2006 MX-5 2.0 Option Pack
Discussion
I've never used nor fitted a 6 point, only 4. No real reason for this, I just started out with a good set of 3" 4 point and have stayed with them.
Thinking about the inertia keeper again, you would have to mount it as far back as poss on the tranny tunnel (opposite where it lives now with the seat right back). Whilst this will make buckling up tricky, it's safe.
If you mount it too far forward and a taller person puts the seat back and uses it it'll be dangerous.
Thinking about the inertia keeper again, you would have to mount it as far back as poss on the tranny tunnel (opposite where it lives now with the seat right back). Whilst this will make buckling up tricky, it's safe.
If you mount it too far forward and a taller person puts the seat back and uses it it'll be dangerous.
Thanks for the pointers. I'll go towards the back of the tunnel as I have my seat pushed back as far as it will go.
I'm leaning towards a 4-point harness with ASM, maybe something like the the Schroth Clubman. 4-point conveniently avoids the issue of where to put the eyelets for the crutch straps whilst keeping the seat low. I've seen a few opinions claiming that ASM is kinder to your neck over a 6-point if you're not wearing HANS. That seems to make sense. Schroth appeals because they use the same central buckle so I can convert to 6-point by buying the lower straps if I want to revisit that decision in the future.
I'm leaning towards a 4-point harness with ASM, maybe something like the the Schroth Clubman. 4-point conveniently avoids the issue of where to put the eyelets for the crutch straps whilst keeping the seat low. I've seen a few opinions claiming that ASM is kinder to your neck over a 6-point if you're not wearing HANS. That seems to make sense. Schroth appeals because they use the same central buckle so I can convert to 6-point by buying the lower straps if I want to revisit that decision in the future.
I've read through your entire thread over the last few days, I've never really been interested in MX-5s despite having a soft spot for Mazdas, but I appreciate what a good car they are now.
I also like the fact that the updates to your car are well thought out and haven't just been a case of throwing money at it.
How did you get into doing track days? I'd love to have a go but don't think any of my friends would be up for it (plus my saab would most likely fall apart)
I also like the fact that the updates to your car are well thought out and haven't just been a case of throwing money at it.
How did you get into doing track days? I'd love to have a go but don't think any of my friends would be up for it (plus my saab would most likely fall apart)
james6546 said:
How did you get into doing track days? I'd love to have a go but don't think any of my friends would be up for it (plus my saab would most likely fall apart)
Thanks for taking the time to read through all that! Glad you found it interesting, even if it's not a car you'd own. I often find the vehicle in question is irrelevant to if I enjoy a thread in here or not.As for trackdays, I think I was lucky in that I purchased the car at a time when I worked with a lot of fellow car bores, some who had more experience with TDs than I did and all keen to do more events. Whilst it's fun to do these things with friends and there's a bit of a safety net from having other people with tools/knowledge/transport with you, I've done a couple of days on my own and usually seem to get chatting to people in the pits, offered passenger rides, tools etc. so I wouldn't let that put you off. Maybe book an evening session somewhere local to you and see if you enjoy it, an evening shouldn't be too hard on your car or wallet.
All things MX5 sitrep...
I ordered a Schroth 4-point ASM harness in the end. Should be less faff to clip in, avoids the issue of getting the seat low and mounting the lower harness eyelets and I read some posts claiming that an ASM 4-point is arguably better for your neck in an accident than a 6-point if you're not going to be using HANS. As previously mentioned I also like the way Schroth sell 6-point upgrade kits if I change my mind. There are cheaper options, but I seem to remember the adjusters on the Schroth harnesses in the R4R Swifts being nice to use.
Still no seat mount, I ordered it at the end of April in the same order as the seat... "Usually ships within 3-5 working days". Bofi are very responsive but didn't seem to have any details for me beyond blaming postal delays and not knowing when it would arrive. I contacted the manufacturer directly who confirmed that they'd got an entire pallet of them ready to ship to Bofi, but there had been an issue with the payment that was resolved this morning. Hopefully that means it will show up in a couple of weeks.
A big box of harness mounting equipment arrived this morning from Merlin Motorsport. I've ordered far too many spreader plates and eye bolts in all sorts of shapes and sizes as they were cheap and it seemed easier to have all the options on hand. It doesn't look like the MSA/FIA spec spreader plates have to be welded to the underside of the car (they include a hole for a retaining bolt or rivet), but assuming I can get access to do so without removing too much I might as well.
It looks like the Indian variant might have cancelled our annual Ring trip at the end of June. We booked it at the end of last year assuming that all would be well with the world by then, especially after being able to make it over there in October. Oh well, we might try to find a consolation UK track day that week instead.
I had a nice drive in the car over the weekend, the first in a while. The master brace has definitely made a subtle but pleasant change to pedal feel under harder braking.
