Handling improvements?
07-01-05, 01:31 AM
#1
Handling improvements?
I have about $500 US to spend on suspension upgrades (not including install or anything, I can get that free), included in the list must at LEAST be a pair of front struts, cos one of mine is bent.
Where should I spend my money, on what specific (brand, etc) parts?
I autox occassionaly but 99% of my driving is street.
Track days sometimes as well.
I'm also buying a set of tires but that isn't included in the $500
I could spend up to $250 more as well if it was worth it, but $500 is all that I really want to spend.
Ebay/etc is not a problem for me...
Where should I spend my money, on what specific (brand, etc) parts?
I autox occassionaly but 99% of my driving is street.
Track days sometimes as well.
I'm also buying a set of tires but that isn't included in the $500
I could spend up to $250 more as well if it was worth it, but $500 is all that I really want to spend.
Ebay/etc is not a problem for me...
07-01-05, 01:50 AM
#2
maybe a little more than you have but this is my suggestion:
KYB AGX struts(you can usually find a decent deal on ebay)
Eibach pro or Tein S tech springs(i have the S techs, people bash on them but they work great for me go figure...)
Energy suspension Polyurethane bushing kit(this is basically like adding stiff struts to your car, helps grip in tight turns)
last step i would take is upgrading the tires/wheels and getting an alignment. BBS mesh wheels preferably and some nice sticky tires for the track, check with local autocrossers, im sure you can get a hookup on some good ones for your course.
well actually add in sway bars before the tires or you can do this last, sway bars help keep the car level through the turns but the poly bushings, lowering springs and AGX's are like a sway bar X10.
contact this guy for a decent price on struts:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW
KYB AGX struts(you can usually find a decent deal on ebay)
Eibach pro or Tein S tech springs(i have the S techs, people bash on them but they work great for me go figure...)
Energy suspension Polyurethane bushing kit(this is basically like adding stiff struts to your car, helps grip in tight turns)
last step i would take is upgrading the tires/wheels and getting an alignment. BBS mesh wheels preferably and some nice sticky tires for the track, check with local autocrossers, im sure you can get a hookup on some good ones for your course.
well actually add in sway bars before the tires or you can do this last, sway bars help keep the car level through the turns but the poly bushings, lowering springs and AGX's are like a sway bar X10.
contact this guy for a decent price on struts:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...spagename=WDVW
Last edited by RotaryEvolution; 07-01-05 at 01:55 AM.
07-02-05, 11:21 PM
#7
Nipples
Join Date: Mar 2004
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You could take a picture of your car from the side, and post it on the forum. The people in the know could probably tell you if your car is at the OEM ride height or if it has sagged down from the years.
You can get a lot of bang for your buck if you go ahead and replace the springs, shocks, bushings, and anti roll bars all at once. This will end up costing more than your budget but if it is done well, you will not likely have to touch it again once you have finished.
From what you have posted so far, it sounds like you would like more responsive handling at the cost of a more rigid ride. You CAN get just shocks and sway bars and band probably meet your budget but one problem comes up. Many times when people go to stiffer shocks and leave the springs stock, the shocks won't match the spring rates and you can end up with a worse handling car than you started out with.
For your budget it looks like you could get springs and shocks, or sway bars (anti-roll bars) and shocks. I think it would be more beneficial to get a high quality MATCHED set of shocks and springs than to get just shocks and sway bars. I know you said you don't want to lower the car and if you do the research, you will find that there are some selections that won't drop the ride height much, but will stiffen the spring rates enough to be a good match with the shocks they are sold with. This will reduce the amount of roll, yet not be over burdened by the stiffer rate shocks like a sway bar and shock upgrade would be. Plus, it isn't like the Turbo IIs came with small sway bars anyhow...
Upgrading to the poly eurethane bushings will also have an effect of reducing roll, especially if they are used on the OEM sway bars. The stiffer material will compress less under a load than the OEM (and often times worn out) rubber will, effectively increasing the stiffness of your stock sway bars. Some people have said that poly-eurethane bushings will squeak. I haven't tried them on an Rx7 but my past experience with other cars is that they don't make much noise but bring more road noise into the car...with an increase in road feel..a trade-off I, for one, am willing to deal with.
