Coilover/Suspension Advice and/or Experience

[speedypenguin]

Hello MR!

I'm looking to upgrade my black NA's suspension in the near future, and was set on getting a set of TEIN Street Flex coilovers...but found that they have been back-ordered since August (at least according to a vendor I spoke with). The rep from the vendor did recommend Fortune-Auto 500 coilovers and noted that they are similar price, and custom/hand-assembled to whatever spring rate/valving I'd like.

My question is...should I wait for the TEIN Street Flex, go with the Fortune-Auto 500 coilovers, or another similar performing coilover system?

Cheers.

[etikoner]

I don't have actual experience with Fortune auto suspension, but if I were you and I (you) wanted to try something that won't break the bank, but handle and ride nicely I'd take a visit to rallyracingsuspension.com and see what Odi can do for ya.

[— kung fu jesus —]

Did you try another vendor? One of our site sponsors has a special on Tein products at the moment. Steve is a good guy!

http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....818#post154818

[— fwdtamiya —]

Did you try another vendor? One of our site sponsors has a special on Tein products at the moment. Steve is a good guy!

http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....818#post154818

That's the vendor he's having a problem with. GarageStar has mentioned to me that NC flex are backordered nationwide too.

[— kung fu jesus —]

hmmm... bummer.

From experience, I have to say that it is usually better to wait for what you really want than to compromise.

I know very little about the Fortunes. Another option may be to buy a set of Flex used and send them in to be refreshed?

[speedypenguin]

From what I've heard, the Fortune Auto coilovers are custom made. I can select the same spring rates as the Flex coilovers, and the dampers will be valved specifically to those spring rates. Plus, the Fortune Auto coilovers are only a little more than the Flex coilovers...

[— kung fu jesus —]

What is your intention for the suspension? Track, street, dual purpose? I have to ask, have you replaced your control arm bushings, camber bolts, and steering components? Bang for the buck, I replaced all the bushings and steering components when I put in coilovers. The difference of these vrs the old ones was mind-blowing. The steering and suspension response was was so drastic, I was early apexing familiar corners by 20-30 feet because I was so use to the old, worn out bushings. It was akin to moving from analog to digital in terms of crispness and accuracy for the way the car handled. Like feeling what each corner was doing through the wheel and seat.

[— Willywongka —]

Man, I would love to refresh all the suspension bushings on my car... it just seems like such a pain in the ass to do. What brand bushings did you refresh them with? Maybe I could have a shop do the work.

[speedypenguin]

KFJ, dual purpose. My black NA has been running FM VMaxx coilovers for the past three years. They're great for street, but the track performance left more to be desired.

I actually managed to find Tein Flex coilovers available to order at another vendor. Put in my order today.

[etikoner]

If you do the bushings make sure to install zerkfittings to lubricant them.. Mine started squeaking a few months after we installed them.

Again, tein flex are nice, but I'd go with feal for a few hundred more and have a monotube damper with swift springs as standard with a noticeable difference throughout the damping range...

[BoBo]

Man, I would love to refresh all the suspension bushings on my car... it just seems like such a pain in the ass to do. What brand bushings did you refresh them with? Maybe I could have a shop do the work.

Same here, I could use some new bushings for my Miata. A shop quoted me $850 in the Bay Area, but I still have to buy the Bushings.

[— kung fu jesus —]

I have Superpro bushings in NB Arms, which was serendipitous. New poly bushings pressed into brand new NB arms, then the class the original owner raced in made them illegal, so they had about 100 miles on them. They are a little softer than than the Energy Bushings, but I still love them the same. Ideally, the 'easiest' way to change bushings is to buy an extra set of used, straight control arms and refurbish those and install them with your new coilovers. You can sell off your old control arms to help recoup some of the cost.

I put in JIC FLT-a2 monotube coilovers when I did this, then corner balanced the car later. AMAZING only scratches the surface.

[Dave737]

Forgive my suspension geometry ignorance but what is the advantage of NB Arms over NA Arms and do they bolt right onto the NA?

THX

[Slampen]

Would this help ?

http://www.miata.net/garage/compatibility.html

[— kung fu jesus —]

Pretty much. I swapped the front knuckles, too.

The NB front subframe is a *little* different geometry too, but will bolt straight to the NA, if you wish to do that.