Page 5 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast
Results 61 to 75 of 98

Thread: Ultimate Miata Coilovers Thread, what are you using?

  1. #61
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! DarylSibcy's Avatar
    Drives
    Red 1990 Miata w/ITBs ;)
    Location
    Isle of Man - Middle of... Somewhere...
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Posts
    464
    Thanks Given
    258
    Thanked 279 Times in 150 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Greasemonkey2000 View Post
    Would you mind expounding on your experience with the MeisterR's? Including the car (year), other chassis modifications, alignment numbers and wheel/tires used.
    Indeed!!

    I ran the car stock for the best part of a year after I bought it. At the time of purchase the car was bone stock with 60,000~ miles on the clock, drove beautifully. Started looking at aftermarket suspension options after I got underneath the car to find 3 knackered shocks with the other one on its way out. FM had the V-Maxx setup, and their Koni/Tokico setup. I'd never dealt with FM before so shipping from the States was a big thing for me, the Koni's were tempting but I didn't like not being able to adjust the 12.5"/13" ride height so I looked at UK options. The FOX setup wasn't a thing at the time.

    I went with MeisterR coilovers after reading a lot of positive things on UK based forums, stating how well they performed on the bad UK roads and doubled as solid performers on the track. At the time they had their Zeta-S (6kg/5kg Front/Rear) and Zeta-R (10kg/6kg Front/Rear) models. I opted for the Zeta-S for the lower spring rate.

    My main issues were:
    - The car dealt with big bumps well but hated rough surfaces; the vibrations on rougher surfaces was a bit nasty, also got upset at higher speeds.
    - I liked the ability to fine-tune the ride height, but both of my adjustment collars/tools started bending after a few uses and slowly started slipping when trying to loosen; which, trust me gets quite frustrating when your car is in the air with wheels and suspension components off
    - Speed bumps were jarring and horrible to go over. To the point I actively drove around them.
    - Suspension travel. My main gripe with them.. I spent most of the time on the bump stops. Changing the ride height (which was 12.75"/13.25" at the time) didn't really seem to solve anything. Understandable as the bottom half of the assembly just twisted out and extended. They began sticking and seizing after just a few months of being on the car. Probably only 1500 miles into being on the car.

    When the FOX setup became an option, I spent awhile thinking about whether to risk making the switch, given the expense. After MANY emails and conversations with Keith Tanner () I finally bit the bullet and went with the FOXs. The difference was night and day, ride height was kept the same out of curiosity. Best decision I made.

    The shocks are built with lots of suspension travel in mind. Very similar to the old AFCO setup FM used to sell. The MeisterR's were built with a "be-good-at-everything" mindset, which gives them the ability to be slammed, which translates into not needing to have much suspension travel. I know it's something I bang on about, but the roads around where I live aren't the best. Some are beautifully flat, others feel like they're part of a rally stage which hopefully explains my need for more suspension travel.

    The car is a 1990 NA6. The MeisterR's went on the car at the exact same time as new wheels and tyres (RPF1's 14x7 +28 w/Toyo T1R's 195/55/14 - I dropped over 4-5lbs of unsprung per corner compared to stock). Alignment numbers have always been set to FM's recommendation, which may contribute to why the FOX setup behaved so well. I got a re-alignment at both installs however, the comparison was quite fair looking back, same wheels/tyres/alignment numbers - the only thing that changed was the MesiterR's came out and the FOX's went in. The chassis has Jass Performance reinforced frame rails w/FM's butterfly brace (I drilled extra holes to line them up), Boss Frog fender braces, FM's cannon brace and FM's shock tower brace. All which were on when I had the MeisterR's.

    Considering the Zeta-S springs were roughly 335/280 and the FOX's are 550/375; yet the FOX's are somehow more comfortable and a lot better behaved for daily driving and spirited driving hitting the mountain roads. I have to put effort into upsetting the FOX's whereas the MeisterR's got upset at me just driving to work on them. The new MeisterR CRD's could very well be a lot better though

    It could well be I simply chose the wrong the coilover for the application I wanted.
    Last edited by DarylSibcy; 04-26-2017 at 02:16 PM. Reason: Spelling mistake... -.-
    You want a good car. I want a good miata.

