Yes I would like to get as much seat time as possible. Rollbar is going in soon, next summer I'd like to start doing highspeed autocross.

I'm kinda looking for cheapish lowness too. I think I will most likely run FM springs for now and save my pennies for fm Vmaxx or something better.

The only reason I'm concerned with height adjustment is the car being a daily. Where I work the street's arn't the greatest, I already barely get by at stock ride height. I'm worried I'll do springs and regret the height. I guess your right though about getting an alignment with every adjustment. That totally slipped my mind.

well, you can do custom springs or whatever you like. just pick up the shock you like, and then you can either use summitracing or our own trackspeed engineering to get springs. eShocks has eibach/hypercoil also, but I have never used them.

I don't really your roads and things like that, but from a track prespective its a better idea not to change your suspension until you are comfortable with the limits of the car.

Stock suspension has a lot of travel which helps good bit when you make mistakes (put a wheel off, or hit a hump too hard, or get on a bad gator). Plus, the miata is mighty balanced on stock settings and should help out with the learning. Once you are comfortable at the limit, or are faster than the car, then you can start putting on shocks and springs and all that. Lastly, it seems your suspension knowledge maybe limited at this time. Its a good idea to read up on coilovers, alignment, and general suspension stuff.

i know this may be this forums first raceland thread but cmon! if you see raceland bashing on other forums, there is a good chance they are ----. ive never owned them but ive ridden on them and they are comparable to a stock suspension. as a coilover........... they sucks. save up and get some EZ Streets<------ thats the best bang for the buck(i dont own those either, i have stiff as ---- streets)

If you lower the car but then can't drive it on the streets where you live what have you benefited? I know guys with lowered cars that can't go to certain restaurants and stores because they can't enter the parking lot. They must park down the street somewhere and walk.

Don't get me wrong, I like a tastefully lower than stock car but I also like to go out on the town without being in constant fear. Compromise is good.

I also wouldn't do any lowering without changing the stock bumpstop arrangement.

Thats great advice on the compromise. I thought the NB didn't have bumpstop problems like the NA? care to elaborate more (although I personally find the stock suspension too soft w/ too much body roll on the track, I have only been on my bumpstops during autox).

This^

My suspension knowledge is pretty limited. I know what a bumpstop is and it's function, but as far as what might be better or worse I'm clueless. Teach me sensei!

The NB has a little bit more travel before hitting the bumpstops but still relies on them to be helper springs when the weak regular springs bottom out. Mazda used the bumpstops to serve as higher rate springs. When the shocks contact the bumpstops the effective spring rate goes very high. If the rear contacts but the front doesn't the effective spring rate in the rear can be far greater than the front and can cause a tendency for the car to spin.


If you want to increase your roll stiffness but like your ride as it is, larger sway bars are a useful compromise. They are also a cheaper initial step for the financially conscious.

Here is something for you NB guys to play with:
http://www.fatcatmotorsports.com/FRC...MSDS_1_8NB.htm

But you might do better to start with the tutorial that walks you through the adjustments calculator:
http://www.fatcatmotorsports.com/FRC...S_TUTORIAL.htm

You all need to read about the design of the suspensions if you haven't previously. Spend some time on :http://www.fatcatmotorsports.com/index.htm
and read awhile on every little part.

cool cool, those resources are great. I know I have spent hours sporadically with the FCM suspension calculator to work out spring rates and the like.

Good to know about the mazda bit, I will be getting off the stock suspension here by the end of the year hopefully!

Phil, your car is too nice to sully it with ---- suspension. If you want moar lowe, get some H&R Race springs and use them until you can afford something legit. I've been on my H&R's for 4 years now, and I think the wheel gap and daily ride is perfect (I also have AGX's, but you have Bilsteins IIRC so you'll be fine).

Can the ricelands even be set higher than stock? I know many coilovers are dropped at least an inch even at max height.