Hello[:)]
I have bought four new tyres for my car and whilst at the garage i have been told my suspension(which to be fair is fifteen years old!) will need replacing within the next 12 months or i risk failure. That means shocks, springs, boots, and anti roll bar links as the seals on these are falling apart too.
The thing is i only like to use OEM equipment on my car but would like to perhaps replace my standard shocks with some Bilsteins possibly as these are genuine Mazda parts i understand? what improvements do the Bilsteins offer over the standard shocks and is it best to buy them used or brand new and where is the best place to buy?
Is it worth possibly switching to the KYB AGX shocks?
Also regarding the springs, i can’t seem to find any OEM road springs anywhere? and also i do feel my car is a little too high and was wondering if Mazda ever made any OEM sport springs on any of the limited edition NA’s?
Thanks for the advice!
Happy MX5’ing[:)]
Ben.
Ben - Check out the Autolink standard and sport springs. They do s/h Bilsteins too. Also read the suspension section of the Mazda Miata performance handbook by Norman H. Garrett (it’s on Google books). This will tell you about the design life of the suspension, why it is how it is, and which modifications to the original design are worthwhile. The ‘Fat Cat Performance’ spreadsheet (Google again) is also very interesting, if a little hardcore technical.
National Tyres. How can i tell if my shocks are wearing out? i plan on replacing the springs anyway as they have lost their stiffness and the boots at the same time but if my shocks aren’t worn then i will keep them?
Thanks,
Ben.
Lean on the car over a wheel to compress the spring etc, then let the car bounce. It should bounce once above it’s normal position then settle to it’s normal level. If it bounces more than once you have got a problem, not serious but something that will effect you driving.
My two penn’orth. Generally speaking any lack of striffness is not due to age on springs. They may become a little softer, but nothing significant. They usually need replacing because they crack and break, usually at high mileages (100,000m), although one member has had them fail after 4,000m, but not OEM ones. The rubber boots rapidly perish away, but the attached bump stops don’t. Lack of boots does not affect your MoT. The MoT test for shock absorbers is a visual inspection - any oil leak and they are (rightly) failed. Otherwise it is the bounce test, described by Polyanna. As long as all four corners behave in the correct way, you’re fine.