Your preferred mk1 suspension set-up?
Discussion
Mannginger said:
Just bumping this up as the NA I bought in Jan came on Bilsteins and I've decided they're just too crashy for the B roads around here (not helped by the fact that only one was changed at the rear at some point).
That, coupled with the fact that MX5Nutz currently have a group buy (15% discount and free UK delivery) on the MeisterR Zeta-S coilovers and the generally good reviews I've seen on them has meant me putting a deposit down on them with delivery expected end of May. Should get them on just in time for the Le Mans run which will make that a bit more pleasant!
You won't be dissapointed with meister's it really does transform the car! It does take a bit to get them really setup to get the best out of them, but even setup badly they are a different league to the billies.That, coupled with the fact that MX5Nutz currently have a group buy (15% discount and free UK delivery) on the MeisterR Zeta-S coilovers and the generally good reviews I've seen on them has meant me putting a deposit down on them with delivery expected end of May. Should get them on just in time for the Le Mans run which will make that a bit more pleasant!
I currently have a turbo mx5 with meisters( it used to have billies) and a standard r ltd with billies. No more rolling like a boat on track and they are comfortable when you wind them softer, alot more comfortable.
I'm currently trying to get the turbo mx5 back on the road after blowing an engine. I'm hoping to take it to le mans, but it's more likely I'll be in an m135i
Jobbo said:
I've got the Meister Rs on mine; have had them for a couple of years. To be honest, I preferred the Bilsteins 
The Meister Rs have been properly set up, even corner-weighted, but I find them either too bouncy or too uncontrolled. They do comfort quite well if you back them off, mind you.
ETA: just re-read my post above from Sept 2012 when they were fitted; I said they weren't bouncy back then but that's based on them being set quite softly. Wind the stiffness up a few notches and I find the back end can easily get out of sync with an undulating road, but on softer settings it doesn't inspire the confidence to rag it.
I had what you are describing with the meisterr's and it was because the suspension was set too low and hitting the bumpstops at the rear. The Meister Rs have been properly set up, even corner-weighted, but I find them either too bouncy or too uncontrolled. They do comfort quite well if you back them off, mind you.ETA: just re-read my post above from Sept 2012 when they were fitted; I said they weren't bouncy back then but that's based on them being set quite softly. Wind the stiffness up a few notches and I find the back end can easily get out of sync with an undulating road, but on softer settings it doesn't inspire the confidence to rag it.
Edited by Jobbo on Wednesday 15th April 13:47
The remedy was to put a small amount of preload on the springs and raise the height a touch. I was originally on the ride heights that mx5nutz members were loving, but I found those settings were more about 'the look' than actual handling.
Hope that helps!
towelie said:
I had what you are describing with the meisterr's and it was because the suspension was set too low and hitting the bumpstops at the rear.
The remedy was to put a small amount of preload on the springs and raise the height a touch. I was originally on the ride heights that mx5nutz members were loving, but I found those settings were more about 'the look' than actual handling.
Hope that helps!
My ride height was raised when I had mine properly set up, though it's still a touch lower than on the Bilsteins. The chap who did mine knows his stuff, but charges a lot less than WIM.The remedy was to put a small amount of preload on the springs and raise the height a touch. I was originally on the ride heights that mx5nutz members were loving, but I found those settings were more about 'the look' than actual handling.
Hope that helps!
However, he's not an MX5 specialist so when I take it back to him this year I'll mention the suggestion and see if he can work with it to find a better compromise. Cheers
J-Tuner said:
Worth a trip to wheels in motion for setup/fitting if not too far away. Mine have been great from the start after they put them on. Heading back Monday for some better ARBs. Slippery slope...
This is definitely going to happen. I took the car up there a few weeks ago and they couldn't adjust the Billies as a couple of rubber mounts had seized and they didn't have spare parts there and were pretty convinced they'd break them trying to force them off...that led me to finally deciding to replace the Bilsteins as I'd been wavering over spending the money, now that tap is open...I've been using WiM for years - before they had any premises of their own in fact. Well worth the money no matter what type of suspension is going on, and the follow on support if you have any questions etc is spot on. I think they still do a free fine tune of the geo 100 miles later or something once you have explored the new settings.
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