Why change the suspension in an MX5. To be, or not to be

No, I just put the wheels and tyres on it.

This one is mine.


Well mine has a Renault badge on it.

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For comparison here are before and after pictures of a Std 2006SE. The after picture is with -30mm Eibach, a passenger and a 3/4 full fuel tank. Frankly that’s low enough for me.

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They look much better lowered.:+1:

This is a good point. Stock NBs have less of a problem (if you could call it a ‘problem’) than NCs but with me and a passenger in mine it’s perfect. I noticed this when my daughter’s partner filmed us going for a spin in it.

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All this depends on the units used and how its set up, its all about setting up a roadster for personal preference about how you want them to handle and preform, lowered does not 100% mean it is less better than standard set up from the factory, i’ll agree that it as become a case of “how they look” in most cases (form) but not all should be tarnished with that brush a lot out here are about function, and a good set of fully adjustable suspension is 100% better than the standard units slapped on at the factory, and “if” its about comfort, what makes you think that just because its lowered you lose that in all cases, not all lowered stupidly lowered cars on their arses for road use and on hard units rattling your spine to bits,
It is all down to personal preference, i like my form , but its all about function and use for me to make things better.
Anyone is more than welcome to try any of the roadsters i have built and personally sorted for the individuals use.
And a foot note:- they are all coil overs bar leaf springs, its just that some are adjustable to suit the needs and some are fixed.
M-m

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Well not exactly re the last bit… coil springs work by applying torsion on the coil bar whereas a leaf springs apply bending forces on the bar. The failure mode and associated stress concentration is different for the two.

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More so, the rears of most hatch backs will have separate springs to the dampers and torsion bar springs are certainly not “coilovers”. If you want to go back the the likes of the Austin A60 group of cars and Farinas, MG’s Austin Healy and many of the cars up to the 60’s were lever arm with coil springs. And the twisting of the coil spring under load is why, if you cut a shorter the spring rate will rise without having to increase the thickness of material. You have a shorter piece of metal to twist.

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Come on lads , please,really… if it as a damper and a spring as one unit ,its a coil over damper, a leaf spring is not as is a spring on its own not, Coil over= coil spring over a damper.
M-m

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As an “industry expert” you should know that making sweeping statements, especially on the internet, effectively saying that unless it is the live rear axel of a van, then all cars have “coilovers” is an unwise thing to say. There is a great deal of air suspension out there for a start.

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The ND2 MX5 I bought had the BBR 220 conversion but not the lowering springs. Aside from looking as though it was stood on tip toes, the rear of the car especially, was prone to comical body roll when cornering with gusto.
This was disconcerting at best and totally out of alignment with how a sports car should feel.

With the lowering springs subsequently fitted and the geo reset, the excess body roll is removed completely. No detriment to ride quality that I perceive and the car now feels tighter and corners in keeping with its performance.

There is no downside I can detect and imho it should have been that way as OEM.

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A few things.

Keeping all four wheels on the ground is what gives you traction.
Body roll is a consequence of weight transfer dude to the moment generated at cg due to braking and cornering. If you lower the cg you reduce the effect. If you change your antiroll bars, you can also change this effect during cornering.

To lower the cg you can either mess with the springs or buy a fully adjustable coilover. But usually the suspension travel is less than stock. This means that to avoid bottoming out the suspension you have to use stiffer springs. There are tradeoffs when manufacturers select ride height and suspension travel. These are cost, regulatory, comfort and handling.

Imho there is definitely not one solution fits all, but definitely worth having a good discussion what can be done about it to suit your needs.

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I bought my NB for the thrills I got 50 years ago in friends’ MGBs and Spitfires. A!ways wanted one, family and mortgage conspired against me. I can thank COVID for pondering my mortality and realising that the years are running out and I can’t take the money with me. So I bought an NB as a 70th birthday present to myself and the only thing I regret is that I didn’t do it sooner. Just looking at it makes me smile and driving it is everything I could ever have wished for.

Which is a very long winded way of saying this old boy doesn’t need to lower his, or put a turbo on it or anything else. It’s perfect the way it is. YMMV of course :grin:

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Talking of ‘ sports bikes. I owned a Bimota Furano in the early 90s Lovely bike …. Ohlin’s front and back .

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Last bike I owned was a black GSXR-1000 2004, probably the best bike I ever owned.
Most comfortable sports tourer, a lovely blue ZX9 C2 1999 model
Scariest ride was on a TLR-1000 and it even had the steering damper - I borrowed this from a mate for two days (well swapped bikes). Loved the sound but definitely it was not the bike for me.
Kinda gave up bikes around 2010; kids, getting older makes you realise you are vulnerable, and four wheels are better than two. I kept one for trackdays but work and family commitments meant I couldn’t be asked anymore so I sold that too.

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I bought a FzR 1000 when they first come out, And one of my friends had a Suzuki And although my FZR was the bike of the moment The Suzuki ( like the one you had ) but a 1992 model, was a much better looking bike It just looked fantastic. Upside down forks that were (quite novel in their day) It always
looked nicer than my Yammy His bike was silver and blue GSXR - R I think I’ve got the model number correct. I’ve never bought a Suzuki Bought A Gold Star 1959. A Boneville 1959. Three Bimota (1) YB8 (2) Daichi And a (3) Furano Also once bought a tiger 100 and a tiger 110 many years ago. Also a BSA Bantam and a Ariel Leader , And three Scooters before that Two of them you may never have heard of …. But when it comes to “petrol Head” I’ve had so many fabulous cars I’d fill a airplane hanger up several times over, Lamborghini Countach Ferrari Berlinetta boxer 512 And recently a 360 spider (‘ Hamann ) …. So many American cars Too, I’ve filled my whole life with cars. A true petrol Head, Anyway. Nice to have chatted to you. I live in Essex if you are ever passing… Best Regards from Ray (Epping Essex).

I still have an fzr 1000 exup in storage back in Cyprus. It was my first super sports. Not started it for over 21 years but it was working at the time (and i managed to get the exup working too) i was quite proud i fixed that :rofl:

If/when im in Essex i will take you up on that mate :+1:

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Spot on … It ain’t broke dont fix it!

My NC Miyako is used for car tours and long road trips; standard if fine by me. Mazda spent a heck of a lot of money developing their suspension systems for road and general sporty drive use, a mixture of comfort, handling and a good fun drive in my view.

If racing or for serious track use is the game then get the car properly set up for the purpose by appropriate experts, guessing the results from suspension upgrade adverts is best avoided.

You can always guess and buy suspension parts on a whim I guess but that’s your call and not for me.

Roy

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I actually had Two FZR’s. (Two years apart) The second one was basically the same as the first. Just a few ‘ cosmetic ‘ changes to the paintwork and a different exhaust ( copper colour) Etc, Take care keep safe, Ray

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Yes, agreed “ A touch too low “ Etc. I’m no expert. But (cosmetically) The best look is when the gap is uniform all around the wheel arch So that the wheel sits in the arch with an identical gap around its entire circumference This is approximately achieved when the NC1 model is lowered by 30mm From the factory settings…
It just slightly alters the “ Oval” look that comes as standard on the NC1 models…. It’s More to do with “ appeal “ than anything else, It doesn’t ‘go’ any faster nor drives better. They just look better, the cosmetic looks of a vehicle must be important or Manufacturers wouldn’t change their ‘ looks’ every year, they’d just leave them as they were each year… just ( in my opinion ) …incidentally love the car, they are nice in that colour … Look more substantial Etc… Ray
Ray Epping Essex

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I’ve never quite understood why people spend money to change the “stance” when only other people will see it, especially given the mixed views.

I must be an old so and so,…

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