I ordered a Schroth 4-point ASM harness in the end. Should be less faff to clip in, avoids the issue of getting the seat low and mounting the lower harness eyelets and I read some posts claiming that an ASM 4-point is arguably better for your neck in an accident than a 6-point if you're not going to be using HANS. As previously mentioned I also like the way Schroth sell 6-point upgrade kits if I change my mind. There are cheaper options, but I seem to remember the adjusters on the Schroth harnesses in the R4R Swifts being nice to use.
Still no seat mount, I ordered it at the end of April in the same order as the seat... "Usually ships within 3-5 working days". Bofi are very responsive but didn't seem to have any details for me beyond blaming postal delays and not knowing when it would arrive. I contacted the manufacturer directly who confirmed that they'd got an entire pallet of them ready to ship to Bofi, but there had been an issue with the payment that was resolved this morning. Hopefully that means it will show up in a couple of weeks.
A big box of harness mounting equipment arrived this morning from Merlin Motorsport. I've ordered far too many spreader plates and eye bolts in all sorts of shapes and sizes as they were cheap and it seemed easier to have all the options on hand. It doesn't look like the MSA/FIA spec spreader plates have to be welded to the underside of the car (they include a hole for a retaining bolt or rivet), but assuming I can get access to do so without removing too much I might as well.
It looks like the Indian variant might have cancelled our annual Ring trip at the end of June. We booked it at the end of last year assuming that all would be well with the world by then, especially after being able to make it over there in October. Oh well, we might try to find a consolation UK track day that week instead.
I had a nice drive in the car over the weekend, the first in a while. The master brace has definitely made a subtle but pleasant change to pedal feel under harder braking.
The harness turned up, very nice it is too...
There's a sacrificial fold of webbing on one shoulder that extends in an impact. This is the anti-submaring/ASM system that I previously mentioned. This still feels like a good option for my usage.
I went with 3" shoulder straps for comfort.
The rotary buckle is a nicely made lump of aluminium, quite a pleasant thing to use. You can see the extra slot for converting to 6-point if required.
I'd forgotten that the MOT is booked for next week. So the lack of seat mount does at least give me chance to get that sorted before I start removing the interior to add spreader plates and holes for harnesses etc.
There's a sacrificial fold of webbing on one shoulder that extends in an impact. This is the anti-submaring/ASM system that I previously mentioned. This still feels like a good option for my usage.
I went with 3" shoulder straps for comfort.
The rotary buckle is a nicely made lump of aluminium, quite a pleasant thing to use. You can see the extra slot for converting to 6-point if required.
I'd forgotten that the MOT is booked for next week. So the lack of seat mount does at least give me chance to get that sorted before I start removing the interior to add spreader plates and holes for harnesses etc.
MOT day this morning. I did my usual routine of booking their first appointment of the day and going for a high rpm run beforehand so that it could be tested whilst still hot.
Unlike last year I coincided with my favourite tester, he always invites me under his ramp for a poke around. I'm not sure his employer approves of this, but he's old enough to vehemently object to the notion of health and safety. He threw a can of oil at me when he was done and told me to lubricate the springs for the handbrake mechanism on the rear calipers... "I'll do your paperwork. Drop the ramp down when you're done"
Despite the manifold changes the emissions weren't an issue this year when tested warm...
No advisories, but a shamefully low 3,300 miles since last year, despite driving to Germany and back. I'll try and improve on that over the next 12 months.
Unlike last year I coincided with my favourite tester, he always invites me under his ramp for a poke around. I'm not sure his employer approves of this, but he's old enough to vehemently object to the notion of health and safety. He threw a can of oil at me when he was done and told me to lubricate the springs for the handbrake mechanism on the rear calipers... "I'll do your paperwork. Drop the ramp down when you're done"
Despite the manifold changes the emissions weren't an issue this year when tested warm...
No advisories, but a shamefully low 3,300 miles since last year, despite driving to Germany and back. I'll try and improve on that over the next 12 months.
I'm looking forward to seeing how well, or not, the seat works, still no mount though. I checked in with Bofi yesterday and they're now expecting the shipment from Cybul to arrive on the 10th, so hopefully it won't be too much longer. It's a bit annoying that I've only received updates from them when I've chased it up, my last email from them was the order confirmation back at the end of April.
Bit of a weird one this week, I was reversing the car out of my garage the morning after the MOT and the brake pedal went straight to the floor. Complete loss of pressure. Didn't take long to work out that the brake master was leaking, and had done a good number on the paint...
Curious timing, after I'd just fitted a brace. I suspect all of my 'does the firewall still flex' testing, along with the enthusiastic pre-MOT drive and the brake test might have led to the demise of the seals. There were no issues the day before.
I did a quick rattle can touch-up on the engine bay...
This thread came in handy for refreshing my memory. I'd swapped the master cylinder once before after I had a partial loss of brake pressure on the way back from a track day at Bedford. I assumed it was a failing master at the time, I baulked at the cost of a replacement from Mazda and ordered a used part from eBay. However, the next day brake pressure was back to normal, so maybe I just boiled the fluid. I swapped the master regardless to rule it out.
