Soldato
Looking awesome there! Can't wait to see it all fitted and to see what you think to them. 
MX-5 Project log thread
- Thread starter Howard
- Start date
Soldato
No more stilts!
Soldato
I am just hoping he doesn't go too low!
Soldato
At least we will soon find Madeline Mccann.
Soldato
Considering the current height of the car I think he'd have to remove the shocks completely to do that.
Soldato
Considering the current height of the car I think he'd have to remove the shocks completely to do that.
Worryingly you don't have to drop a mk1 MX5 far before it is far too low. Mine right now is far too low, even at rest my shocks are touching my bump stops. I am having to alter my setup to allow for suspension travel!
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Associate
- Joined
- 29 May 2005
- Posts
- 1,006
cant wait to get my 5, what was the damage on this setup if you dont mind me asking.. 
Soldato
£629 is the usual price for it, then £99 for the mk2 top mounts.
Well I've been at it since 9am but I'm done now!
The rear was easy, didn't take long, was done by 11am. The front was much more of a bugger though, took a fair bit longer Due to finding out exactly how to dismantle it so that I can get the shocks out/in!
Will let some photos do some talking..
Taking apart rear suspension:
As it is normally
ARB link detached, top wishbone detached from hub, swung downward
It's gone!
Old vs new shock/spring units
New rear units all fitted!
On to the front:
Much the same to dismantle, but it's a fair whack more fiddly. Instead of detaching the top wishbone from the hub you need to detatch the ball joint bracket/tongue bit from the lower wishbone by undoing a horizontal bolt (easy), and a vertical one which is located in an in-set bit in the wishbone, in order to access this you need to prise the bottom of the damper unit out of the way and wedge it out of the way with a screwdriver. Getting this bolt back in again is rather fiddly as you need to make sure the ball joint lip is lined up! Once this bolt is undone, the ball joint can be swivelled away, and the two wishbones move independently. This means you can get a bit more play in the movement of the shock once it's unbolted, and can pull it out!
This is what it looks like with the above performed
And the new shock finally in place - took some wedging/swearing/swearing/prising! But then I am a n00b.
And the top adjusters
And there we have it. My first foray in what I'd consider to be 'major' modification/work on a car, and I feel I did quite well. I know I could do it in a third of the time now, anyway! I am very much learning as I go along so my "mechanical techniques" will improve with time, no doubt. I'm very good at sitting, looking at something for a while, whilst pondering my next move to make sure I do it right!
OK so how's the suspension, I hear you ask?
In short, it's much improved!
It’s a lot better through corners. Much stiffer, roll now seems to be non existent. I’m sure it does definitely need the geometry setting up. I did notice perhaps a little lack of grip when cornering, in particular when going round a tight corner in Tesco petrol station carpark..! I assume this is an effect of the probably hugely out of whack geo settings. Another thing I noticed is that it’s a tiny bit bouncier – noticeable when going over speed bumps etc. Certainly felt a lot more planted when I nailed it through a few twisties, though!
I have no doubt all of the little quirks will be erased once the geo settings and ride height/stiffness have been tweaked properly!
There is a slight issue with the damper units though, which I recieved in an email from Performance5 after I'd finished doing the rear..! - There's an issue with the bottom mounting bearing/eye in that the spacers inside a bit too short, meaning there's a clonking when going over bumps etc - which was apparent. A solution is being worked on however, and P5 have offered to rectify it for me FOC if I take it to them, which is good of them So I am going to do this before I have the geo done, since they're not far from each other.
Very happy thus far, though, and I'm sure it'll only get better!
Some pics!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
The rear was easy, didn't take long, was done by 11am. The front was much more of a bugger though, took a fair bit longer
Due to finding out exactly how to dismantle it so that I can get the shocks out/in! Will let some photos do some talking..
Taking apart rear suspension:
As it is normally
ARB link detached, top wishbone detached from hub, swung downward
It's gone!
Old vs new shock/spring units
New rear units all fitted!
On to the front:
Much the same to dismantle, but it's a fair whack more fiddly. Instead of detaching the top wishbone from the hub you need to detatch the ball joint bracket/tongue bit from the lower wishbone by undoing a horizontal bolt (easy), and a vertical one which is located in an in-set bit in the wishbone, in order to access this you need to prise the bottom of the damper unit out of the way and wedge it out of the way with a screwdriver. Getting this bolt back in again is rather fiddly as you need to make sure the ball joint lip is lined up! Once this bolt is undone, the ball joint can be swivelled away, and the two wishbones move independently. This means you can get a bit more play in the movement of the shock once it's unbolted, and can pull it out!
This is what it looks like with the above performed
And the new shock finally in place - took some wedging/swearing/swearing/prising! But then I am a n00b.
And the top adjusters
And there we have it. My first foray in what I'd consider to be 'major' modification/work on a car, and I feel I did quite well. I know I could do it in a third of the time now, anyway! I am very much learning as I go along so my "mechanical techniques" will improve with time, no doubt. I'm very good at sitting, looking at something for a while, whilst pondering my next move to make sure I do it right!
OK so how's the suspension, I hear you ask?
In short, it's much improved!
It’s a lot better through corners. Much stiffer, roll now seems to be non existent. I’m sure it does definitely need the geometry setting up. I did notice perhaps a little lack of grip when cornering, in particular when going round a tight corner in Tesco petrol station carpark..! I assume this is an effect of the probably hugely out of whack geo settings. Another thing I noticed is that it’s a tiny bit bouncier – noticeable when going over speed bumps etc. Certainly felt a lot more planted when I nailed it through a few twisties, though!
I have no doubt all of the little quirks will be erased once the geo settings and ride height/stiffness have been tweaked properly!
There is a slight issue with the damper units though, which I recieved in an email from Performance5 after I'd finished doing the rear..! - There's an issue with the bottom mounting bearing/eye in that the spacers inside a bit too short, meaning there's a clonking when going over bumps etc - which was apparent. A solution is being worked on however, and P5 have offered to rectify it for me FOC if I take it to them, which is good of them
So I am going to do this before I have the geo done, since they're not far from each other. Very happy thus far, though, and I'm sure it'll only get better!
Some pics!
BEFORE:
AFTER:
Caporegime
Nice one doing it yourself but the cars still on stilts.
It's about 10-15mm higher than the lowest recommended ride height before it starts to affect the handling.
Associate
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- 28 Feb 2007
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- 1,479
Great stuff, must have been really satisfying getting all those bits fitted! A passenger ride in that at some point would be good too if you dont mind!
Yeah come to the Southampton meet in sept
Associate
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2007
- Posts
- 1,479
I cant make that unfortunately 
all the meets recently have clashed with holidays etc!
all the meets recently have clashed with holidays etc!
You'll notice the immediately apparent loss of body-roll, if nothing else
Caporegime
Think yours has got Bilsteins anyways, you could get away with sticking some springs on for a few 100, a lowered and fully geo setup 5 feels fantastic vs the stock car, changes the cars loads even in everyday driving situations.
Soldato
Looks like a good job. Will you be checking it over in a weeks time or so just to make sure it's all still bolted in right? That's always a worry for me when working on stuff, but it is great doing it yourself.
Does look a little high still but the springs will need to settle in yet anyway, then you can set it right.
They do look lovely with the tyres just about tucking in the arches:
Does look a little high still but the springs will need to settle in yet anyway, then you can set it right.
They do look lovely with the tyres just about tucking in the arches:
Are the Blisteins something you or another owner put on? I remember there being some confusion about MX5iS's and whether they came with different suspension to 1.8i's. Sadly mk2's didn't, it was only the mk2.5 1.8iS Sport that did.