Help me sort out my suspension
#52
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Let me know how much lower the strut mount point is when you get them on please. thanks.
#53
Rotary Freak
iTrader: (3)
How much drop you need depends on how much you lower your car. On my race car I dropped the LCA mount on the axle 3 inches. I also moved the shock mount brackets down the same amount. I wish these were available when I did the work - they are for Fox Body shocks and they bolt on like the stock parts do:
https://lmr.com/item/LRS-9998915K/Mu...cket-Kit-86-93
https://lmr.com/item/LRS-9998915K/Mu...cket-Kit-86-93
#54
Senior Member
I don’t believe I have had any bottoming problem with my Bilstein shocks, but I haven’t checked the travel without springs. I do believe that the B6 Bilstein is designed to be shorter for lowered cars.
#55
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
so, I will be wrapping this up this weekend and doing alignment.
I've looked at threads on how to do so and seen varying settings. main question is regarding the tension rod to the lower control arm setting. I am assuming this would be for caster and the tie rods for toe in/out.
most of the stuff is shown in degrees any advice on setting the tension rods for caster using string method?
comments welcom for settings on camber, caster, toe in/out
I've looked at threads on how to do so and seen varying settings. main question is regarding the tension rod to the lower control arm setting. I am assuming this would be for caster and the tie rods for toe in/out.
most of the stuff is shown in degrees any advice on setting the tension rods for caster using string method?
comments welcom for settings on camber, caster, toe in/out
#56
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the tension rods do caster, and i've never seen a really good guide to adjust em. you want the most Caster angle you can get, without anything binding.
i don't know if what i did was good, but on the Lemons car started at Mazda's spec, and then basically just maxed it out, and that is as much as it was going to let me have without the control arms binding
for toe i'd use a little toe in on a street car.
Camber kind of depends on the ride height, but again in a street car maybe -1 is a good start,
i don't know if what i did was good, but on the Lemons car started at Mazda's spec, and then basically just maxed it out, and that is as much as it was going to let me have without the control arms binding
for toe i'd use a little toe in on a street car.
Camber kind of depends on the ride height, but again in a street car maybe -1 is a good start,
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#57
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
the tension rods do caster, and i've never seen a really good guide to adjust em. you want the most Caster angle you can get, without anything binding.
i don't know if what i did was good, but on the Lemons car started at Mazda's spec, and then basically just maxed it out, and that is as much as it was going to let me have without the control arms binding
for toe i'd use a little toe in on a street car.
Camber kind of depends on the ride height, but again in a street car maybe -1 is a good start,
i don't know if what i did was good, but on the Lemons car started at Mazda's spec, and then basically just maxed it out, and that is as much as it was going to let me have without the control arms binding
for toe i'd use a little toe in on a street car.
Camber kind of depends on the ride height, but again in a street car maybe -1 is a good start,
Thanks. thought i was crazy, glad somoene else says no real good guide to adjust them. I'm thinking for the tension rods to simply have them both be equal in the center of the wheel well (or pretty damn close), and use my camber/caster plates to adjust for a bit more caster. For camber, I don't know that I will be looking so much at degrees, rather just a slight lean inward so that it's barely noticeable to the eye, but where the top of the wheel lines up inside the wheel well. right now, with just the camber plate set inward (no notches) it is visably leaning in, so I know it's way too much. I plan on using a large T square and making sure both sides are relatively equal while being inside the wheel well. Probably compressing each side to check for any binding or rubbing. probably star with zero toe, perhaps a small toe in and see how it feels. I'd like to go out, but I don't want it to feel squirly at speeds north of 100.
#58
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Thanks. thought i was crazy, glad somoene else says no real good guide to adjust them. I'm thinking for the tension rods to simply have them both be equal in the center of the wheel well (or pretty damn close), and use my camber/caster plates to adjust for a bit more caster. For camber, I don't know that I will be looking so much at degrees, rather just a slight lean inward so that it's barely noticeable to the eye, but where the top of the wheel lines up inside the wheel well. right now, with just the camber plate set inward (no notches) it is visably leaning in, so I know it's way too much. I plan on using a large T square and making sure both sides are relatively equal while being inside the wheel well. Probably compressing each side to check for any binding or rubbing. probably star with zero toe, perhaps a small toe in and see how it feels. I'd like to go out, but I don't want it to feel squirly at speeds north of 100.
#59
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
just took her out for a 5 mile test. suspension feels good. still need to do alignment and adjust front shocks and double check everything. feels smoother on bumps etc...but I have not given it the real running till I have a few quickies and double check stuff.
The big thing. MY CLUTCH HOLDS! the heavier flywheel and stronger clutch are no longer slipping in high torque/load conditions like going up a bridge at 45 in 4th and gassing it. no slippage in 4th or 3rd. and in 2nd....from rolling at 10-20 mph and gas it you get two huge black streaks about 30 yards long behind you like it should.
Getting there. now just burn off the exhaust paint, check everything, button **** up, alignment (it was pretty good before) and adjust front shocks and see what she's got. takes a while after having this much stuff apart for me to feel comfortable laying into it in 4th for a stretch, let alone 5th.
As far as ground control. They sent me what I ordered. customer service is rough, but like that of a small business. They sent what I asked for but I wouldn't go spinning siogns for them.
