Suspension

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

marlin — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:04:47 GMT

OK I've finally cracked it! I can see that there are lots of options out there but we've now got...

Meister R's with softer springs than their normal ones. Simple. But not cheap!

Spring rates: 5kg/mm front, 4 rear. That's softer than the usual 7 & 6, but still twice as hard as the standard Mazda spec.

Heights: I'm using 330mm front and 340 rear (with the lh slightly lower than the rh) which makes it pretty much level with people on board. May lower it another 10mm or so at some point.

Dampers: 12 clicks front (out of 36) and 15 rear, for country driving.

Result: Brilliant! A compliant but well-damped ride on A-roads, B-roads and motorways, 2-up and with a little luggage. No more buttock-clenching over pot-holes, drain covers and speed-humps (see original post). Plenty of scope for stiffening it up for proper thrashes or for track days (when I'd probably lower it too). It's sporty but not 'hard' like the Mk2 I was generously given a longish ride in, which had the usual Meister springs.

I am SO PLEASED and thanks for all your posts earlier on. And thanks to the OC guys at Silverstone Classics who pointed me in the right direction.

Colin

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

Mazda-mender — Thu, 17 May 2012 18:10:12 GMT

Autolinks sports springs are great ,we will be fitting some to a Mk 1 this weekend.

Another vote from me

M-m

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

Lord Byron — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:45:20 GMT

I have the 'budget variant': got my 5 back today with the Autolink springs and stock shocks.

Ride height about an inch down and then some more 'settling' to come: very balanced ride - obviously not adjustable but firm when you need it and no roll in bends.

Will now need to try REALLY HARD to get back end out on mini roundabouts.

Autolink springs: VOTED.

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

Mazda-mender — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:58:10 GMT

Meisters R's are on my Mk 1 now and are the dogs danglers, knew they would be after fitting so many ,full soft,great for road use with the hight i have set them at and not a back breaker of a ride on our great rides,and not to soft that it feels like an old bed, just right,full hard, wow, perfect for track use, drive her there on full soft, turn them up for track, and then just turn them back up to soft for the journey home again, win .win. you can set them how you please to suit your own preference

Just need to fit them the the rest now

M-m

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

Lord Byron — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:01:51 GMT

Autolink sports springs going onto my Mk1 in the morning; will tell you how it flies after that buddy.

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

Dee Pee — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 11:49:15 GMT

Ah - MOT ! Just had mine on the VR Combo and found I had a broken rear spring

So I'm going to go with a set of slightly lower springs and some new shock boots (the exisiting shocks are in reasonably good condition)

I guess the question is, which ones There are so many out there.

Tempted by a set of MX5 parts nice red "Trim Springs" but have also heard good words about Autolink's offerings too. Definitely don't have the budget for a set of coilovers (Meisters would be nice but I haven't raided a bank this week or won the lottery yet)

Any thoughts peeps ?

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

D4V1D — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 21:13:02 GMT

D4V1D:

Hi are mk11 suspensions units a straight swop out for a mk1. I know some spec's have different ride heights but as to the fitment are they a straight swop out.

My MOT is due next month, and I know that the ride hieght is just to low as it won't clear some road bumps with out that really bad scraping noise. I don't want to spend to much as I feel the MOT might prove costly, so I've just ordered 4 standard springs and I'm going to hope for the best regarding the ride of the car.

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

AT — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:03:22 GMT

Surely MEV can provide some data (they supply specific springs for the Exocet). You probably will need an adjustable coilover shock; the AGX is a budget shock with compression adjustment only.

The Protec shock that used to be supplied with the P5 Puredrive kit can be purchased from Protec; the main difference as far as I know is improved corrosion resistance (tested to NATO DEFSTAN so I'm told). For me, the main issue was corrosion to the compression knob; it was an alloy knob fitted to a brass pin, on an alumnium shock body, with obvious electrolytic corrosion. The actual shock bodies were clear anodized, and on mine, have stood up very well. The P5 kit was normally supplied with a Pigtail spring, so it could use the standard narrow Protec spring perch, but with the Mk2 top mount. However, you were also able to get it with a larger spring perch so that springs using the Mk1 diameter could be fitted. The Protecs are about half the weight of a conventional steel shock (1kg each versus 2kg).

