Can we get longer struts and rear shock travel?
 

Some people here seem to think a good handling road car is tuned like a race car.

We all know race cars are low and stiff.
Put that combination in a road car, not only do you wreck the stock suspension geometry via lowering, those who increase their spring rates end up with zero traction and go cart style steering. Worst of all they may not even know it.
I feel this car is never meant to be both race car and street car.

Therefore what it needs as road car is more travel due to the fact roads are bumpy. Im thinking Integrale Evoluzione II suspension. It had the front strut top mounts raised in height.

Would someone smart please express if this could be done to our FRSs.

Rear shock travel? @robispec has a solution.

I've noticed it on some washboard gravel corners.
Jounce Shock?

Simple answer, shorter bump stops.

Is this a purchaseable solution for an 86? I found it in Miata forums

http://i985.photobucket.com/albums/a...shockmount.jpg

No, not available, because 86 doesn't have front shocks.

But, if you mean cutting a bit off the bump stops, yeah, you can do that and it's free.

Or look into the robispec rear mounts and Ground Control camber plates.

Robispec rear mounts will allow 2-3 inches more rear travel depending on which one you get. Ground Control camber plates will allow about 1 inch of travel in the front.

A note about top mounts that "add shock travel" including our own RCE front camber plates.

They only add bump travel if you are running coilovers. On dampers with fixed spring perches (i.e. stock or Koni) you will simply lower the car without reducing bump travel. Still cool.

On coilovers they'll lower the car, and then you can raise the spring perch back up to get to the same spot you were before. Except now you have more bump travel than before (and less droop). Very cool.

- Andy

That is great, looks like Ill keep the stock and add these plates.

Honda guys have been shaving calipers to get more travel I wonder if this is also possible for us?

What about the Stance rear lower control arms?
http://stance-usa.com/sus/products/links/frs-lca

They look to be an option unless I'm misunderstanding.

Ruin the suspension geometry by lowering? I think you are severely underestimating the engineers if you think the optimal suspension geometry is at stock ride height. I have a feeling they designed the car with enthusiasts and race times in mind - people who would use the car on track, yet be bound by rules to not change any suspension pickup locations.

Regarding droop - on sticky tires, we've found that the car lifts an inside rear wheel, showing that the car needs more droop.

Or less rear anti-roll bar. Though fixing droop is probably the more correct fix.

One of the reasons why the separate ride height and preload "feature" is sometimes not all it's cracked up to be...usually means very little droop travel.

- andy

Can't change sway bar or disconnect it for our specific classing. I remember Phil Grabow at Element tuning saying he dropped 2 seconds at VIR just from disconnecting the rear bar.