spacers

Archives of Posts to the NZ MX5 List back in 2002
Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Fri Nov 29, 2002 11:45 am

i'm trying out some 25mm spacers on the front hubs of my mx. has anyone
else tried this out at all? i think if you get a chance you should. if
you think you cornering fast now then think again :)

Sean

Mathew

spacers

Post by Mathew » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:13 pm

I used to run 10mm spacers all round on my previous mx5, along with 35mm offset wheels. Everyone would tell me it was a very bad idea, but I thought it handled quite well. Do the 25mm spacers have studs on them?

M@

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Fri Nov 29, 2002 12:46 pm

yep ... they sure do. wouldn't risk ones that don't. these are used for
racing in japan. wheel bearings take a bit more of a hammering but for
the added performance i don't care :)
besides it's not like wheel bearings cost a fortune for the mx ...

sean

On Friday, Nov 29, 2002, at 12:13 Pacific/Auckland, Mathew wrote:

[...]

MX5PWR
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 127
Joined: Mon May 08, 2006 6:32 pm
Location: Auckland

spacers

Post by MX5PWR » Fri Nov 29, 2002 5:28 pm

If you have to buy new bearings they cost more than a fortune - sealed hubs
not just bearings!!! still the size of the fortune depends on ones
perception, I would rather have a return airfare to Aussy than have to pay
for new wheel bearings. Another consideration is the new warrent
regulations - alter the original track by too much and you will fail the
warrent.

Fletch
Yes. I might just know (Trusted Advisor)
Yes. I might just know (Trusted Advisor)
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 10:11 pm
Location: Auckland

spacers

Post by Fletch » Fri Nov 29, 2002 10:29 pm

Ah, lets see..

Wheel bearings for my Brother's Nissan Cherry Vannette (the only other
vehicle I've had to by them for)... approx $25 (a few years ago, now,
admittedly)

Front wheel bearings for an MX-5, incorporated into the whole hub assembly
(not even press fit, the hub IS he outer race...) approx $300-$350 last I
heard.

Not a fortune in absolute terms, but compared to other wheel bearings, very
much so!

Fletch.
Red '90. Many n/a mods and Link ECU

lou Girardin

spacers

Post by lou Girardin » Mon Dec 02, 2002 8:00 am

25mm spacers? Rather you than me, guess what will happen if the studs break!
Lou

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Tue Dec 03, 2002 9:26 am

these aren't your normal spacers. they are designed for racing
therefore bolt onto the hub then have their own studs to bolt the wheel
to

On Monday, Dec 2, 2002, at 08:00 Pacific/Auckland, lou Girardin wrote:

[...]

lou Girardin

spacers

Post by lou Girardin » Tue Dec 03, 2002 1:41 pm

OK, I accept that they're better than average spacers. But they still negate
everything that a suspension designer tries to build into the suspension,
wheel offset, scrub radius, shock/spring leverage ratios, roll centre, etc. I
still think 25 mm is over the top. Your car, your choice.
Lou

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Tue Dec 03, 2002 2:57 pm

lou

well the handling difference is huge and there is no debating that!
if you live in auckland the guys at GT Performance are more than
willing to let people try them out. so far they have had a %100 buy
rate after people have tried them.
so try before you conclude what they may be like :)

On Tuesday, Dec 3, 2002, at 13:41 Pacific/Auckland, lou Girardin wrote:

[...]

Graeme Naisbitt

spacers

Post by Graeme Naisbitt » Tue Dec 03, 2002 2:59 pm

What sort of price are we looking at Sean?

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:34 pm

about $300/pair ... not the cheapest spacers on the market but you
get what you pay for. don't think there is much else that could improve
your performance this much for so little coin.
give thomas a call a gt performance (09) 309 6658
feel free to say sean from performance car magazine told you to call :)

sean

On Tuesday, Dec 3, 2002, at 14:59 Pacific/Auckland, Graeme Naisbitt
wrote:

[...]

