Sorting out the Miata

[Evil MS3]

Good point. They're cheap enough I'll just order two more. Just hope I have time to install them. Still need to figure out when the heck to do an alignment.

Tomorrow I'm going to try to get all the fluids replaced, rear fenders rolled, rear bump stops installed.

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[Evil MS3]

Ok, one more dumb question. When installing the Amazon bump stop, does the skinny end point at the top hat or the shock? Lol

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[Loren]

Fat end up. You'll notice that it fits in a "cup" that keeps it from spreading outward.

[Evil MS3]

I was able to locate one of my front bump stops.

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[Evil MS3]

So does this look right? This is the rear. When I reassemble everything there's not a ton of thread there for the top hat nut to grab. Do I need to trim some from the fat end?

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[Evil MS3]

Help if i posted a pic

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[Loren]

Yeah, you might. I like the stop to be just barely touching or almost touching at static ride height. (With this particular very progressive stop.)

[Loren]

And, wow... I guess the front NB stops DO degrade... Just not nearly as quickly as the rears.

[Evil MS3]

So you think trimming out down to the base of the next hump might be a good compromise? Or is that too much? I think the shock might have been compressed some as I pieced it back together again and there was plenty of thread for The top hat nut.

Just don't want to cut off too much or too little.

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[Evil MS3]

And, wow... I guess the front NB stops DO degrade... Just not nearly as quickly as the rears.

Yeah, there was absolutely nothing left of either of them but powder haha.

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[Evil MS3]

How long are stock bump stops? I think i read 50mm. Think i should trim these down to about that length or just remove a rung like in my picture?

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[Jamie]

I'm using 58mm bump stops. Wouldn't trim any more than 10mm off of them.

[Loren]

Remember, these might be softer than the stock bump stops, especially the front ones. You need to maintain enough meat so they still do their job of protecting the suspension from bottoming out. (What killed Philip's Konis? Trimming these exact bump stops to stock length.)

I wouldn't take more than half an inch from the fat end. Anything else you need to cut, cut from the "soft" end where it doesn't matter so much.

[Evil MS3]

Gotcha. I saw that Ken put these in at the length they came and he was happy. Can't tell if he was on stock shocks or not. So maybe I'll just leave them and see.

If i just lobbed off a half inch or so from the soft side, would that just give a slightly stiffer ride?

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[Loren]

Cutting from the soft side, assuming you then had some "air" before the bump stop engaged, would make the engagement less progressive. The first segment (you can check this with a bathroom scale, that's what I did) is something like 10 lbs/in. Second segment is maybe 50. (going from memory here, there's a lengthy thread about this on the Tampa Bay Miatas forum) Doing away with the first segment means that when the bump stop starts to engage, you gain 50# of spring rate much quicker than you would with that first 10# segment in place.

Probably not a big deal. The stock bump stops are quite a bit more LESS progressive. But, that's also why stock Miatas tend to roll WAY over onto their stops. The first inch or so of travel is pure spring rate... THEN you start getting into the bump stop, which raises the spring rate.

All I can tell you is that the couple of Miatas that I put these stops on, I put them on at full length or very near it... and REALLY liked it. Super-smooth engagement. And feels maybe a little like you very slightly stiffened the swaybars, or added a tiny bit of spring rate. (because you did)

There's a reason why SCCA doesn't allow you to fit bump stops longer than stock in their "street" category. It can be a cheaty way to add some spring rate.

Edit: Said something backwards above.

[Evil MS3]

Awesome info. Thanks Loren. Never had to think so much about bump stops before, but that's because I've never had to miata before haha.

I'm going to put these in at the length they came and give them a go.

Worst case if I don't like the feel (which seems like from your comments on other's experience with them I'll be fine) I can always cut some off.

Thanks for all the help. I'll get it all back together tomorrow and get my fenders rolled.

We gotta think about a day to get together for everyone that needs fenders rolled and work on alignment stuffs.

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[Loren]

Yeah, it's like anything else, you can always cut more, but you can't cut less. Try them full length. You could trim them ON the car if you wanted to badly enough.

I've got time during the week next week probably (light driving school schedule). I'm also off every Wednesday. Otherwise... I have no known plans for 9/16 or 9/22. Maybe pick a date that works for you and start a thread. We can do it at my garage or yours. (or somewhere else, I don't care)

[Magooiii]

I installed them small end up so the fit all the way in the hat at the top. the wide end does not fit all the way in. I noticed last night when I installed new shocks....

Check that.

[Evil MS3]

Ah, maybe that's why then? Eh, either way, gonna start pulling it all back apart and trim them to the proper length.

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