Coilovers

[Tha Thrill]

Does anyone know if they happen to make actual coilover kits for an 85 GSL-SE? im running on racing beat springs and tokico adjustables, but i still need my car to go lower

[Evil Aviator]

Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development sells coilover strut kits.
http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/weba...atalogId=10001

[mattallac]

re speed,or ground control

[Tha Thrill]

thanks a bunch guys! ill definitely check out both!

[Kentetsu]

www.re-speed.com will have everything you'll need.

What are your plans for the car? Just looking for a lower ride? Or are you looking to get into some autocross or something?

Years back, I started out with damn near the entire Racing Beat catalogue. After a few months of driving on that suspension I just couldn't take it anymore. Off came everything, it all went up for sale, and on went the Respeed stuff. Should've done it right the first time. lol.



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[Tha Thrill]

i want to autocross it, i have already and i dont like how the springs feel at all, i checked out ground control and re-speeds products and im gonna get re-speeds race coil kit, to run them would i need to get the street kit and buy the race kit conversion? or can i just go and buy the race kit? im already running on tokico illumina shocks

[TS87FC3S]

respeed ftw

[mattallac]

sometimes the best way to build your suspension is more than one manufactures kit .I have a lot of re speeds parts (control arms, coil overs ,etc)and they are great but sometimes owner ignorance is the problem.Race is race and street is street.Race springs suck on the street and my experience with illumina shocks on the street is a harsh ride even on its softest setting .Eibach makes a progressive wound spring for coil overs that might help you for good ride quality and drive ability.On my rx2 I run k mac camber plates ,re speed coil overs with eibach springs 275 rate (didn't like re speeds 200 rate springs)techno toy tuner bump steer spacers whiteline polly bushings and re speed +1 extended control arms .My fb handled great with ground control camber caster plates , coil overs with eibach springs (on the street)and some adjustable sway bars front and rear .If your car has rear disk brakes put an adjustable p valve (knob style) in and dial in the brakes while you are at it ,costs 45.00 and it's a great improvement.

[Kentetsu]

Here's what I run on my car:

Front: 275 Lb. springs, "race" Illuminas, camber plates, Respeed hollow swaybar
Rear: 150 Lb. springs, Bilstein shocks, Respeed coil adjusters, ISC adjustable swaybar

In my own opinion, this is the perfect car for a daily driver/autocrosser. I even drive her down South each year for events (3,500 miles in 6 days last year).

The Illuminas that you have now will work fine with the Respeed coilovers (somebody said the softest setting was too stiff?). You can go straight to the Race version of the front coilovers too (cut stock perch off, tape replacement into position, drop off at weld shop with a 12 pack, pick it up after work).

Now, back to those Illumina shocks. If you upgrade to camber plates, you'll have two choices:
1. Grind down the diameter of the shaft at the top where it slides through the bearing in the camber plate (slightly smaller diameter).
2. Upgrade to the "race" version of the Illumina, which already has the required diameter and does not need modification.

I went with route #1 the first time around. It wasn't too difficult, but I screwed up and reduced the shaft size going too far down the shaft (you have to be specific) so I ended up having to correct that issue with spacers.

A few years later I upgraded to the Race version, which mounted perfectly. (Nothing wrong with the original Illuminas, just wanted to feel the difference in the race version (setting of 3 on race roughly = 5 on standard). But driving around on a setting of 1 on any of the Illuminas results in a Cadillac like comfy cruiser (unless you have extreme spring rates).

And, speaking of extreme spring rates.... lol.

A lot of the top guys recommend spring rates around 400 - 450 Lbs up front. This can work, but then you'll need high dollar shocks to handle the high spring rates. Obviously, this can be made to work, as it has in the past.

My theory runs a little differently. I run (comparitively) light spring rates, very light. But I make up for this with high quality swaybars. This combination gives you a reasonable ride, keeps the tires in contact with the pavement, and the swaybars result in nearly zero body roll.

