Educate me about coil-overs

[scottmandue]

I have been searching around miata.net, a lot of good info there but golly those boy have some strong opinions.

So just for giggles though I would check with the gearheads over here.

My Miata is clicking over 100K miles and it looks like it is on the original shocks/springs.

Coil-overs for the Miata range from $300 to $3000... I'm not going to put $3000 coil-overs on a $4000 car... but I don't want cheap junk either.

Not sure about the Porsche crowd but we have some VW/BMW folks here and I have found they share manufactures of coil-overs for VW/BMW/Mazda/Honda etc.

Wonder if any of you have experience with coil-overs and what is your experience/recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

[J P Stein]

I recommend Bilstein shocks to anyone that holds still long enuff......
Stock springs work for a loooong time.....prolly cheep also. Bilsteins also last forever...not cheep, but (IMO) the best you can buy.

Coilovers are a unnecessary unless you like to change spring rates regular like.
BTDT on my AX car.

[Tobra]

Thing with the Bilsteins, like the ones on my car, is you can get them revalved to match up better with your springs. You can also buy them second hand and get them rebuilt. Don't you need coilovers if you are going to do corner weights?

On your NA, I think you can swap to a different top hat to get more shock travel.

[masraum]

I ran the Bilsteins with the stock springs on my old '97. The shocks helped some, but the stock springs on that car were too soft which is why I added the ground control sleeves to the Bilsteins. Maybe a good option would be the Bilsteins with new sway bars.

[masraum]

On your NA, I think you can swap to a different top hat to get more shock travel.

Definitely a good idea for the rear of an NA.

[joeyb]

I got the FCM Elite coilovers and they're amazing. The spring rates are over twice as stiff as stock yet these coilovers ride far more comfortably than stock. On the high side of the price spectrum though. The kit also has the NB tophats for the added shock travel.

[onewhippedpuppy]

If you are on a budget, going with conventional shocks and springs from a quality company will always be the better approach. $1000 coilovers will likely be cheaply made and poorly engineered, whereas that same money buys top notch springs and shocks. I'm going through the same exercise on my 996, I can get Eibach springs/sways and Bilstein sports for $1000 less than entry level quality coilovers.

[ZOO]

Call Flyin Miata. Their proprietary coil overs are terrific. Awesome service, too.

[J P Stein]

These are from the rear of my 914 which had stock coil overs.....but stock size springs only to 200 in/lb. Springs are maybe 60 bucks a pop thru Coleman. These are somewhere between 225 & 300. The set up is also from Coleman.....don't recall the price so it must not have been bad........Bilstein shocks, of course. Revalved by Bilstein 65 bucks a pop.



Goggel speeel chacker is daid again.

[VincentVega]

The point of coilovers is they are simple to adjust and swap out springs. How often do you plan to adjust your setup? If never like most of us, just get a decent set of struts and good tires. Get you bilsteins custom valved if you want to tinker.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

The point of coilovers is they are simple to adjust and swap out springs. How often do you plan to adjust your setup? If never like most of us, just get a decent set of struts and good tires. Get you bilsteins custom valved if you want to tinker.

That's really where I'm at. I don't need something that I tweak each weekend for different track conditions. Most people that have coilovers don't really need coilovers.

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

Aren't Miata shocks/springs all 'coil overs'? ie, the spring is over the shock?

Maybe I'm confused...

You're thinking of a McPherson strut. Similar concept but not adjustable.

[Aragorn]

+1 on looking into a Flyin' Miata suspension kit. Get something that is tuned and set up for the way you drive.

Coil-overs can be great but require knowledge and experience to set up well. Get the wrong height on one and it can mess with the car's balance.

[BeeMaster]

Buy belsteins they will be the last shocks/struts you will ever have to buy. My dad
Recently replaced the belsteins on the front of his baja after 300,000+ miles. I found a date stamp on them from 78. They still performed great until they started to leak a couple months ago. He replaced them with a set he hade laying around from the same time period.

[cockerpunk]

koni/bilstien are always a benchmark. you can go much more expensive, or go to taiwan. megan/BC lots of those style coilovers are cheap, and work actually fairly well. tien is a better known/regarded brand from japan.

the only real reason to go aftermarket coilovers over just putting in new struts, is if you want to raise the spring rate and lower the car, more then just a set of lowering springs.

otherwise, a nice koni yellow with stock springs, or like a decent set of lowering springs, will be very good too.

[Tobra]

For your purposes, consider doing this
Sleeving oem Bilsteins with higher spring rates... On the cheap.

Get a good quality, progressive spring, EIbach or whatever, some used Bilstein shocks, get the shocks revalved for the springs, do a little modification of the shock to fit the collar/coilover sleeve. You could adjust your ride height, but you will set it up and just drive it. If you installed it, I bet you could do it under $500, including the new bump stops you will need.

[J P Stein]

I would NOT recommend progressive rate springs. Their fine for pot holes but suck for going around a coner......rate change in the middle of a corner will, at best, cause you to correct your line (this assumes one is close to the limit) and at worst......pick either going off forwards or backwards.....depending on where you have the damn things.

[Joe Ricard]

Shocks are the most important part of a good handling and nice riding livable car. Bilstien makes a d damn great shock. wether it be stock springs or stiffer.

My new ride is an E36 M3 with 3X the spring rate. You would think 550 front and 650 rear would be harsh. however the AST 4100 SA shocks make the car ride very nice but you know it's not stock anymore.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by VincentVega

The point of coilovers is they are simple to adjust and swap out springs. How often do you plan to adjust your setup? If never like most of us, just get a decent set of struts and good tires. Get you bilsteins custom valved if you want to tinker.

You don't have to adjust them constantly. Miata don't use struts, they use shocks.

Originally Posted by NotaBRG

Aren't Miata shocks/springs all 'coil overs'? ie, the spring is over the shock?

Maybe I'm confused...

Nope, you are correct, miata use shocks only, no struts, and they are coilovers, just not adjustable when stock.

MacPherson struts use the axis of a telescopic damper as the upper steering pivot. WHen you replace struts, you have to (or should) get an alignment. The shocks in a miata have nothing to do with the steering or geometry. They are just the shock in a double wishbone (front and rear) suspension system and just happen to also be the lower seat of the springs.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Tobra

For your purposes, consider doing this
Sleeving oem Bilsteins with higher spring rates... On the cheap.

Get a good quality, progressive spring, EIbach or whatever, some used Bilstein shocks, get the shocks revalved for the springs, do a little modification of the shock to fit the collar/coilover sleeve. You could adjust your ride height, but you will set it up and just drive it. If you installed it, I bet you could do it under $500, including the new bump stops you will need.

You can buy this setup for Bilstein, Koni, and, I think KYB. It includes the sleeves, and springs, everything that you need to set it up on those shocks. I think the cost was $375.

Ground Control Suspension Systems - Your source for the best in suspension parts and accessories.

[Joe Ricard]

Are KYB's even considered shocks?
In my experience the list goes:
Penske, Moton, Ohlin
Motion control, AST, FOX, Koni 2800 series
Bilstien, koni off the shelf Single adjustable
JIC, and the 30 click ricer shocks
Stock, tien etc.
all other junk.