Not sure if this should go in race tech or here but looking at new springs not just for the drop but for autoX and high speed touring class at tracks, looks like the main 3 are racing beat, suspention techniques, and eibach. Not sure im ready for full coil overs just good springs and i think im set on suspention techniques set of sway bar because of the rear adjustability. So if anyone has some insite on spring rates or what your running it would help out thank you.

 

I have, from time to time tried them all, and they each have their good points, but my advice is, if you are looking for stance and handling, is that the heads and shoulders best combination is Re Speed coilovers, front sway bar and camber plates, and if you can afford it, rack and pinion too.

You will get other opinions but I am telling you to save yourself alot of time and money and do it right the first time, you will not regret it.

2 cents

 

www.re-speed.com Do it once, do it right

I made the mistake of starting out with just springs and RB swaybar. Didn't take long to realize that it wasn't much of a step up. Sold all that and went with the coilovers/camber plates/front sway from Respeed.

The ST rear sway is a good call. Avoid the RB version, impossible to adjust.

I run spring rates of 275 front/15 rear. Love it. This is my daily driver, weekend Miata killer. I drive her down South every Spring too, putting on 3k miles in a week's time (except this year).

Check out some of the videos in my signature and see what you think.




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I was planning on trying out the RB suspension package with some nice shocks (I haven't decided between KYB or something else). BUT I don't see whats so terribly wrong with factory stock, other than the height. The car seems to handle nicely. Then again I am NOT racing it just cruising the block.

 

Even just cruising can improve with new hardware. The parts on your car are likely from the factory, which means they are well past their prime. Besides its a sports car and can do better. You won't get much if any lowering from just performance replacement springs. Most people actually reported seeing their car raised due to the amount of sag in their factory springs. I didn't notice when I put my RB springs on but it didn't lower the car either. If you looking fr a little extra sport with a good ride go with RB springs and stock replacement shocks with ST sway bars. If you want something really sporty get Tokico Illumina's. Want to go lower (we all do) get the re-speed coilovers. You get your choice of spring rates and adjustability.

 

The 7 I ended up with doesn't show much sag and the shocks have a suprizing amount of bound left in them. Only 66k on the car as of today, and everything, suspension wise, looks stock.

Why not get the RB sway bars? I was just gonna get the suspension package from RB. Seemed like a logical choice.


I don't want to slam the thing on the deck... I already done that to another car, and I've grown out of that stage. BUT about an inch lower would fill up the gap in the wheel wells without having to go plus sized on the tires on the already small 13" wheels.

 

I'm currently running a full RB setup (springs, front and rear sway bars, and polyurethane bushings) with Tokico blues. So far I'm finding it to be a vast improvement over the stock suspension setup.

I find the ride height is only about an inch lower. If you are concerned with driving regularly on public roads, this is a very streetable kit. Admittedly, I would like to go lower with re-speed coilovers, but purely for aesthetics. Considering the handling of the car currently, I can't see much improvement to be had for a lower speed auto-X environment. I can't speak to higher speed circuit driving however.

.02c

 

Speaking of Re-Speed, anyone know what's up with their site? Went to drool over some coilovers and it says account suspended...

 

The website is down till the new one get up and going on the new domain. Sorry for the inconvenience. You can still contact us at:

Email: shqemanufacturing@gmail.com
Tel : 519-652-9595
Cel : 519-495-3357

Sorry for this inconvenience everybody.

 

I guess I'm kinda thinking Re-speed. Just for the steerage benifits. Cause the stock steerage is sloppy... very sloppy.

 

I have RB springs with Illuminas in the front and Blues in the rear. Get something stiffer. I could outdrive the setup on dry-rotted 185's. WAY too soft for performance driving. With my 205/50R15 RE-11's I'm rubbing with everything I do (except accelerating...it is a FB after all...)

 

i've played with a lot of setups on these cars over the years, and to get the right one it really depends on what you want to use it for.

for a dual purpose street/race car kentetsu's setup is really good.

for a stock sized non performance tired street car, stock is actually really good. you can totally transform the car too by going from +1 to -1 camber in the front. it adds traction in the front, so the understeer goes away.

and there really isn't an in between that is worth doing, you could do like the RB package, but you don't get the performance benefit on the 185's, and it doesn't ride any better than Ken's car either...

 

+1 on the simpler suspension setups.
Considering my car's engine and large tires, my suspension is pretty basic.....but it works great.
Eibach springs in front and rear. I dont remember the rates,but I choose the Eibachs as the best average spring......the ST's were too soft and the others (cant remember the brand) too stiff. I ended up upgraded to the stiffer rear RB springs after going TII, because of rear squat. I use the RB racing coils in back that have the extra,dead coils for cutting to adjust height.
Tokiko Blues all around,RB sway in front,stock sway in rear,poly bushings in front and 2 upper strut braces....pretty simple. Having big 17" tires and R/P steering makes it all the more fun,but she still handled really well before the widebody and turbo engine, when I was just running around with carbed 12A and 13B engines.....damn that was like 13-14 years ago.....Im getting old!

 

The reason i said ST bars instead of the Racing Beat is because the RB rear bar uses sleeves to adjust it's effective length rather than holes. It is next to impossible to adjust on the car and if I have to remove a performance part to adjust it when there is an easier option out there then it loses. Sadly I did the same thing when I did my suspension the first time and just bought the package. My bar is set as stiff as it can go and it drives well, but it would be nice to make fast adjustments in between autox runs.

 

I'm running an RB rear swaybar. Its not hard at all to adjust on the car, but it does take more steps than the ST setup to get it right.

 

I've never been able to get my sleeves to budge, so I just don't bother with it.

 

I guess I'll end up with the RB package. Just for the brand loyalty, cause I already have RB headers, intake, and 13B motor mount... why not go full blown. I mean I plan on using their seals to rebuild my 13B motor*.

Thanks for the info I guess I'll go ahead and set it half way and not tighter than hell.


*Man I'm already planing on a rebuild and I've only owned the car for a month??? What did I get into.

 

Start soft and work your way tighter until you get the feel you want. Don't forget to put some anti-sieze on the bar ends to keep them free.

Mine ended up just about as soft as it goes - I'll probably end up going back to the stock rear bar. Just like everyone always does.

 

I'm not seeing any identifying marks on my springs, but they are grey in color. Anyone know what they might be?
Susp Tech-green, Re-speed-blue, RB-red...