You'd also spend more time and money keeping your DD running than your race car.

 

 

i don't know, ive been DDing a miata for a year and a half or so, and i started with a nice car, and just in the normal servicing i have had half the car apart. miata is not as easy to work on as the Rx7, and the Rx7 has much better service info.

 

 

the 60k service, plus timing belt. thats the thing, i haven't done anything that isn't normal maintenance, and i've still had half the car apart.

 

Sorry to resurrect a year-old post, but I'm trying to figure out which coilovers and what spring rates to go with on my 99 FD, and came across this post.

Many have chimed in on the Ohlins, which sound broadly positive, with some (like @ZDan ) suggesting their 11/11 spring rates are not stiff enough for their tastes.
(I'm currently in a nissan 180sx with 8/6k cuscos, but of course the suspension design is completely different... my wife complains that she can't read emails in the car, but I love how it handles in the twisties! And that handling is what I'm going for , not legibility of cell phone text.)

Does anyone (else) have experience with Aragostas or DG-5s? i.e. the upper end of the Japanese brands?
What about with higher spring rates, e.g. 14-18k front and 12-16k rear?

DG5 come with 16/14 rates from the factory, whereas the Aragosta Type-S come with a relatively wimpy-sounding 10/8. (Though the Aragosta Type-SS have a fully custom rate when you order, between 12-20k. But these also have external reservoirs and are much too serious [read: expensive] for a mostly daily driven car.)

For aesthetic reasons, I like the cars really low (my 180sx is about 24" from asphalt to fender, and I hope to do the same with the FD), but this time I'm looking at Aragosta's air cup system to help out. (You can judge, but don't hate... I am just of that generation!! ;-)

Thanks in advance!!

 

Ok, so I was trolling the forum found this thread spec'ing out springs for Ohlins. I am setting my FD up with Ohlins now and was hoping to learn the experience here in setting them up.

Based on what I have read, 8/6 looks to be a good balance for street/track. However, I did not see specs on spring lengths. Ohlins come with 11/11kg's at 200mm (8in) and 180 (7in) f/r lengths. In taking measurements and doing the math (at least for fronts at this point) to adjust in adequate pre-load center damper stroke, looks like I need to go with at min 9 inch in front and guessing min 8 inch in rear? Was hoping to find out what spring lengths have worked for others?

Also, with the stock Ohlins bump stops, in stroking the wheel without a spring looks like tire will hit top of wheel well before being fully stopped by bumpstop. Is this correct and have others added spacers to position the bumpstops down a bit to prevent interference? Thanks!

 

I'm on some bilsteins and springs (Not OEM? -- shock tube is yellow, with black springs) with plenty of height, and so was shocked to find that I rub both front plastics!! The rate is fairly soft but judging by the springs, they look to be linear.

I have some coilovers with 15/13k springs (!!) will report back...

 

Yes, if you run the Ohlins lower than the recommended height by adjusting the lower mount to threaded shock tube length they will bottom the tire before it engages the bumpstop.

The "correct" way to run the ohlins too low would be to set the length as recommended and then swap in shorter springs to lower ot more. You will have to use swift or similar (hyperco, etc) fine wire springs with smaller diameter wire and less windings to avoid coil bind with the shorter springs.

As for your spring rates-
What tire and size do you plan to run?
What wheel + tire weight?
What condition are the roads in in your area? (Contrary to first impulse the rougher they are the higher spring rate you will nees to avoid bottoming with your low ride height.)

 

Adey,
What tire size? Correct tire diameter is ~24.8 inches.

 

Dude. I love that you're still so active on here @BlueTII . Thank you for being an awesome resource.
I just did the install today, was actually faster than expected considering it's my first time working on an FD!

I'm absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the ride quality of these Aragostas. Even with 15k/13k spring rates, they feel better than the bilsteins (actually, maybe the bilsteins were stock...?).
Partly, I'm sure, because my front right shock was probably blown -- there was atomized bumpstop rubber all over the back of the fenderwell, and chunks of it fell out when I pulled off the strut.
Besides that though, the ride is less harsh despite much stiffer springs. I feel more road in my butt now, but less chatter in my teeth.
(They make me wonder about my low range Cuscos in the 180...)

Tires are 225/40-18 and 265/35-18 on 8.5J +33 a

nd 9.5J +35 forged rays wheels, for now.
They fit really well like this with unrolled fenders.
Tire sizes are odd are because I had these lying around; new AD08Rs in front (from my 180sx) and olllllld AD07 in the rear that came with a set of wheels I bought used.

Planning to experiment a little bit with tire sizes... so that's still in flux. This is not a big power car.

Front tire is just a hair tall at just over 25", but I need as much height as I can get, as road conditions are bad -- thought not quite third world. Lots of steep driveways and pointy ramp peaks. (I have air cups in front -- haven't plumbed them in yet though.)

Wheel and tire weight... I mix and match tbh. I change wheels like I change shoes.... that is to say, every month. :-d heavy 3-piece today, forged monoblock tomorrow...

 

BTW Can someone tell me if that's a stock shock/spring?

 

it sure looks like it, are there any numbers/stamps on it? like an F141, F149?

 

Looks to be oem Bilstein, with the stock top mount and rubber accordion. Mazda had several versions plus various spring rates. You'll find they ran a massive bumpstop under the dustcover which might be why they feel blown to you, as they ride them without very much effort.

Revalving, installing adjustable seats and using something like their "normal" ~50mm thick bumpstop transforms the ride and can make them the equal of any of the usual brands.

BTW, struts are on your Nissan, not on these. The Ohlins sold for these are Japanese too.

 

Thanks, Yes, I figured out later on the web that these are indeed stocks. In fact they handled really well, just not particularly comfortable, and I'd rub pretty regularly.

Thanks also for the correction on struts/shocks. I'm too used to the terminology of my old S chassis!

Aragostas are in, 15k/13k springs feel better than stock (!!) - more butt response, less tooth chatter. Valving feels great.