You wouldn't even need to take them off dude. Width you'll get with a bit of squinty eye, a tape measure and an educated guess. Length is super easy if these have no preload on them.
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MX5 Number 2.
- Thread starter JoeyD
- Start date
Christopher
ClioSport Club Member
Z4M
I think we should have a crack (jk) at freeing off those rings this weekend mate.
Penetrating oil and a wrapped flat-headed screwdriver. Done?
Penetrating oil and a wrapped flat-headed screwdriver. Done?
BG 182
give em some penetrating fluid everyday this week, i used to soak torsion bars on clios/106's back in the day, used to do em a few days prior to starting the job to make things easier
welshname
ClioSport Club Member
Plus gas ftw
Yeah, lather them in plus gas for the next few days. Nothing else easily available comes close.
Don't use WD40 or equivalent, it's w**k for this stuff.
Don't use WD40 or equivalent, it's w**k for this stuff.
Sounds like a good enough idea. Going to buy some underseal too for the err.. 'large body component' that's going to be fitted. Might as well get that done now while its still all in bits.
This heap continues to amuse
"OMG too much rust 4lowz!"
Lolz
That's probably getting sorted this month now.
Advice taken.
Half done, but them Skoda guys know how to make a nice lip.
I can't imagine there's a large profit margin on £12. Heroes. Actual heroes.
Well he's doing a great job! Really earning his Lira.
FFS, I really can't be bothered to go out and finish it now... Going to have an egg sarnie and continue. Probably.
FFS, I really can't be bothered to go out and finish it now... Going to have an egg sarnie and continue. Probably.
It's just getting them loose that I'm worried about. But yeah, cheers for the advice!
This is what I'm up against:
HKS HiperD by j0eyD, on Flickr
Not much adjustment left, as you can see. Unless there's a way of taking the lower adjuster ring out and making sure the big one doesn't move?
That is a lot of adjustment! Hammer + chisel the bottom ring until it turns and then move it backwards and forwards progressively until the thread has cleaned up.
I refuse to be a pikey and use a chisel. Nigh on impossible to find replacement parts for these and I don't want to damage anything... I'll get them loose, I just want to be a bit careful!
No no no.
I can't stand colour coded sills! And the wheels are staying due to the weight of them (or lack of). I'll sort out the fitment with tyres and spacers. If you flick back a couple of pages I tried on a 15" wheel... it wasn't pretty.
LOL!
It's an MX-5!!!! there's millions of them out there (mostly in better condition
too).buy cheap, buy twice IIRC.
The coilovers are about 15 years old, never sold in the UK (or Europe AFAIK) and are still regarded as one of the best all round setups. I ain't f**king them up!
I couldn't give a s**t about the rest of the car, however. It's getting an overhaul soon anyway.
I couldn't give a s**t about the rest of the car, however. It's getting an overhaul soon anyway.
Yup. Internals are still perfect. I've not tried adjusting the damping as I've not got a nitrogen pump, but it rides brilliantly (obviously not as soft and blamanche like as standard) and still corners properly flat - very confidence inspiring. I don't know how it manages to corner at the speeds it does considering I've still got s**t 185 section worn out Falkons on.
Its not pikey mate, and the rings will most likely be the same size as any other coilovers (If you somehow manage to break one). The worst you will do is deform the edges a bit but I can't see them cracking. Ram on!
Man up!
Best thing to do IMO is take it to a massive empty carpark at night and just be a 17 year old y00f again. You'll soon get a feel for the rear end going and how easy it is to correct etc. I know it's not the best way (and is quite anti-social) but it's better than putting it in a ditch because you panicked, overcorrected and tank slapped your way into a hedge. Backwards. And upside down.
I've found that if unprovoked (i.e. you're sensible with the throttle and steering inputs) they just understeer at the limit - like most cars. It's when you hit a bump or pothole mid corner the back end loosens up and you get a bit of a slide. It's not scary, and it's not as snappy as everyone makes out if you're expecting it.
Having said that, you do have to have your wits about you in the wet. But drive to the conditions and all that...
Hmmm, fair enough! I'll see what I can do with the rest of the NW lot. I'm sure they'll come loose eventually (and we might well end up using hammers tbh)
That's the short wheelbase for you.
Jamie86
ClioSport Club Member
RS175,595,205gti,172
Definitely, they aren't ideal first drift cars bar being slow that's for sure!
They are snappy Joey I disagree.. a wet Llandow trackday confirmed this.. as did Tony's description after a fair few laps drving it...
"twitchy!"
Weird! Mine feels very controllable when it lets go. Probably more so now I've added the HKS's though.
Properly properly love this car. Now to sort out the shell.
I'd imagine mine would feel 400% better with a suspension overhaul. Could be a mission for a Unit Saturday. Polybush all round!
I don't recall the old NB being a problem when it did brake traction though, that was a 1.8 with normal diff so fairly similar to a Mk1 1.6 in terms of power/weight (and near as makes no difference, chassis)
I don't recall the old NB being a problem when it did brake traction though, that was a 1.8 with normal diff so fairly similar to a Mk1 1.6 in terms of power/weight (and near as makes no difference, chassis)
I've never slid in anything else, so all I know is how an MX5 slides. I've driven a few in anger and they've all been completely different tbh. Standard ones seem to be the most tricky thinking about it actually! I'd love to have a go in an E36 or an S14 though. I mean a proper go too, just to see how much of a difference there is.
Hmm, might just need freshening up then like you say. Seems to me the softer and spongier they are the more tricky they are.
I'll be having a polybushed front end, power steering delete, and race spec engine mounts soon enough; so that should make even more difference! Add to that a Torsen LSD and some chassis bracing, it's going to be like a whole new car. Err...
Going to start stripping it a little too, starting with a dashboard chop. Because they look awesome!
goodj, it's as loud as a race car, so I might as well go the whole hog and make it drive a bit like one
Plus the engine mounts will raise the engine a little - which is important as the 1.6 sump hangs at the same level (if not slightly lower) than the subframe. And that makes me nervous.
Dan, what kind of price range are they? I know very little about Spax products. Quick search on eBay says £400ish? If you can stretch, I'd go for the entry level HSD's at £500 like I wanted originally. You get ride height adjustment separate from preload adjustment, and then obviously damping adjustment too. They're a fantastic coilover - ride Amazingly well at Any height!
Also, thinking of re-doing the BBS's in nice, shiny silver. Thoughts?
Plus the engine mounts will raise the engine a little - which is important as the 1.6 sump hangs at the same level (if not slightly lower) than the subframe. And that makes me nervous.
Dan, what kind of price range are they? I know very little about Spax products. Quick search on eBay says £400ish? If you can stretch, I'd go for the entry level HSD's at £500 like I wanted originally. You get ride height adjustment separate from preload adjustment, and then obviously damping adjustment too. They're a fantastic coilover - ride Amazingly well at Any height!
Also, thinking of re-doing the BBS's in nice, shiny silver. Thoughts?
Ohhhh! Well that's a no brainer then! haha.
I want to go down the throttle body route eventually, what kind of price would you be looking at for that ECU? That's kind of the only area that's going to be hellishly expensive, other than the tb's themselves (unless you buy second hand etc)
I want to go down the throttle body route eventually, what kind of price would you be looking at for that ECU? That's kind of the only area that's going to be hellishly expensive, other than the tb's themselves (unless you buy second hand etc)