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

pincherrn — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 10:24:11 GMT

Hi all,

Just been reading through this post trying to find some info to make my suspension selection easier. I currently have a Mk1 which I believe has standard dampers with lowered PI springs on it. To me after my Mk2.5 it is very low and seems too hard. The car is going to be stripped and turned into a MEV Exocet starting next month. I was intially going to replace the bushes with Polybushes but realize that this my be a step too far so am waiting to see the state of the bushes when I strip the suspension. I am quite tempted by the Meister Rs but cost wise that is a big chunk of my budget, although I would pay it if I knew they would work. I also have read quite good reports on the KYB AGXs. My problem is that if the Meister Rs have stiff springs on the MX how will they be on the Exocet that weighs about 2/3 the weight.

Sorry to hijack this thread but a lot of information was already here. Hope someone can help me.

Cheers

Colin

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

marlin — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:18:49 GMT

darren s:
the only thing stopping me is the worry that the bilstein's are too harsh

Yes but my problem is that the Bilsteins are harsh in town and on poor roads BUT fail to stop the car hitting the bumpstops quite often on, say, undulating B-roads. That spoils the ride and wrecks the handling. They seem to have a high initial resistance but aren't progressive enough to resist the larger, longer-travel bumps. So I'm seriously thinking of going the Meister route too, despite the spring rates apparently being so high compared to standard. All the posts so far have been positive, altho I'd really like to have a ride in a Meister car if poss.

Best of luck with the purchase - let us know what you think if/when it's yours.

Colin

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

darren s — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 18:07:55 GMT

Useful thread this! I'm close to buying an R-Ltd Roadster, and the only thing stopping me is the worry that the bilstein's are too harsh (stance looks great though!).

I'm beginning to think if I buy it, but then struggle to get on with the Bilstein's, I might buy the Meister's.

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

Mazda-mender — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 06:55:35 GMT

Trust me ,they are fine on the road when they are set right, JQ had some Koni coil overs on and the ride on our great roads was hard and crashy, so i told him to change to the miesters, so he would have a better ride,not hard on the back, he does track sometimes also ,so with just a little tweek, he is ready for track, it is all down to how they are set up, i will be fitting these units to all of mine,

JQ, knows now that i was not talking rubbish, and the smile is back on his face again.

Turn them on to soft setting ,and you are riding on the Mk 2 units, turn them to hard and you are back on Konis

If you do go for these units ,feel free to contact me ,and i'll tell you how to set them up for a road roadster.

M-m

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

marlin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:39:29 GMT

Mazda-mender:

Are you going off hear say, or just trying to work it out from black and white?

Thanks M-m, see my post to Little Bob.

Colin

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

marlin — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 23:35:51 GMT

Little bob:

Probably too late now this is two months later but I have to say that I have nothing but praise for the Meister R set up.

No it's not too late, and thanks. The Meisters do look the business BUT I'm just worried that they may be too biased towards track use for me. I should mention that altho I'm new to MX5s I'm no stranger to cars in general, including racing cars and including how to set a car up for sweet handling.

So far, I've only been looking at what data I could find, not users' opinions. The data says the Meister front springs are over twice as hard as standard and the rear ones are more than THREE TIMES as hard. When you start off with a car that has a reputation for a good ride/handling compromise, I ask myself why would you want to stiffen it up so much. Maybe say 50% - but 320%??

Given your posts and other recent ones, perhaps the data is misleading!

Anyone with Meisters care to give me a ride around the block in their car? Maybe while passing thru Devon on the way to the Cornish rally? Would be worth a cup of tea at least.

Colin

Re: Mk1 best new springs?

mazda-mender junior — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 22:44:02 GMT

meister R's every time for my money - they're lovely to fit and work with, seem to be very well made and have a fantastic range for height and firmness - you can have a soft 4x4 look (if you really want to) or a ground-kissing firm ride and anything in between. As Richard has said, they are raving about them on nutz and it's fair praise

D4V1D - yes the mk2 susp is a straight swap for the mk1 stuff (and far more comfy!)