the bump stops). Tough one to recommend on though, one person’s compliant is another’s super harsh, ideal would be to get a ride in a few cars at a local area meet and see what you think.
15" wheels was mainly done on mine for reduced weight, but a taller sidewall didn’t hurt the ride quality and pothole-swallowing abilities!
Modifying the seats may also help comfort and driving position. Its free, easy and reversible. You simply unclip some webbing from both under your backside and behind your back. There is full info online somewhere, thought it was either the Paco or JASS website, but can’t find it now! Will keep looking.
Seat lowering may also help you feel more “in” the car than “on” it, plus move your head a bit further out of the wind - could be useful if you tour a lot woth roof down.
All of the above subject to “in my opinion” caveat! Have been playing with MX5s for over 15 years now though and had a few “premium” toys along the way, which have assisted in helping me figure out what direction to go in with my modifications.
Hope that helps 
… or at least gives you even more to think about, haha.
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Hi @AdamR28 ,
Thank you , I think you summed it up well. The car occasionally over poor surfaces lacks a bit of cohesion. For me at least it’s not about comfort.
So my plan is to leave dampers, springs, ride height, seats all untouched as Mazda intended. However I will now look to add the component that is factory fit in the ND 2.0 but not 1.5 which is a brace that anchors the strut tops to each other and the bulkhead. I doubt they fit it for bling to the 2.0.
If I decide to go further, I’ll PM you about your kind offer of the chassis brace. I won’t trouble you now as I won’t have time to fit for a month or so and you’d deserve quicker feedback I feel.
Rear brace I struggle to see me doing as it would most likely reduce the luggage space. … the NC500 trip proved we need every nook and cranny!
Thanks again for your response, which nailed it.
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They are not ‘strut tops’, you do not have that type of suspension. Only the vertical load of the shock absorbers goes into that area, all the suspension loads are taken within the front subframe.
I fear you will not see any change except to your pocket.
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Apologies for using wrong terminology, understood.
Not disputing what you say regarding nil effect, but why would Mazda fit such a bar to the 2.0 if saving weight is everything ? Seems like a contradiction in their design mantra ? I’m all for saving money BTW 
Pleasure, just sharing my experiences!
Going from no front bracing to adding an upper front brace on my car was immediately noticeable, honestly. Having been into modding cars for so long, I am deeply skeptical of these sorts of “upgrades” (and pretty tight, ha, hence making a lot of my own parts, including the front strut brace mounting brackets Simon mentioned above, rather than buying a new scuttle infill panel) and IMO a lot of them are just tat for the sake of tat, but the reduced shaking at the front over rough surfaces offers a genuine “feel” benefit for me. Car appears more premium too.
The rear brace is actually very neat, doesn’t take up much load area at all. Can’t find a photo right now, but its maybe 20x50mm across the very back (nearest the occupants) and bottom edge of the boot. Requires carpet to be cut to fit. This was the first one I fitted and it noticeably settled the nervous / chattery / rattly sensation at the rear of the car.
No problem about the lower brace. Looks like you have a few areas to play with now and I hope you find the same improvements as I have.
Cheers!
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As mentioned earlier…. Driver training make the biggest difference to the enjoyment of the car and the roads you’re on. Best bang for your buck as it works on every road and every car you own. (No disrespect meant I’m sure you’re more than adequate driver having tackled the NC500 at I’m sure a spirited pace) 
I’ve been very lucky to have a lot of training through work…. Trust me it’s game changing.
For touring I wouldn’t mess too much with suspension the chassis is what it is. Extra bracing adds weight then you end up chasing power better brakes etc.
Decent tyres help and make long runs more pleasant, I fitted good years to my 1.5 and they’re more compliant and have better traction than the OEM tyres. They’re quieter too.
Remap might be worth a look and you could look at a cat back exhaust to perk the engine note up.
If you go down the coil over route you might find it abit tiresome after a while though they do make the car great fun…. But they’re great fun anyway as you know.
In some ways I’ve learned to enjoy what I have and make the most of it and found pleasure in not messing around with cars too much these days…. The engineers know what they’re doing (except when it comes to rear hub bushes apparently!)
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