Suspension suggestions for low budget
 

I currently looking to buy new suspension but i only have a budget of about $500. I was thinking about buying the racing beat package that comes with the springs and struts but then i would not have in new shocks. Or I could get new shocks but probibly not new srpings. My question is what would give me the best gain in porformace and if shocks would would, what kind of shock would be best for my price rang.

-Thanks

P.S. I'm gona be usein the car for autocross not silly drag racin or anything

why not spend it on the ground control coil overs, and save up for shocks?? their 399$ and they come with 350/225 spring rates if i remember right, but i could be wrong, search on google, you'll find them easily :) then you could save for shocks/sway bars/strutbars

I guess the main question to ask is are you doing the work your self. If you are that is great! If not. You can't do much.

Next question. What class are you trying to race in? Do you care about classing?

If you are going to stay stock class. Then you can only do struts.

Answer those questions and we can go from there.

James

Wankel7: dont really car about class, mostly gettin the suspension to have fun in auto cross not so much for the compition aspect, and yess ill be do the work myself/with help from friends

Agent D:Thanks ill look them up

Ok, so you have 500 bucks.

I would recommend you do this. Up your budget to $700 so you can do this.

Get your struts maybe Tokico. Then buy the Energy poly bushings and the DTSS eliminator. Also, get a new competition diff mount.

This way, while the suspension is apart you can do that work.

The bushings are a bitch. But if you have a big vice or press you really should consider doing this work.

The reason I say do the diff mount is because your car is getting older. And if you do the rear bushings the diff will be out anyway. Which makes replacing the mount super easy.

James

Thanks agian for all your help

I am kind of in the same boat as Skater. but I already have springs, although now I can't remember if I bought Suspension Technics or Eibach... huh...
Anyway, I really need shocks, and I'm just as bad on bushings. One on my sway bar is accutally gone!
The shocks I want are always right around $600 on ebay. I haven't even looked at bushings yet, but I'm guessing every bushing is going to cost around $150 from the net, right?
Can anyone suggest a great set of shocks for under $500? I would prefer adjustable, but for 500 bones, I'm not going to expect much. this is for my race car, so I am willing to sacrafice some comfort for control. But it is dirven on the street regularly. My daily is pretty much a a touch better than stock.
can anyone recomend a place to get the bushings? I would like one stop shopping, but I'm not that greedy, just want a good price.

lotsa shocks for under 500. I did a search and the general consensus was eibach springs and KONI AGX shocks or struts..... I assume they are the same thing.

i just finished collecting all the parts i need to redo my suspension, but it has to wait till i move into my new house, and it was pretty cheap. ill post the prices including the shipping...
*reaches for car folder*
ok, here we go
black energy suspension bushing kit 116.34 - rx-7parts.com
2 KYB Gr-2/ 2gas-adjust 255.00 - ebay
front top strut bar 24.95 - ebay
eibach pro kit springs - 177 - ebay

total $573.29

now all i need is my new garage and time to install all this stuff.

I'd buy Tokico struts, screw KYB's struts.. If you need to buy struts and springs for around 500, buy tokico's non adjustable struts and racing beat springs..

thanks guys. I looked on the box, and my springs are the Suspension Technics. after I posted that I went looking again. I found a couple sets at or just over my set budget. I might go a head and spend the extra $130 or so on the konis. but, based on the prices from meister, that is a set of bushings.

eibach prokit, tokico adjustables. Good for drift AND drag

www.RacingBeat.com

Racing Beat 1986-92 RX-7 Suspension Package, Front and Rear Springs and Front and Rear Sway Bars: $429.30

Racing Beat Rear Suspension Upright Toe Eliminator: $40.00

Hawk Brake Pads: $65.00

Total: $534.30


I think this is what I would do and would give you good bang for the buck. Then you can save up for new struts and have a pretty nice suspension. You wont have the adjustability of coil overs but you also wont have the price.

Let's clear up a few things:

1. Concensous is that the Eibach progressive rate "pro-kit" springs are not what you want for racing.
2. Sway bars are pretty much the last element you want to worry about.
3. KYB GR-2 shocks are essentially stock replacements.

For the cheap performance shocks on normally boils it down to KYB AGX, Tokico Illuminas and Koni Yellow. Personally I'd lean towards the Tokicos because they have a lifetime warrenty and are cheaper than the Konis. I have Tokico blues on the front and there doesn't seem to be a huge difference between those and stock. If I was going to spend my money, I'd probably save a bit more for the Illuminas.

That's what I wanted to hear Snrub.
What about a bushing "kit"? or do I have to buy them separatly from MazdaTrix?

I haven't done the bushings and to be honest I've yet to hear any truely usefull discussion on them. Clearly there's benifit, but I can't really give you good advice beyond that. There's a hyperflex kit that has every bushing for the car. There's also a prothane (or something like that) kit. I've never seen any sort of comparison between the two, but I think the prothane kit *may* not have the same number of bushings as the hyperflex kit. I've seen the hyperflex kit go for as little as $70 on ebay.

I bought the Eibach pro kit with KYB 5 point adjustables for mine....great sping/strut combo. I would highly recomend it. I think my total was right around $500 too

The reason that you want to do bushings is this. The stock bushings are rubber for a reason. Complance and make ia more civilized car. The rubber has a lot more flex than the poly bushings do. As a result. The suspension won't work as soon with the rubber bushings. The reason being they will give a lllittle bit before the suspension begings to move. Because the ruber is more flexiable

So, with the poly bushings the suspension should wor ka little faster and with less compliance from your bushings. Also, the stock bushings are how old? How deteriorated? How dry rotted?

Bushings are a great mod for your buck if you are doing them your self. So, if you are going to do bushings get the hyperflex kit (Black bushings with graphite impregnated in them for less sqeaks), get the Delrin DTSS bushings, and a competition diff mount while the rear suspension is on the ground.

JAmes

Not that I'm disagreeing with you Wankel7, but if someone ends up paying $100 all the bushings and then has the PITA factor putting all of them in, is that good bang for your buck if you're spending $500 compared to towards springs, shocks, tires? That's what I mean when I say I've yet to see what I'd call convincing discussion about them.

the bushings on these cars are ancient anyway, so they need to be replaced..

the set up i have in my mind is
koni yellow + racing beat package + energy bushing + racing beat rear toe eliminator
but damn ... all adds up to like a grand ....

modding cars isn't cheap :)

The thing with doing bushings is this. If you are doing springs and struts you already have a lot of it apart. So, do bushings while you are there.

James

a lot of the weekend autocross guys use the eibach pro's..... mainly because they feel nice on civilian streets.
how far down the list should strut tower bar's be?

I have been looking into getting new suspension. I have a question about the Tokiko Illumina vs. the KYB AGX. They are both adjustable, the KYB seems to have a easier way to adjust them.


These prices are from www.racingbeat.com:

Tokiko Illumina Front - ($182)x2 Rear - ($142)x2
KYB AGX Front - ($135)x2 Rear - ($103)x2


The price difference for the fronts totals $95 more for the Tokiko and $78 more for the Tokiko in the rear.
Seems like the KYB AGX having the easier adjustment and costing ~$175 bucks less is a better deal. Do you guys have any comments as to why the Tokiko Illumina might be a better choice?

In fact the KYB AGX is only a little more expensive that the Tokiko HPs. (non adjustable)