  2. The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to DarylSibcy For This Useful Post:

    etikoner (04-12-2020),Greasemonkey2000 (04-26-2017),HarryB (04-26-2017),MiataQuest (04-15-2018),Slampen (04-27-2017),tsingson (04-26-2017)

  3. #62
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
    Drives
    2001 NB2 aka Misfire
    Location
    Temple, Tx is where Chad resides.
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    3,973
    Thanks Given
    4,901
    Thanked 2,425 Times in 1,233 Posts
    I really appreciate the feedback/information!
    '01 NB2 aka MisF1re: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....218#post207218
    '97 M aka Warbird, gone but not forgotten: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....B&goto=newpost
    Instagram: @greasemonkey2000

  4. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Greasemonkey2000 For This Useful Post:

    DarylSibcy (04-26-2017),RustRat (04-26-2017)

  5. #63
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
    Drives
    '04 Strato Blue NB2
    Location
    Greece
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    5,933
    Thanks Given
    6,670
    Thanked 2,273 Times in 1,330 Posts
    I do not...as all these seem like more expenses for me down the road! Jokes aside, great review and these seem like exactly what I need!!!

  6. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to HarryB For This Useful Post:

    DarylSibcy (04-26-2017),RustRat (04-26-2017)

  7. #64
    2,000 rpm - light wheelspin, no bog here! DarylSibcy's Avatar
    Drives
    Red 1990 Miata w/ITBs ;)
    Location
    Isle of Man - Middle of... Somewhere...
    Join Date
    Oct 2015
    Posts
    464
    Thanks Given
    258
    Thanked 279 Times in 150 Posts
    Not a problem guys!!

    I know a big issue for some is the lack of information from people who actually own or have owned a product.

    Unrelated, but weirdly, I've noticed the best products almost always recommend using NB top mounts, even for NA applications. Mazda obviously introduced them for a reason. That's why FM's FOX kit for the NA is $100 more, you get the top mounts added. The Xidas from 949Racing are the same. Construction-wise they're pretty much the identical. The only difference is Emilio puts his priorities in racing, that's clear just from the abundance of choice you get with spring rates.

    Hope I've helped
    You want a good car. I want a good miata.

  8. #65
    Nukuler banned! chiefmg's Avatar
    Location
    N KY
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    1,422
    Thanks Given
    184
    Thanked 1,226 Times in 527 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by chiefmg View Post
    I have had three different sets of coilovers on my car. It had Bilstein PSS when I bought it, they rode nicely and handled well. When I attended The Mitty in 2009, I bought a set of VMaxx from FM at their booth. Handling improved, ride was stiffer but not objectionably so. Most recently I bought a set of lightly used Ohlins DFV. Just installed them on Friday and have driven less than 100 miles so far.

    Spring rates of the DFVs are 7kg front/4kg rear. I set them up per the instructions as far as spring preload and height setting, I may lower the car a little bit before I get it aligned. As it needs an alignment I can't speak to ultimate handling but it has improved over the VMaxx. Some of this I attribute to the dampers absorbing bumps which allows the car to stay more planted. Ride comfort has improved as well, on my travels yesterday bumps and jolts that were jarring with the VMaxx were taken in stride (my wife even noticed the improved ride). I would classify the ride as firm but supple. As of now I have not noticed any issues with the small amount of rear suspension travel that has been noted with these coilovers. Overall I am very happy with them.
    Forgot to post it in here, but earlier last year I installed a set of Feal extended top hats in the rear to give some more travel. I haven't done any autocrossing with them as yet, but noticed more compliant suspension in the rear. With nothing to compare to I didn't realize how much I was riding on the bump stops in the rear. With the extra travel I have now the suspension soaks up bigger bumps and doesn't upset the rear.
    '00 SE, intercooled BRP MP62, Reverant MS2, Ohlins DFV, Konig Flatout (now X 2)
    __________________________________________________ ____________
    This ain't no build thread!

