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Mx5 NC - meister or?


goatboy
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Hoping for some advice. I have a 2007 NC mx5 and it is currently installed with koni shocks (from bbr) and standard springs. Standard springs as the previous owner thought the bbr springs were too low for the local speed bumps. 

I would like the car to be a bit lower but I'm generally happy with the koni but I'm worried if I just swap the springs out it will be too low and I will end up swapping them again anyway (I'm generally an old git and I'm not looking to slam the car or anything)

The dilemma I find myself in is what to choose!

1 - buy some bbr springs that match the shocks at £250 and get wim to fit and align

2 - get wim to provide some lowering springs (much cheaper) and align

3 - get some meister crd 

4 - get some meister gt1

5 - throw caution to the wind and get some ohlins

6 - something else entirely

Springs are obviously the cheapest choice but I'm worried they will be too low. Meister crd seem to be the budget coil overs of choice but the lack of rebuildabilty and a few reports of skitterish low speed characteristics concerns me a little. The gt1 look fantastic but are expensive, they may be wasted on me as my car is mainly road use with the occasional track day. Likewise for the ohlins, which are even more expensive but seemingly the coil overs of choice for the right mix of control and comfort.

If it makes any difference the car has the bbr 175 pack on it and I am seriously considering going forced induction next year.

Any thoughts? 

Thanks

GB

 

 

 

 

 

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CRD without question. Koni have the same platform as Tein meaning historically the coil rates are way above daily drive comfort levels. If the previous owner used OEM springs on the Koni it will be the first for me because it defies logic? 

The CRD opens a good realistic platform but as you say there has been some negative feedback regarding the skittish behaviour. I have dealt with this a few times in house and every time it's been because the owner has incorrectly set the coil pre-load. Out of the box the CRD is set zero but work best with 5mm pre-load. Examples I've seen have had 30/ 35mm pre-load?  I think this is misunderstanding how the damper length and coil platform work.

Ohlins are top draw with a price to match but in my opinion the target marque is VAG and or the dedicated track day star. Personally i don't like them because i find there's no common ground to offer owners meaning there is an initial dead zone while the correct COG and damper settings are established. What works for one car and one owner does not transport very well.

I've worked alongside Jerrick ( owner of Meister ) for some years and i can say hand on heart he absolutely, undeniably, without question stands by his product. A problem, complaint or general fitting questions will not go unanswered.

 

 

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Yep, definitely koni on standard springs... apparently too much scrapping on lowered springs.

That's good to hear about the meisters. Can you supply them Tony? If so how much do you charge for supply fit and alignment? (Or is it better to call You?)

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Well they are not cheap but anything good comes with a price. The CRD's are the same cost whether you buy direct or from us. In truth we only make the trade discount but nevertheless the CRD's, fitting, geometry calibration and fine-tune costs just under £1100.....Gulp.

The fine-tune is there because you have to satisfy yourself regarding the height and the real world, and you need to evaluate the chassis positions -V- the handling? Some might say it's to safe or to heavy/ light and so on. You won't know what you want until you drive the car and that's what the fine-tune is for.

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  • 3 months later...

Well after a lot of indecision i finally got the meisters and installed them myself. Realtively easy to do although a bit time consuming as i spent time tidying up any flaking stone chip protection and treating any rust as i went along. Results are like this

5-A5-F4-E2-E-B591-407-B-A0-FA-804687-F81

it definately needs some WIM love as the front camber in particular looks terrible!  

Interesting to see the difference in the meisters to the koni that came off.  Particularly at the rear  

E83612-EB-3-A32-4-DFB-B85-E-D46802-BB5-E

 

hope i dont end up regretting the change  the difference in available travle looks significant!!

 

 

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Thanks everyone. 

Yes it looks better doesnt it! Maybe a bit too low but now easily fixed. 

I have primarily started at 5 from soft all round but open to suggestions, the top arms did indeed come off. 

 

And no the colour didnt change! Looks like it though right! I think the first shot was first thing in the morning and the car was covered in dew!!

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Way back i was talking to Jerrick who owns Meister because i wanted to know the best base settings for the dampers. He suggested a base of 12 front soft on the front and 10 from soft on the rear.

The reason i asked about the A-arms is the 17mm bolts "MUST" be tightened with the wheels on the ground. Also the best roll center for the chassis would be with the lower arms front/ rear horizontal.

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11 minutes ago, Tony said:

Way back i was talking to Jerrick who owns Meister because i wanted to know the best base settings for the dampers. He suggested a base of 12 front soft on the front and 10 from soft on the rear.

The reason i asked about the A-arms is the 17mm bolts "MUST" be tightened with the wheels on the ground. Also the best roll center for the chassis would be with the lower arms front/ rear horizontal.

OK Tony I will adjust the dampers to that as a base to start from.  Thankfully not put the rear trim back in so everything is easy to get to.

I didn't put it down on its wheels but I did but a jack under the hub and jacked it up to the point of it just taking weight and then tightened them up, hopefully thats the same effect.

If I book it in for a geo would you alter the ride height as part of the service so it is set "just so"?

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Meister sell cable extensions so you can adjust the dampers with all the trim back in.... We can set the coils for you but there will be a small fee..... 345mm from the wheel center to the wheel arch is the best height.  The way you tightened the A-arms is fine, well done.

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  • 2 weeks later...

After reading through this thread and revisiting a thread I started a while back. I think I need to make a set up change on my NC. I've had my CRD's fitted for around 15 months (10k miles). During install I never actually adjusted the preload on the springs, I only adjusted the coilovers to get the desired ride height. I was informed by misterR that the preload on the units was already preset so I did not have to carry out adjustments. 

 

Would you you recommend that I adjust the coilovers further to gain the +5mm preload on each corner from factory?

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That was quick, cheers.

I'll give that a go then as I've been having some occasional strange steering symptoms for some time now.

Obviously the coils have done 10k miles now, would adjusting the preload now have any adverse effects?

As I understand it I have to undo the spring perch locking collar, I would then be able to take out the factory preload until there is a small amount of play in the coil. Then simply wind up the perch collar by 5mm to gain the desired preload, basically shortening the length of the coil by 5mm. Then lock off.

In doing this would I then have to adjust the height as to retain the desired ride height of the vehicle?

 

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