If that is your car in the pictures, it looks like you are using the stock, HEAVY S4 TII wheels. Upgrading to the later style basket weave BBS wheels from the S5 will reduce your unsprung weight making the car ride noticeably smoother and have more grip at the same time. It's a win-win situation, just depends on how much money you have left over.
One more thing, do some reading up on the DTSS bushings in the rear suspension if you haven't already. These bushigns were mazda's way of keeping up with the "4 wheel steering" gimick in the 80's. In short, it allows toe-in during hard cornering (a good thing for stability) at the rear wheels at the expense of A LOT of driver confidence and predictability at the limit. You can literally feel the rear end squirming around after turning in at high lateral acceleration. They're not that expensive to replace with solid bushings, and I would recommend getting rid of it.
If you have any more questions, just reply, I'd be happy to try and help you out...if I know the answer that is.
You can get a lot of bang for your buck if you go ahead and replace the springs, shocks, bushings, and anti roll bars all at once. This will end up costing more than your budget but if it is done well, you will not likely have to touch it again once you have finished.
From what you have posted so far, it sounds like you would like more responsive handling at the cost of a more rigid ride. You CAN get just shocks and sway bars and band probably meet your budget but one problem comes up. Many times when people go to stiffer shocks and leave the springs stock, the shocks won't match the spring rates and you can end up with a worse handling car than you started out with.
For your budget it looks like you could get springs and shocks, or sway bars (anti-roll bars) and shocks. I think it would be more beneficial to get a high quality MATCHED set of shocks and springs than to get just shocks and sway bars. I know you said you don't want to lower the car and if you do the research, you will find that there are some selections that won't drop the ride height much, but will stiffen the spring rates enough to be a good match with the shocks they are sold with. This will reduce the amount of roll, yet not be over burdened by the stiffer rate shocks like a sway bar and shock upgrade would be. Plus, it isn't like the Turbo IIs came with small sway bars anyhow...
Upgrading to the poly eurethane bushings will also have an effect of reducing roll, especially if they are used on the OEM sway bars. The stiffer material will compress less under a load than the OEM (and often times worn out) rubber will, effectively increasing the stiffness of your stock sway bars. Some people have said that poly-eurethane bushings will squeak. I haven't tried them on an Rx7 but my past experience with other cars is that they don't make much noise but bring more road noise into the car...with an increase in road feel..a trade-off I, for one, am willing to deal with.
If that is your car in the pictures, it looks like you are using the stock, HEAVY S4 TII wheels. Upgrading to the later style basket weave BBS wheels from the S5 will reduce your unsprung weight making the car ride noticeably smoother and have more grip at the same time. It's a win-win situation, just depends on how much money you have left over.
One more thing, do some reading up on the DTSS bushings in the rear suspension if you haven't already. These bushigns were mazda's way of keeping up with the "4 wheel steering" gimick in the 80's. In short, it allows toe-in during hard cornering (a good thing for stability) at the rear wheels at the expense of A LOT of driver confidence and predictability at the limit. You can literally feel the rear end squirming around after turning in at high lateral acceleration. They're not that expensive to replace with solid bushings, and I would recommend getting rid of it.
If you have any more questions, just reply, I'd be happy to try and help you out...if I know the answer that is.
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07-02-05, 11:26 PM
#8
With 500 bucks or so, I'd get:
AGXs
Eibach springs
Eibach sways
a good aggressive alignment
F&R strut tower bars.
eh..,maybe that's more like 750, huh?
So far I have everything but the sways, and IMO it's made a nice difference.
Also, TIRES are the single best bang-for-the-buck handling upgrade. Maybe the next $500 could be spent there.
AGXs
Eibach springs
Eibach sways
a good aggressive alignment
F&R strut tower bars.
eh..,maybe that's more like 750, huh?
So far I have everything but the sways, and IMO it's made a nice difference.
Also, TIRES are the single best bang-for-the-buck handling upgrade. Maybe the next $500 could be spent there.
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