  9. The Following User Says Thank You to chiefmg For This Useful Post:

    Roadster7 (01-21-2018)

  10. #66
    4,000 rpm - entering the fun zone Roadster7's Avatar
    Drives
    '94 Roadster
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    1,381
    Thanks Given
    1,196
    Thanked 1,289 Times in 402 Posts
    Anyone riding on Xida GS care to give some feedback?

  11. The Following User Says Thank You to Roadster7 For This Useful Post:

    etikoner (04-12-2020)

  12. #67
    Ninja Messiah kung fu jesus's Avatar
    Drives
    1999 White
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    15,852
    Thanks Given
    2,791
    Thanked 7,202 Times in 3,433 Posts
    I have Xida CS with 550# F (9.8kg) and 350# R (6.2kg), helper springs, and NB top hats. I have had this set on an NA and NB. I use them for street and track. These aren't my fisrt set of coilovers, but they are my favorite. The ride is elegant; taut but compliant, never feels unsettled on uneven surfaces around town. On the track they really shine. I am very happy with them!

  13. #68
    Forum Sponsor 949 Racing's Avatar
    Drives
    30AE
    Location
    Lake Forest, CA
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Posts
    764
    Thanks Given
    8
    Thanked 259 Times in 94 Posts
    Quote Originally Posted by Roadster7 View Post
    Anyone riding on Xida GS care to give some feedback?
    https://www.miataturbo.net/build-thr...9/#post1459500

    Quote Originally Posted by nigelt
    The Xida GS' are awesome. Shockingly plush on the street at full soft, and confidence inspiring on the track, would buy again. I'm not the best driver, so I can't really comment on how the combo compares to other things on the market, or whether it would have been better to run bigger sways. I'm running 5.25 inch pinch weld height and found it was a hair more body-rolly than I would have liked, but I really didn't dial them in at all. I was running 10-12/20 all weekend. I was a bit understeery, which I'm sure I could fix easily with some settings tweaks. I was running new tires I hadn't driven before (falken azenis rt615k+) that I didn't really get the pressure dialed in on, combined with new suspension I didn't play around much with, combined with multiple reliability-related issues on the track means I'll suspend judgment specifically on the GS-stock sway combo.

  14. The Following User Says Thank You to 949 Racing For This Useful Post:

    Roadster7 (02-03-2018)

  15. #69
    4,000 rpm - entering the fun zone Roadster7's Avatar
    Drives
    '94 Roadster
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    1,381
    Thanks Given
    1,196
    Thanked 1,289 Times in 402 Posts
    Thanks! Looks like the GS aren't designed to run at my ride height (4.5"F/5.0"R), standard Xida are.

  16. #70
    1,000 rpm - releasing the clutch Silver92B's Avatar
    Drives
    1992 Silverstone
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Posts
    98
    Thanks Given
    1
    Thanked 6 Times in 4 Posts
    Considering Xida GS here..... I've been running with Koni Sport (yellow) dampers and Eibach lowering springs for a while. I wanted to get the car lowered a bit purely for aesthetic reasons. I also wanted to replace the stock shocks which had over 140K miles on them. I've had Koni dampers before and ran them with the stock springs on the lower perch setting. That was after an unfortunate experience with a brand of Coil Over system that shall remain unnamed.

    Frankly the Koni/Eibach combination is not too bad on smooth roads and it's reasonably good for the occasional mountain run, but in the streets of Atlanta and the rural roads of GA, SC and NC, they kind of suck... The ride is harsh and handling unforgiving. I would probably suffer that but the worst thing for me is that the ride height is too low for everyday use. It's very easy to rub the bottom of the R spec front air dam.

    So, what are the experiences of people running the Xida GS?