I'd still got my original master cylinder, I've refitted it as I wanted to use the car this weekend. Just like last time it was surprisingly easy to bleed, despite the amount of air you'd assume I'd introduce. Some cautious test-drives later and all seems well again. I've ordered another replacement MC just to be sure and I'll swap it out once it arrives.
I did have a quick look around a local scrapyard to see if they had any NCs. Sadly not, but I did find an RX8. However the MC is significantly different and wouldn't easily mount to the NC brake booster. Maybe both parts could be moved over. It looked like someone had already claimed the ARBs. The calipers were still there, another cheap NC upgrade if you don't mind the weight and don't want to use 16" wheels.
Bit of a weird one this week, I was reversing the car out of my garage the morning after the MOT and the brake pedal went straight to the floor. Complete loss of pressure. Didn't take long to work out that the brake master was leaking, and had done a good number on the paint...
Curious timing, after I'd just fitted a brace. I suspect all of my 'does the firewall still flex' testing, along with the enthusiastic pre-MOT drive and the brake test might have led to the demise of the seals. There were no issues the day before.
I did a quick rattle can touch-up on the engine bay...
This thread came in handy for refreshing my memory. I'd swapped the master cylinder once before after I had a partial loss of brake pressure on the way back from a track day at Bedford. I assumed it was a failing master at the time, I baulked at the cost of a replacement from Mazda and ordered a used part from eBay. However, the next day brake pressure was back to normal, so maybe I just boiled the fluid. I swapped the master regardless to rule it out.
I'd still got my original master cylinder, I've refitted it as I wanted to use the car this weekend. Just like last time it was surprisingly easy to bleed, despite the amount of air you'd assume I'd introduce. Some cautious test-drives later and all seems well again. I've ordered another replacement MC just to be sure and I'll swap it out once it arrives.
I did have a quick look around a local scrapyard to see if they had any NCs. Sadly not, but I did find an RX8. However the MC is significantly different and wouldn't easily mount to the NC brake booster. Maybe both parts could be moved over. It looked like someone had already claimed the ARBs. The calipers were still there, another cheap NC upgrade if you don't mind the weight and don't want to use 16" wheels.
geraintthomas said:
That RX-8 didn't still have its anti-roll bars, did it? Those may be worth snatching up!
One pair came up recently at a good price on Facebook for £60: a bit of surface rust, but looking alright 
Also some "new" RX8 for breaking... I do recommend you to look there, with some keywords "RX8 breaking" or "RX8 yellow dot": some ads are worth checking/investigating They is also a Whiteline or Racing Beat on eBay for £200-ish: no rust, but not the same budget...
A nice weekend. Starting with a Scramble at Bicester, I think my ticket for this had been cancelled, rebooked and moved three or four times thanks to COVID, nice to see car shows returning and a lovely day for it. I took the boy, who seems to enjoy shouting 'CAR' at cars...
On Sunday Alex came over so that I could give him a hand fitting 4-pot Brembo calipers from a Clio RS to his Fiesta ST.
Pretty cool. Alex used a ~300mm disc, I think from a Focus. He's managed to clear the 16" wheels that he uses for trackdays with this setup. This got me looking at Renault-Brembo options for the NC. There are a couple of bolt on kits:
https://freakyparts.co.uk/collections/mazda-mx5-mk...
https://k-system.pro/en/product/bbk-320x28-brembo-...
They both use 320mm discs from a CX7, and will require a 17" wheel. I recently learnt that the automatic RX8, which wasn't sold in the UK, uses a 303mm disc. The discs are readily available on eBay. I wonder if a mount could be designed to clear a 16" wheel with this combination
A slightly pointless thought exercise as the stock NC brakes have always been great, but it's an interesting research project.
On Sunday Alex came over so that I could give him a hand fitting 4-pot Brembo calipers from a Clio RS to his Fiesta ST.
Pretty cool. Alex used a ~300mm disc, I think from a Focus. He's managed to clear the 16" wheels that he uses for trackdays with this setup. This got me looking at Renault-Brembo options for the NC. There are a couple of bolt on kits:
https://freakyparts.co.uk/collections/mazda-mx5-mk...
https://k-system.pro/en/product/bbk-320x28-brembo-...
They both use 320mm discs from a CX7, and will require a 17" wheel. I recently learnt that the automatic RX8, which wasn't sold in the UK, uses a 303mm disc. The discs are readily available on eBay. I wonder if a mount could be designed to clear a 16" wheel with this combination
A slightly pointless thought exercise as the stock NC brakes have always been great, but it's an interesting research project.Kev_Mk3 said:
Do you have a link for the harnesses at all as the sliding down always factors on my mind.
I did 1352 miles in the swift last year. That was to the ring for a track day and back
I've just cancelled all the bookings we'd made and asked CD for credit as we were meant to be attending the July day I did 1352 miles in the swift last year. That was to the ring for a track day and back
I bought the 'Clubman' harness...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371081193044
There's also the more expensive Profi II, I couldn't work out the difference in the photos but having received mine it looks like the Profi has nicer alu shoulder adjusters...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301511546730
This out-of-FIA-date pair look like a decent buy...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174787451350
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