My old Nemesis that used to be in my class had a 13b, fuel injection, sticky tires, and a couple of parts (I found out after he sold the car) that weren't exactly legal in our class. We had some great racing though, with me always hot on his heels with my little 12a and $50.00 tires. The biggest thing that I noticed between our cars became obvious when I allowed a buddy of mine race my car. Watching my Nemesis (450 Lb. springs w/Illuminas), you could see him "skip" across the pavement because his springs were so stiff, but he didn't have the shocks to back them up. Meanwhile, my car looks smooth as silk in that aspect.

So, I guess my point is, don't "overspring" your car unless you intend to go for a National Championship this year, and have the money to get the shocks you'll need. Personally, I think my "soft sprun" car would still be able to keep up with that setup (I'd sure like to try sometime!).

Besides, on top of all of that, you can't drive a car like that to the event. And passing those beaten trailer queens on the freeway after the race, on the start of your 200 mile drive home, feels pretty damn good.


P.S. I can take almost no credit for any of this. Once I learned that Racing Beat suspension just wasn't going to cut if for me, I got in contact with Billy Waits (original owner of Respeed). After months of discussion, he set me up with a nearly perfect solution. Other than a couple of very minor changes made over the following years (like the Bilstein shocks in the rear), the car is exactly as he set me up. I was very happy to discover that our theories on spring rates were in perfect alignement! Therefore, I consider him to be a very highly intelligent individual.






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[GySgtFrank]

Thanks for the info Kentetsu. I was also looking into an autocross setup and planning out suspension modifications. My opinion on spring rates and bars has always been pretty much in lock step with yours. I've watched the videos of yours running the course and your car is smooth and quick.

[Tha Thrill]

Thanks a bunch guys for all the great info!

[orion84gsl]

Kentetsu's suspension set up works so well it has it's own name: The Kentetsu Special. Its on my car as well aside from the rear shocks and I believe he has a better rear sway bar. Mine has FB spec Illumina's in the back and the Racing Beat "adjustable" bar. However to adjust it you would have to take it right off the car, which in my opinion makes it unusable as an adjustable bar. Might be different for someone that spends a full day on track constantly dialing the car in, but at an autocross you have maybe 4-8 runs depending on the turnout to memorize and figure out the course, plus make adjustments to your car. If those adjustments can't be made in a matter of 2 minutes while your in line for your next lap then it's a waste of time to try. I will one day be upgrading to a Suspension Techniques rear bar which has 3 holes per side and you just move the end link to a different hole to change the stiffness

[Kentetsu]

I think my rear bar is by ISC Racing (no longer available), but looks identical to the ST model, with three choices for end link mounting.

Works great with a good front bar, but don't upgrade the rear bar unless you already have the front covered. Otherwise, you'll be tail happy enough to kill yourself accidentally. Seriously.

I don't spend much time changing anything for an event (this is also my DD). Throw on race rubber, kick in the camber, maybe tweak the front Illuminas a bit.

Other than the tires, I really do drive my race car to work everday. Wouldn't have it any other way.

[730RWHP12A]

Originally Posted by Kentetsu

I think my rear bar is by ISC Racing (no longer available), but looks identical to the ST model, with three choices for end link mounting.

Works great with a good front bar, but don't upgrade the rear bar unless you already have the front covered. Otherwise, you'll be tail happy enough to kill yourself accidentally. Seriously.

I don't spend much time changing anything for an event (this is also my DD). Throw on race rubber, kick in the camber, maybe tweak the front Illuminas a bit.

Other than the tires, I really do drive my race car to work everday. Wouldn't have it any other way.

this post needs a like button

[Kentetsu]

Thanks Chief!



Update: I added the turn-in spacers to my car. Tried them out for the first time at an autocross yesterday. They are now on my list of "essential" parts for any lowered fb. The difference was simply unbelievable...