How to make the car less crashy??

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Ryan S
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How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Urrrgh. So living with the car daily again I forgot how crashy they are. Now I've had 4 sw20s. A non turbo G limited import.,A rev 2 turbo, a rev3 non turbo and a rev 3 turbo.

The rev3 UK car was the comfiest of them all. Felt like a different car to the rest of them. It also had 18" wheels and was still really smooth. So...How to I make my 25 year old turbo feel like this? I am happy to sacrifice handling for comfort. Do i change to non turbo shocks? Poly bush it etc? Keen to hear what folk have done as I'm at an age where I'm not sure I can handle the way the car rides. In fairness to the car a lot of that is due to the mess of the roads.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Race Idiot »

What are you running at the moment?

UK spec suspension is the most comfy, but It's not designed with the heavier turbo engine in mind. The damping is designed around the lighter weight NA cars.

The best ride I had in a turbo was koni inserts with trd springs and topmounts + sways. Only problem is that the konis lost their damping over a few years of crappy london roads.

I recently drove all the way to Elgin to pick up a standard MX-5 with a friend. While I was driving the mx-5 on the nice roads there I did appreciate the standard suspension setup so I can see why you wouldn't want overly stiff.

You will never have as good a ride as a standard car with yours unfortunately, either you've got big spacers or way wider wheels increasing unsprung mass quite a bit.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

As far as i know it's standard turbo shocks with apex springs. Funny you mention koni as I had a set of these on my s13 years ago and it was great. I have massive spacers but the car feels the same as it did without these. I have new droplinks all round as well. I think maybe stock UK shocks or koni shocks is what I'll go for. I know the car will always be harder on the roads but the crashyness is just awful, I could probably do with new bushes all round too as i know my rears have seen better days.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Race Idiot »

It might also be the springrates on the apex springs not being matched well to the dampers.

The black billstiens aren't that bad paired with a normal spring. Might be worth just swapping to some Eibach springs, or the softer H&R's. There are some resonable rate japanese springs like Tanabe if they still do them but you'd have to import.

I'm assuming you've got black billsteins on there as standard? Maybe yours are just worn out also.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Ah i never realised the springs made that big of a difference. They were on the car when I bought it, Pretty sure it's black billies on there, They have all been off recently and seemed to be ok. Think after I paint it I'm gonna look at new shocks and springs. Handling doesn't fuss me, The only time I use the car aggressively is at the strip.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Race Idiot »

I mean the dampers can work fine off the car and still be crashy. The konis I pulled off my old car seemed fine but you could definitely tell that the damping wasn't what it was
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Yeah i suppose that is true actually. I may just buy some UK suspension for it. Possibly with the springs you've recommended also.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Had a quick nosey on google and you were spot on. From what I've read tein s tech coupled with yellow konis is supposed to be a really nice set up. So I'll look into that I think.
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springs

Post by steven63 »

it is the springs that give the poor ride, if you can find some rev1 NA springs which are much softer and raise the ride height you will notice a much smoother ride and barely notice the poor road surface, i run yellow Bilstein B6 with these springs and its great
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Are the yellow billies softer than the blacks? I know that it's deffo apex springs on my car and they are definitely on the cheaper side when it comes to springs. I don't want to raise my ride height though. I may go with the tein, I had a set on my rx8 and it was nice. Good to know the springs have such an impact though. Cheers bud!
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by JAAASH »

You won't like the teins I wouldn't have thought mate. Very firm springs.
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steven63
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springs

Post by steven63 »

Ryan S wrote:Are the yellow billies softer than the blacks? I know that it's deffo apex springs on my car and they are definitely on the cheaper side when it comes to springs. I don't want to raise my ride height though. I may go with the tein, I had a set on my rx8 and it was nice. Good to know the springs have such an impact though. Cheers bud!
the yellow billies are harder than the blacks
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Hmmmm, Getting very mixed info about the teins then haha!
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

https://mr2-ben.co.uk/products/770

Might just grab a set of these with uk shocks.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Race Idiot »

Yeah the tein springs are meant to be pretty damn bad, there was a time when so many people bought em though.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Think I'll take your advice and go with the HR springs. Keen to get the koni shocks too as i do have experience with them.

Thanks for the input :thumleft:
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Race Idiot »

You'll need a set of shock housings for the konis which is the biggest issue with them.

The billstein ones wont work because they don't have a hex head at the base of the shock. Best bet is to find some of a uk car being broken, or someone selling some knackered uk shocks.

Well unless koni have changed to selling shocks with the full housings.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Ah I see, Well UK shocks are deffo another option so I'll probably grab a set of those. I've actually just spoke to one of my friends, He had all his suspension done and the mechanic just used struts from a local motor factor. It is one of the best riding mr2s I've been in, It also had 18" wheels. His car kinda bounced rather than crashed when he went over a bump. He has no idea what springs and shocks were used, He just said he let the mechanic order them so i assume the absolute cheapest.
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by nathan.z »

I'm currently on stock Rev 2 turbo shocks and dampers fully poly bushed. My rubbers were all knackered so the poly bush actually made the car more predictable,comfortable and less crashy. My springs and dampers are also knackered but I'll get round to replacing those at some point. :lol:
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Re: How to make the car less crashy??

Post by Ryan S »

Yeah I mean polybushing is firmer than stock rubbers but surely better than old worn out knackered rubber bushes.
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