alberto_mg

When I did my suspension I replaced the parts that Rynberg referenced above also. I got them from Ray at Malloy for the same price. I believe they are called "upper strut bearings" and "spring pads".

Replacing those parts made a nice difference for me. It quieted down the suspension quite a bit when going over bumps. Highly recommend replacing that stuff when doing the suspension. Mine were all cracked and looked very worn.

As for upgraded suspension - I am running Koni adjustables with the PFS comfort springs. I got them b/c I didn't want to go too low. IMO it is a great setup for the street especially if you have to drive over crappy road surfaces like we do here in the NE.

I highly recommend the Koni dampers over Tokicos. I feel they perform better overall on the various cars that I've owned. As for springs its up to you how low you can tolerate. If it is a big issue, go PFS or maybe even keep stock. You can always adjust height on the Konis if you feel the need to drop the car slightly.

One further word of caution about the Tokicos - Shortly after I did my suspension another forum member contacted me. He had just installed Tokicos with the PFS springs and was having a problem with rubbing. We both run stock wheels with 245/45/16s. When we compared ride height measurements, he was 1/4 - 1/2" lower than I was with the same springs. My Konis are currently set at the middle perch and my ride height measure out to 25"-25.5" from the flat garage floor to the top of the fender.

As for the swaybar mount, I think Damon recently posted a replacement part number from MazdaSpeed in the 3rd gen section or maybe he posted here...

Hope that helps. Pm me if you need any other info.

one last thought regarding pricing:
If the Tein's come with upper strut bearings/pillowballs then the price of the Konis, Springs, pillowballs and spring pads might be very similar to the price of a set of Teins coilovers. It might be a stiffer ride though due to the spring rates. Maybe Howard can comment on that.

keynote22

I have bilsteins with racing beat springs. I really like the set up. After 1 year of use, now I am having a problem where the drivers side front sits much lower than the passenger side. When ever I hit any sort of bump, the tire jams up into the liner.

I had every sort of test done to see whats going on and everything checks out??? Spring tension check, srung/unsprung length etc... So I am very interested in the rubber mount issue. Now I found out that the only other person in the area with the same set up as me is having the exact same issue.

Any other bilstein racing beat guys having this issue? I have been told that every fd sits slightly lower in the drivers side front?? Any comments on that?

Howard Coleman

iTrader: (6)

the upper shock rubbers are about 3/8 inch thick. how much is your car from lateral level? measure from the ground to the top of the wheel well arch and let me know. the fd most assuradely was designed deal level laterally. it sounds like your springs are the culprit depending on how much droop you have. please come back w a measurement.

howard coleman

roadsterdoc

Really? That's news to me. Encouraging news. Everything I have heard/read about the HA's made me think they are too harsh for a street car. I love the idea of height adjustment since I have 235/40/18 front and 275/35/18 rear. The quality is indisputable. I want a smooth ride like stock on the street.

keynote22

If i measure straight up through the center of the wheel, the passenger side it's 25 3/4 to the bottom of the fender.

On the drivers side it's 24 1/2

As best I can tell, my garage is level.

The garage I go to has given up and racing beat says since thier springs check out, they have no opinion. There was only a slight difference of 1 lb tension during the compresion test. So Im still at a loss. My friend says he's getting new springs---some thing I dont want to pay for just yet.

Radical Rotary Avantgard

I have been runing the RB and Bilstein now for 4 months.
No rubbing the liner, the ride is slightly stiffer than my original R1 suspension, but not by much.
17 x 8 (235/40)front 41mm offset and 17 x 9 (255/40)rear 44mm offset Volk Racing III(mesh) .
I will start autoX this season with them, so don't know how they will handle yet.
As far as the height goes, I have not measured it, but it looks the same to me from memory.

SleepR1

So you got the RBs 4 months ago? New or used? There's a question of whether Racing Beat has changed their spring rate recently. I got my set in 1998. They were as you described. They were so harsh, I swapped to H&R springs in 2000. howard coleman measured the spring rate of stock FD springs. He says current Racing Beat springs rates are no different than stock up front, and only 7% stiffer in back--assuming Rx7 Store's data on RB's spring rates are accurate.