The big thing. MY CLUTCH HOLDS! the heavier flywheel and stronger clutch are no longer slipping in high torque/load conditions like going up a bridge at 45 in 4th and gassing it. no slippage in 4th or 3rd. and in 2nd....from rolling at 10-20 mph and gas it you get two huge black streaks about 30 yards long behind you like it should.
Getting there. now just burn off the exhaust paint, check everything, button **** up, alignment (it was pretty good before) and adjust front shocks and see what she's got. takes a while after having this much stuff apart for me to feel comfortable laying into it in 4th for a stretch, let alone 5th.
As far as ground control. They sent me what I ordered. customer service is rough, but like that of a small business. They sent what I asked for but I wouldn't go spinning siogns for them.
#60
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
oh, and I settled on bringing the rear in 40mm. by switching from 45 to 5 mm spacers and am running 45 mm spacers up front-needed for tire clearance even with coil overs.
I would take a picture but it looks about the same as before. The front, when adjusted low is way too low for my taste. can't even get the smallest floor jack under there. So I raised it up. May look the same as before, but has a lot more travel front and rear and the front feels a lot better. still undecided on the eibach's vs. RB rear springs. Eibach's feel spongier, but I have yet to see if that is a good thing at speed.
I would take a picture but it looks about the same as before. The front, when adjusted low is way too low for my taste. can't even get the smallest floor jack under there. So I raised it up. May look the same as before, but has a lot more travel front and rear and the front feels a lot better. still undecided on the eibach's vs. RB rear springs. Eibach's feel spongier, but I have yet to see if that is a good thing at speed.
#61
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Ok. Finally stretched her legs. Feels fantastic. Entirely new ride. Feels like it should. Crisp….no crunches on bumps or backing out. Just feels fantastic. They heavier flywheel and clutch make for a whole new ride as well. I can cruise in 5, 4th etc at low speeds and get into it with zero slippage. Just so much smoother. No more running at 4k rpm’s to worry about slippage and darting in lane shifts.
this things is officially bad ***. Any 3rd gens around WPB?
this things is officially bad ***. Any 3rd gens around WPB?
#63
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Went from 16 lob to 30 lb flywheel. Steel. Love the way it Carrie’s momentum on shifts….which is good driving a 5 speed in an 8 speed world. Those newer trannies keep ‘em in the right rpm range. So I think this makes up a good bit for the bigger drop in rpm’s on shifts.
#64
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Car still handles great, but not liking the gearing change with the smaller rear tires. Next set will be somewhere in the middle in the rear. I.e.
old tires gear changed (tires were 6-7 years old but low miles….felt hard.. bf Goodrich sport types)
1st-roughly 40ish and spin like crazy all the way
2nd-roughly 60 but god forbid you are coming out of a corner and nail it……
3rd-roughly 90 very strong, sick strong
4th- very very strong
5th-a good bit of lag as it is overdrive. Good bit, but I always back off about here either way. It’s a tin can.
this set
1st- 35ish runs crisp. Have yet to drop the clutch with revs but holds good…very crisp. I don’t floor it either really.
2nd- 55ish crisp again. Comes out of corners much, much more solid and feels like a fast sports car.
3rd- 85 hate it. The low speed limits downshift into 3rd and makes for an early shift to 4&5
4th- 115? Solid pulls, but it needs the room for higher speed before hitting 5th
5th- same as before
so I gotta find that happy place of coming out of a corner in 2nd and loving the bigger tires on the big end.
anyone notice this big of a change when swapping sizes?
old tires gear changed (tires were 6-7 years old but low miles….felt hard.. bf Goodrich sport types)
1st-roughly 40ish and spin like crazy all the way
2nd-roughly 60 but god forbid you are coming out of a corner and nail it……
3rd-roughly 90 very strong, sick strong
4th- very very strong
5th-a good bit of lag as it is overdrive. Good bit, but I always back off about here either way. It’s a tin can.
this set
1st- 35ish runs crisp. Have yet to drop the clutch with revs but holds good…very crisp. I don’t floor it either really.
2nd- 55ish crisp again. Comes out of corners much, much more solid and feels like a fast sports car.
3rd- 85 hate it. The low speed limits downshift into 3rd and makes for an early shift to 4&5
4th- 115? Solid pulls, but it needs the room for higher speed before hitting 5th
5th- same as before
so I gotta find that happy place of coming out of a corner in 2nd and loving the bigger tires on the big end.
anyone notice this big of a change when swapping sizes?
#66
Rotary Enthusiast
Thread Starter
#67
I haven't messed with shocks too much; went from 34yo stock to Koni Sports and haven't looked back.
But yes, the rear Eibach springs are 200# and have dead coils so you can lower the car without affecting the spring rate. Plus they're about an inch or so lower than stock. The RB are 112# and "supposedly" lower the car 1". They actually raised my rear almost an inch, so I guess they need a few thousand miles to break-in and soften. They are designed for "sporty comfort".
But yes, the rear Eibach springs are 200# and have dead coils so you can lower the car without affecting the spring rate. Plus they're about an inch or so lower than stock. The RB are 112# and "supposedly" lower the car 1". They actually raised my rear almost an inch, so I guess they need a few thousand miles to break-in and soften. They are designed for "sporty comfort".
What springs are those exactly? I've been asking around eibach, RB, etc but noone can tell what springs are at least same height as stock (or higher). Would the eibachs with deadcoils result in a higher height?
Also would love some specs on springs for higher ride (bumpy roads and offraod) like diameter, length, thickness...
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BrewerBob
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