I'm just about to order a set of Tokico Illumina Shocks and a set of Suspension Techniques Springs and was wondering if you guys could confirm what I had seen on various websites ...

Suspension Tecniques Springs Drop the front by about 3/8" and stiffen the spring rate up by 25 or so lbs/inch

and they drop the back by about 1" and DROP the rear spring rate by about 5lbs/inch

Is this correct ? The reason being as this seems to be the best set up for UK roads I have seen for sale... (softish springs )+ I like the fact that rear is set a little softer .. helps with the traction + reduces understeer if I can remember my car set up guides correctly

Thanks in Advance,
Mike

www.mazdarotaryclub.com

 

if it's soft springs you want, pull some off a VW or Audi. Those guys are the European answer to 70's Americana boatride suspension...

seriously though I thought Suspension Techniques dropped it 3/4" in front, but I could be misremembering. In any event I've heard good things about them, and not only FROM them (if you stop and think about it a lot of "performance" products only get good press in things they publish or produce - take ProLong for example).

 

you know what I mean about soft springs though ... The guy I'm buying through in the UK had set of Eibach springs on his car and said they were far too harsh for british roads ... where I live we have very few "freeway style" roads and most are not exactly smooth

I saw some comparisons between different spring sets ups somewhere but I can't find the site again ... I thought it was on Mazdatrix site but I couldn't find it again ... typical !

 

personally, i've heard better things about eibach and racing beat. i have racing beat springs, and they are EXCELLENT for street/autox. but with the tokicos, the car will handle great and you can change the handling characteristics no matter what spring you get.

 

yeah, with Tokico Illuminas you can set your shocks to soft. Incidentally, how do Lotuses (Loti?) get around in the UK? Their suspension is you'll-need-new-dental-work firm.

 

Heh, cars like that should have kidney belts built into the seatbelts.

 

Here is a spead sheet I made for looking at spring rates. I was looking for springs for an SCCA IT car, so I wanted something pretty stiff.
Stock 100 85
Suspension Techniques 120 80
Racing Beat 145 110
TMC (CS400) 155 125
Eibach 171 100
Dave Turner 225 155
Tim @Mazda Comp 1 225 160
Tim @Mazda Comp 2 250 170
Scott West 285 155
Mazda Comp IT 300 175

 

Well, I did not get it formated before I poseted. Oh well, I hope this is helpful.

 

Oh ya, the first number is for the front and the second is for the rear. Tim works for Mazda Comp and has been helping me set up my car. And, Scott West is the Regional leader in autocross. He also drives his car on the street.

 

I am using 145/110 which is the same as Racing Beat.
Most of my driving is on rural roads which are slightly worse than the UK A category in East Anglia. They would be very similar to the A303 going down SW. Too soft gives a swaying drive which reduces handling on typical non-urban conditions. Thus, I think the Suspension Technique rear springs would be too soft for the roads round Lincoln, unless the County Council has gone on an economy drive.

I adjust the back shocks if I am going to take a long trip eqiuvalent to the M1 to give a slightly tighter rear end. Because of the rural road conditions I have not lowered the ride height, but keep the rear about 10 mm higher. The concern is that above 80 mph the front end gets a bit light over uneven surfaces, but you need a degree of softness at the rear for long distance driving.[ I often drive 8-12 hours, and have to balance between an hour saved and still feeling my own rear end!]

Regarding Lotus set-up, in general they are not too harsh. From my experience, the 6 was ultra soft, the Super 7 was harsh in most circumstances, the Elite and Elan were superb compromises considering where the components came from, although for competition you went stiffer. The 46[Europa in the US] was slightly soft being designed mainly for urban use, the 47 was ultra hard and the suspension wore out quickly. After that all models were aimed at the wealthy and were too soft for their potential performance. The basic set-up for all models in the past ten years have, in my opinion, drifted towards comfort rather than competition.

Perhaps I am biased for I still think the Lotus Super 7 was the ultimate sports car. It took a special type of girl friend to drive with you!

 

I got a ride in a Merkur XR4ti with a Ford RS500 body kit on it (SWEET) And it had eibacks...i find that it was a very nice smooth ride, and the car had an awesome stance to it too!

 

Cheers guys ... what would we do without this forum ! its a font of knowlege

Kill no cone - thats just the sort of thing I was looking for

I've been in an elise around Lincoln and it was OK ... a bit stiff but they handle like a dream ... my freind at work uses it as a daily driver !

I can second Paul on the Lotus 7 being the best true sports car ever ... I have a 7 styled kit car part built and I can say there is nothing like driving a car where your sat literally 4 inches above the road and the highest point of the car is less than 3 feet high (roll cage ) ... they don't need much power to make them shift either ... mine only has a 1.6 OHV ford engine in it fittted with a monster of an exhaust and twin 40 webbers it should hit 60 in the low 6 second range ... not bad for an 8V 4 pot ! curently having visions of dropping a 12a in ... mmmmmmm rotary lotus 7 (it has been done before!)

I'm going to try the Suspension Tech springs I think as I remember reading about Colin Chapmans (Lotus) cars ... they all had fairly soft springs but firm dampers
I can always swap out the rears if they are too soft

Cheers,
Mike

www.mazdarotaryclub.com

 

We sort of have Merkurs in the UK

although they are known as Sierra Cosworths and have a slight reputation for being rather fast ... at a recent auto show a 4x4 version was pulling 2.99 seconds to 60 >500Hp out of the 2 litre turbo engine is not that uncommon either

 

Is this archived? It should be great info and definatly what i was looking for. Thanks KillNoCone

 

I bought some RB's in the end (waiting for them to ship at the moment!)

 

my first DP

 

you can get ground controle as well and chose your spring rate

i have 350 in the front 150 in the back. havent got to drive it yet no motor