SleepR1

Swap the drivers and passengers side springs. Put 500 lbs of barbell weights on the drivers side. By April 30, your ride height will be even @ 24-1/2 inches all around

Howard Coleman

iTrader: (6)

thanks for your reply and the measurements. assuming that the tail of the spring was fitted to the proper indentation on the upper and lower perches, and you have approx equal air pressure in your tires... it has to be the springs. i doubt that they are equal as to rate. i would love to evaluate them on my longacre digital spring machine. and i will not be surprised by what i find. the car sits on the spring. the upper and lower perches are a given. the only other factor is the shock which is pressurized but so little that it would only change the ride height less than a tenth of an inch. i'll bet the car is a piece of work to drive... let me know about checking your springs. i am sure lots of people are curious.

howard coleman

SleepR1

howard coleman, fwiw, my old Racing Beats (purchased new in 1997) were also sagging after 3 years of use. It's the main reason I switched to H&R springs (in 2000). I sent the RB springs back to RB in late 1999, and they shipped them back to me claiming they were fine. As has occurred with Aron Hanson's RB springs (keynote22's post above), my drivers side was also about an inch lower than the passengers side (I thought it was because I am a heavy driver). I also recall the springs being too soft on track. I always got a slight amount of rubbing when the car would compress on the springs (not necessarily through the turns either), and this was with stock sized wheels/tires! Anyhow, the H&Rs have been fine since 2000. I highly recommend the H&Rs for those who drive their FDs daily, but do open track events on the weekends--like I do. Thanks for your input on this forum!

keynote22

Radkins, the other guy near me with this problem has ordered a set of HR to replace his racing beats. We shall see if the problem corrects itself. I am very distressed to read in the other thread that some one has the same issue with HR that several of us are having with racing beat. I will keep you posted if the problem is resolved by radkins.

Radkins has larger rubber on his wheel than I do...but he put his wheels on sleepr1s car with no rubbing issues...so the rubbing is not a tire combo issue.


I'll take some pics once I get back into town.

SleepR1

I hate to scoop radkins, but I got his voicemail this morning. He switched to H&R springs (from Racing Beat), and his rubbing problems up front have pretty much been taken care of (255/40-17 S-03s on 9 x 17, 43-mm offset 5Zigen FN01R-C wheels). He also measured all around, and he's got 25 inches +/- 1/4 inch...so radkins is happy now.

During the install radkins noticed the H&Rs were actually shorter than Racing Beats, but to his surprise (and relief) the static ride height was about the same as with the Racing Beats (actually slightly higher with the H&Rs IIRC?).

H&R Sport Spring rates must be higher than both Racing Beat's and Eibach Pro Kit's (based on NukeGenius' experience with rubbing up front as well)?

zeravla

I'm wondering if this is just because the springs are brand new and haven't settled yet. Would be curious after the car is driven a week or two if this still holds true.

I'm going through the same delimma with my RB springs and Koni yellows (highest setting). Slight rubbing, running 17x8 42mm offset, 235/40/17 up front. Trying to gain more confidence that the H&Rs will solve my problem before I spend the money on them.

Tony

SleepR1

Recall that radkins installed his fronts on my car which have had the H&R springs for four years. No rubbing. radkins bought new H&R springs for his car. They've been fine. radkins has 255/40-17 S-03s on 9 x 17 5Zigen FN01R-Cs, 43-mm offset. As always, there's no guarantee this will solve your problem, so you'd still be taking a risk (but an educated one...)

DamonB

A spring will not sag unless the steel in the spring has begun to yeild.

New springs do not settle; once the car is bounced to settle the suspension what you see is what you get.

David Beale

I replaced the RBs in my car two years ago with H&R sports. That solved my rubbing problems. My stock wheel/tire combo rubbed the inner liners under hard cornering when I hit a bump. The H&Rs give me about the same ride height but are a bit stiffer, so I don't get rubbing. The car also feels more stable, I think, though it was never "unstable". I'm still using the stock shocks, and they are still just fine.

roadsterdoc

David-

I'm glad you posted. So how is the ride with the stock shocks and H&Rs? I never considered the stock shocks as a viable alternative with aftermarket springs, as I come from the Miata world where stock shocks are not up to the task. I'm looking to lower the fd a bit, a smooth ride for the streets, and no bouncing at highway speeds. More info about your experience with this setup appreciated.

SleepR1

If the stock FD shocks are the Showa R1 or R2 shocks, you will be fine with H&R Sport Springs. They're a good match with the spring. Stock FD Touring, PEP, or Base shocks might be a bit "soft", and not control the H&R spring swell enough. Another good shock match with H&Rs are the Bilstein HDs which radkins has on his FD. AFIK, he's enjoying the setup? With stock Showa R1 shocks and H&R springs, the ride is firm, but not jarring. radkins describes the ride as "tight".