  17. The Following User Says Thank You to Silver92B For This Useful Post:

    MaRcOp01o (04-16-2019)

  18. #71
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MaRcOp01o's Avatar
    Drives
    93 EUNOS and 93 LE
    Location
    Miami,Fl
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    2,862
    Thanks Given
    1,716
    Thanked 1,393 Times in 567 Posts
    I have heard great things about them and really was considering it but I really want to run Ohlins. While I am here what do you guys think of Ohlins?
    Follow the Builds
    1993 Eunos Roadster B-spec by Mazdaspeed
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....819#post222819
    1993 Mazda Miata LE
    https://mazdaroadster.net/showthread...233#post244233

  19. #72
    6,000 rpm - mere mortals would shift HarryB's Avatar
    Drives
    '04 Strato Blue NB2
    Location
    Greece
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Posts
    5,933
    Thanks Given
    6,670
    Thanked 2,273 Times in 1,330 Posts
    No. Well, yeah, they are excellent dampers but not specifically engineered to the NA/NB platform. At that price point I would be getting Xidas tbh.

  20. The Following User Says Thank You to HarryB For This Useful Post:

    MaRcOp01o (04-16-2019)

  21. #73
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! Greasemonkey2000's Avatar
    Drives
    2001 NB2 aka Misfire
    Location
    Temple, Tx is where Chad resides.
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    3,973
    Thanks Given
    4,901
    Thanked 2,425 Times in 1,233 Posts
    What Harry said. From actual users that have used other quality Miata specific coilovers they don't seem to be impressed. I think the issue is Ohlins hasn't ever gone back and "overhauled" them. They have added to them but I don't think they have invested the time or money to reevaluate them. This is pure speculation on my part. For the money, for a OTS coilover....Xida's or Fox's.

    There is a new option that a guy on another forum has started doing custom shocks, kind of like Fat Cat Motorsports just a lot cheaper. I will share the information if a moderator gives me the ok.
    '01 NB2 aka MisF1re: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....218#post207218
    '97 M aka Warbird, gone but not forgotten: http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....B&goto=newpost
    Instagram: @greasemonkey2000

  22. #74
    5,000 rpm - there be torque here! MaRcOp01o's Avatar
    Drives
    93 EUNOS and 93 LE
    Location
    Miami,Fl
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Posts
    2,862
    Thanks Given
    1,716
    Thanked 1,393 Times in 567 Posts
    I am really considering Apexi, Cusco or Teins but I love the classy look and Motorsports history of Ohlins plus I work in the Motorsport world and I have a connect who can get them basically at cost (BTW is still expensive).
    Follow the Builds
    1993 Eunos Roadster B-spec by Mazdaspeed
    http://mazdaroadster.net/showthread....819#post222819
    1993 Mazda Miata LE
    https://mazdaroadster.net/showthread...233#post244233

  23. #75
    4,000 rpm - entering the fun zone Roadster7's Avatar
    Drives
    '94 Roadster
    Join Date
    Apr 2014
    Posts
    1,381
    Thanks Given
    1,196
    Thanked 1,289 Times in 402 Posts
    Ohlins are nice and smooth, but spring rates are wrong. Fronts should be 550 instead of 450 - like Xidas. Ohlins are very comfortable to ride on and wouldn't disappoint if you plan on street driving primarily. If you care about performance driving though, I'd look at something that's not just pieced together to fit the roadster - I'd look at something that's tailored specifically for this car (Xida/Fox.) Most cars I see on the track that run Ohlins have ditched the standard springs.

    Other than the spring rates, Ohlins have pillow-ball top hats, which are noisy and make an audible clicking sound. Not a big deal on track but might get annoying on the street.

    Since you're considering something in the $2000 range, Xidas are on the table. I can't recommend them enough. Figure out the ride height you want, and pick the package that fits. If you don't take performance driving into consideration, GS just doesn't go low enough to look good IMO.

  24. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Roadster7 For This Useful Post:

    HarryB (04-17-2019),tsingson (04-16-2019)

Page 5 of 7 FirstFirst 1234567 LastLast

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •