The Miata

[Char]

Have you ever ridden in an NB on a nasty road?

I had 2 Z3s - I know all about cowl shake and chassis flex.
Sans a full cage, these things are are pretty much snake oil. The idea from chassis bracing is to stop the car's chassis from being a part of the suspension -  you want it to maintain proper suspension geometry by flexing less. This stuff probably doesn't do that to any measurable degree.

[Rich]

I'm not trying to maintain suspension geometry, just reduce cowl/windshield frame shake. I understand a door bar would be the best way but it's a DD/road tripper too.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Shit. Miata!

[AutobahnSHO]

Don't waste money on chassis bracing, it serves no objectively measurable benefit.

-5000, Mr. Non-knowledge

[Rich]

Seam welding and frog arms oh my god yes

Fm springs not so much

New wheel and top are great

[Rich]

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Exactly what should we be looking for?

[Rich]

New steering wheel wrap and gauge trim rings. I'm happy it doesn't look riced and obvious

[Rich]

I'm having the bilsteins taken out and  getting the stock springs put back in with new shocks. Ride was just too rough for me despite what Miata.net members say. I went with it because they said the stiffer springs keep the car off the bump stops. Also, to reduce the increased ride height of the bilstein spring perches. But it was just kidney punches at 80mph on severe highway undulations. I'm happy I did it so I know what it feels like. Live and learn.

The frog arms and seam welding are spot fucking on, though. I should have done them from day 1. The new bushings transmit more road noise but it's not bad and not noticeable with the top down.

Speaking of the top, it's really stiff. It takes pulling over to put the top up and down and about a 5 min struggle. I hope time and the warm weather in Spain loosens it up which it should.

I'm also getting all season tires on the stock wheels for dding. Also more slide fun at low speeds, better fuel mileage, and will last a long time. I'll just have to recalibrate stopping distances.

[AutobahnSHO]

My Miata had an aftermarket vinyl top put on- fine in the warm weather but the cold weather was a struggle to get it closed...

[Rich]

The saga continues. Had the shop order some stock equivalent Sachs shocks, thinking it would bring the ride height back to normal. They showed me a picture with stock springs and the Sachs shocks:

[Rich]

Why the hell is my Miata riding so damn high?

Here's a picture of the FM springs and Sachs shocks:

[Rich]

I'm going to go with the fm springs and Sachs shocks and see how the ride is.

[Rich]

For reference here is a picture from before the bilsteins were put in with the original springs and shocks:

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I can give you my personal opinion on Flyin miata coilovers, namely the shock dampening. I'd imagine if set to a appropriate ride height and set on a softer setting, they would be a fine daily driving choice. My miata, at it current height, rides as well as stock and may only bottom out on extremely aggressive driving on rough midwestern roads.

It might in the end(a coilover) be the only way for you to solve this ride height issue.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

or you could just cut the springs.......

[Eye of the Tiger]

convert to axle over spring
if that is still too high, add blocks

[MrH]

Something is off.  Assemble a Bilstein or Sachs shock with a stock spring and assemble a stock shock with a stock spring and compare them side to side.  Is the module the same overall height?  Is the preload on the spring the same between setups?

[Cookie Monster]

Did they torque the suspension bolts with the car in the air and the suspension at full droop instead of on the ground like they're supposed to?

Super high ride height is common with improperly tightened bolts that cause twisted bushings. I'd look under the car and see if your bushings look twisted at all.

[Rich]

Fuck. It's a reputed bmw shop that's working on it. I'm sure they know how to install it right.

I still have the stock shocks so I'll compare the bilsteins with them when I get the car back

[Rich]

I'll have to wait until I go back to the US in a few years to get this sorted I think. In the meantime I'll see what I can do with these bits and pieces I've  collected. Maybe try and wrench on it myself in Spain.

[Rich]

Did they torque the suspension bolts with the car in the air and the suspension at full droop instead of on the ground like they're supposed to?

Super high ride height is common with improperly tightened bolts that cause twisted bushings. I'd look under the car and see if your bushings look twisted at all.

I think this is it. I sent them an email With the following procedure and they said that's not standard practice for them. He said they'd try it but doesn't think it will make a difference. I think it will. I guess it common on Miatas?  Other cars can have their boots tightened on the lift?


"On each corner, put a stand, take the wheel out and loose all the bushings bolts (included the lower shock eyelet one). Just loose them with the nut still threaded, dont extract them*. Put the wheel and go drive around the block for the suspension to move (to be sure the bushes unbound). Again, stand and wheel out, and then, lift the lower arm with a jack at the very outer extreme of the arm till the whole car starts to lift from the stand. Then torque the bushings to specs.

Do the alignment bolts bushings also. If you have aligned the car already, you'll have to realign as the ride height will be lower (anyway you can mark where the plates are pointing before you loose them and then torque with them pointing to the mark).

It's an hour work taking your time, but car will sit where it should, and ride much much nicer as you're preloading the bushings right. When the bushes twist unevenly you got a bad ride, not consistent behaviour on bumps and dimps, and a weird feel on handling.


*Be careful with the rear lower shock eyelet bolt, as the nut is captive on the inside of the arm and you won't see it, leave it threaded but loose."

[FlatBlackCaddy]

The irony is that control arm or bushing replacement on bmws usually require setting the car down and loading driver, passenger and cargo weight in the car prior to final torqueing of the control arms and bushings. This was the way the e39 fsm said to do it, also my 300zx manual says the same.

If in doubt, its the safer way to do it.

Pretty lame if the shop did it wrong.

[MrH]

Yeah, that shop is incompetent.  Find a new shop.

[Rich]

Too late to find a new shop. I have to leave on the 14th and won't be back. Scared shitless to have anyone near the Mediterranean touch the car. #lazyness.

NAS rota should have an auto hobby shop. Once I get settled I can venture down there and try to finagle it if it's still fucked.

Sucks balls too, as I spent a LOT of money to remedy the issue. New FM springs and the install cost to try and correct the issue. Then the install cost for Sachs shocks and putting the stock ones back in.

[Cookie Monster]

Too late to find a new shop. I have to leave on the 14th and won't be back. Scared shitless to have anyone near the Mediterranean touch the car. #lazyness.

NAS rota should have an auto hobby shop. Once I get settled I can venture down there and try to finagle it if it's still fucked.

Sucks balls too, as I spent a LOT of money to remedy the issue. New FM springs and the install cost to try and correct the issue. Then the install cost for Sachs shocks and putting the stock ones back in.

Fuck man, that blows. Your shop is run by idiots. I've changed the suspension on numerous Miatas (all gens except the new ND) and it's so simple that it's mind boggling that a reputable shop could mess that up.

If you have a jack and stands and some simple tools it's easy enough to do yourself. You don't even need to loosen the bolts and drive the car around (though some people say it's better to do so). Just do the part where you jack the hub up till it comes off the jack stand and retighten.

[Rich]

Good news!!!  We are back to stock ride height on stock springs with new shocks!! 


I'm thrilled beyond words. The stock wheels are on with some Michelin energy saver all seasons. Going for max mpg on the way to Spain.

[AutobahnSHO]

Good news!!!  We are back to stock ride height on stock springs with new shocks!! 

I'm thrilled beyond words. The stock wheels are on with some Michelin energy saver all seasons. Going for max mpg on the way to Spain.

who fixed it?   Sounds like a sweet drive!

[Rich]

The same shop that had fucked it up last year and again a week ago. I never went to pick it back up, asked if they'd put the stock springs back in and at least try tightening the suspension under load. They did and it worked. I'm out a boatload in parts and labor but whatever. My car is back to "normal" again. I don't think I have enough of a case within the law for a lawsuit to get back all the cost in parts and labor.

[AutobahnSHO]

bummer!!!