Billsteins belong on camaros not rex's tokico or koni are the way to go.

 

I have Koni adjustables, and I love them.
Shocks are shocks, when you're comparing Tokicos to Konis, to whatever other good brands are out there.
And crap is crap, and they don't last on the market very long.
And any shock is crap without the correct springs.

But lemme tell ya something about ****** Racing Beat and their catalogue...
When I called them for a catalogue a few years ago, they sent me a stack of xeroxed papers in black and white of their old catalogue. They promised to send me a new catalogue as soon as they got them in.
And they did. Almost a year later, but they did.
I was new to the Rx-7 then, and well, I read the whole damn catalogue straight thru about ten damn times.

At that time, Redline synthetic oil was the "top choice" among racers. Absolutely the "bestest stuff on Earth" as far as everyone in the rotary world was concerned...according to Racing Beat, that is.
However when the new catalogue finally got to me, they were endorsing Royal Purple.
And you know what?...They did'nt even have the ****** decency to rewrite the page and a half long artical about synthetic oil!
Yeah... the original artical mentions Redline about twelve times. "It's the top choice.", ect.
All they did was remove the name "Redline", and substitute in "Royal Purple"!
Apparently in an unpresidented turn of "mass hysteric opinion", everybody changed their ******* minds, and in just one season, all the rotary racers in America were swearing by Royal Purple!

My point is simply this; When a catalogue recomends against using a specific product by brand, it is most likely due to some financial situation within their business.
Racing beat sells both Tokico and Koni shocks, so I'm not sure what the deal is there. But as a staunch "conspiracy theorist", I can't help but think that an awful lot of their advice is 'finacially motivated' somwehow.

Anyways, I don't know about Tocikos, or tokicos, or Tokericos, But when I was asking about my Konis, I got all of people saying they were just about bulletproof, and could be rebuilt if there was ever a problem. Best in the world, yaddayadda.
I doubt there's much difference in the Tokicos quality, either.

Just be careful about making yer *** too tight. I almost kissed mine goodbye two days ago!

 

quote:
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Originally posted by Pele
I dunno about springs. I was thinking Eibach, but thats just because of the name. Anyone have springs that they like for the street and autocross?
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i just hooked up some racing beat springs front and rear, i heard they had the best balance although they're not the stiffest. i'll be out on the streets again in a week or so and i'll let ya know how they feel.

 

You almost scare me sometimes! The article is from MAZDATRIX, Sterling!!

 

What...? Do you think they're not watching us?
The feds, Mazda Trix and Racing Beat...They're all watching us, man!
The EPA is keeping tabs on guys like us thru these sites so they can nab us for tearing out our emissions controls!
It happened to my neighbor, and he disappeared. Noone knows what happened to him or his car!

Yeah, I'm '"over the edge"; but my point was just to take advice from experienced guys that are'nt trying to sell something over advice from businesses that will change their perception or opinions at the drop of a dime...literally.

...and mar3....I know you're "one of them"!

 

sshhhh!! (whisper) I've been here since November and no one knows I'm undercover EPA/ATF....

 

Spec miata's run bilsteins

 

So, Koni's are good or bad for the street?

And defenately no Eibachs?

Or what?



I know nothing of suspension.

 

Go for the freakin' Tokicos...the adjustability ranges from softer than stock to very stiff whereas the Koni's adjust from slightly stiffer than factory to go-kart stiffness. Super-stiff springs are great in a heavy car with stiff shocks because you can control the extra mass/inertia and still have the tire maintain its contact with the road. Stiff springs and shocks in a light car will give you a go-kart suspension which is fine on billboard flat tracks and parking lot slaloms but is absolutely evil on regular roads. How far are you willing to compromise on daily street manners to get your lap numbers down? Another thing to think about is that if this is the daily driver with a stereo on board and such, what will all the extra jolts and bangs do to your stuff? How about that exhaust hangin' on with small straps of rubber? Is it secured so it would survive the Baja 1000? As far as a stereo goes,the amps won't care but forget about a CD player...

 

c'mon now... the eibach's aren't *that* bad! they are stiff, but i never feel like i've had a spinal tap after driving my car. i think my biggest bitch about my setup is the nonadjustable tokico HP's. when i lived in FL, i think the eibach's were by far the best setup. it just depends on your local roads. roads in indy are rough in both my 7 *and* my trooper. i'd definitely say that you wouldn't want anything stiffer than the eibachs if you use the car as a daily driver, though.... and make sure you get adj shocks.

 

Rotorhead, are your Eibach's single or progressive rate? The single rate is around 170 lbs/sq.inch whereas factory stock is anywhere from 85 to 105. Hotdawg is thinking about running 350s!! That's why I mentioned high spring rates on a daily driver! I pity his exhaust system and stereo equipment!!

 

do they offer both fo the Fb? Does anyone sell both?

 

Whats the range of spring rates on the progressive rate?

How would it comparte to Ground Control Coil Overs? (They've been discussed here, at Mazspeed.com, and now on Driftcore.com)

 

85/120....70/185.....85/165....and 90/165....sadly, it appears there is no 1stgen progressive spring available from Eibach, but I'm using a 2 year old source, so they may have something now...or not...

 

Hmmm... The 85-120 sounds pretty close to stock.

Having never ridden in a stock car while new, this means nothing to me.

I don't know what springs or shocks are on my car. They could be new OEM's, Originals from 1985, Hardcore Aftermarket...

They're black ans curly like a spring should be.. That's all I know. Back shocks are yellow, so they're probably replaced... Fronts are black and inside the spring, so I dunno about those.

 

Get a vernier caliper and measure the diameter of the spring wire. I can compare that against my front coils which are factory stock but cut to lower my front end. I can also compare it against my rear springs which are RB springs rated at 110 lbs./sq.inch. Only I ain't gonna do it tonight 'cuz of the freakin' cold weather!

 

Not to revive a dead thread or anything but....

Mazdacomps website had this to say about Bilsteins and I found it interesting and thought I would share...

Notes: Nice alternative to Tokico Illuminas. Can hold up to higher spring rates than the Tokicos. Bilstein high pressure gas montube shock absorber. The superior damping ability helps improve handling and stability without sacrificing ride comfort. Instantaneously self-adjusting for changing road surfaces and their performance does not decline from age, use or heat. Heavy Duty setting fits all models. Requires additional bushing, 0000-04-7228-BL, for each shock. #B46-0317

 

i think mine are progressive.... but i'm really not sure. hehe... "They're black ans curly like a spring should be.. That's all I know. " as pele would say. i know they're eibachs cuz i put 'em on. on another note... 350lbs!?!? why bother with springs? just lock that suspension up and drive a'la go-kart!

 

Nah, I can't handle the go-kart on these streets. It's really not what I can handle so much as what the car can handle... I don't want to shake the car apart.

I want it to stand up to a gravel road fairly well. (Not at high speeds. Duh. Just sometimes I need to get places that involve a mile or two of gravel road.) I will not be rallying this car. I'll get a Subaru for that.

I do want it to handle well for an autocross though.

I guess I'm thinking I should ge tadjustable shocks, when what I really need is adjustable springs.

I'll search for the progressive rate springs for the RX-7...

 

Do those exist for the 1st gen?

I don think that koni makes an ajustable shock that fits un the first gen withough changin the whole front arm...

cause if they make some, I want them!