Graeme Naisbitt

spacers

Post by Graeme Naisbitt » Tue Dec 03, 2002 3:37 pm

Yeah might have to be in the new year now though, just given myself two
more guitars for Christmas =)

lou Girardin

spacers

Post by lou Girardin » Wed Dec 04, 2002 8:44 am

Sorry Sean,
I've had too many years in the motor trade and playing with cars game. I don't
need to try them to know the pitfalls.
If you want to improve handling, get a good alignment and spend the extra on
the best tyres you can afford.
Of course this method doesn't look as good when you're parked in Quay St.
Lou

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Wed Dec 04, 2002 10:17 am

lou

you've got the wrong end of the stick totally! i've been working as a
photographer/test driver for the two top selling car mags in new
zealand for the last 7 years and can tell you that they make a huge
difference to the handling! it's not about looks at all for me it's
about how a car performs. running on yokohama 539s and wheel alignment
been done buy paul at the pits. also found that running pressures as
low as 24psi (cold!) in the 539s increased grip. then running the
spacers made a huge difference. i know of one standard mx that lost
3secs a lap around pukekohe (is that how you spell it ha ha ha ha)
while trying out the spacers. don't knock it till you have tried it :)

sean

On Wednesday, Dec 4, 2002, at 08:44 Pacific/Auckland, lou Girardin
wrote:

[...]

ross campbell

spacers

Post by ross campbell » Wed Dec 04, 2002 12:08 pm

Hey guys, I expect well see you both at Taupo then. Ross.

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Wed Dec 04, 2002 12:41 pm

bring it on :)

On Wednesday, Dec 4, 2002, at 12:08 Pacific/Auckland, ross campbell
wrote:

[...]

lou Girardin

spacers

Post by lou Girardin » Wed Dec 04, 2002 1:38 pm

Well, if you spent the extra $600 on SO 3's or Azeni Sports instead of A539's
you'd improve by more than 3 sec's a lap.
I'd also be interested to hear what LTSA have to say about 25mm spacers!
Lou

lou Girardin

spacers

Post by lou Girardin » Wed Dec 04, 2002 1:40 pm

Hi Ross, I'd love to, but I think the cars are a bit uneven.
Lou

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Wed Dec 04, 2002 1:52 pm

lou
once again you talk without the experience
the car that lapped faster with the spacers was on slicks!!!

On Wednesday, Dec 4, 2002, at 13:38 Pacific/Auckland, lou Girardin
wrote:

[...]

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Wed Dec 04, 2002 1:59 pm

anyway lou ... as you say each to their own ... ah

thanks everyone for the time i've had receiving the mx5list but alas i
must say this is the end of the road for me (no i'm not selling my mx)

thanks
Sean

Graeme Naisbitt

spacers

Post by Graeme Naisbitt » Wed Dec 04, 2002 2:00 pm

No need leave Sean, nothing wrong with a good humoured debate and
everyone is entitled to their own opinion, which is why I'll probably
try and get a test of the spacers in the New Year, if funds allow I
might buy some after I've done my homework

lou Girardin

spacers

Post by lou Girardin » Wed Dec 04, 2002 2:01 pm

You missed my point entirely.
You are promoting accessories which may or may not be legal, and, as you've
already accepted, will affect the suspension durability of the car. I feel
this is irresponsible, especially bearing in mind that many list members do
not have a great depth of knowledge about cars.
Like I said before, your car, your choice. Just be careful what you promote on
the list. If they buy on your recommendation, will you refund their money if
they fail a warrant?
Lou

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Wed Dec 04, 2002 2:15 pm

lou

now you have gone off in a tangent. the question is performance
improvements! you said that they made no difference. you are wrong!!!
full stop

On Wednesday, Dec 4, 2002, at 14:01 Pacific/Auckland, lou Girardin
wrote:

[...]

Gary Morrison
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Need, more, 5-ing, time....
Posts: 100
Joined: Sun Jun 04, 2006 3:24 pm
Location: Wellington

spacers

Post by Gary Morrison » Wed Dec 04, 2002 2:35 pm

I hope this discussion isn't going to get out of hand. I think you're
possibly both right. Maybe the spacers did allow a car to go faster in
the hands of an experienced driver. Its sort of missing the point though
isn't it? Mazda put a lot of effort into the suspension design, and
adding 25mm spacers throws all of that out the window. There will be a
penalty to be paid somewhere, not least in the rapid degradation of some
of the suspension parts performance (think bushes). I will have to side
with Lou if sides are to be taken, on the basis that its an insult to the
car's design, and it well may be illegal as he says. Gary On Wed, 4 Dec
2002 14:01:39 +1300, lou Girardin wrote: You missed my point entirely.
You are promoting accessories which may or may not be legal, and, as
you've already accepted, will affect the suspension durability of the
car. I feel this is irresponsible, especially bearing in mind that many
list members do not have a great depth of knowledge about cars. Like I
said before, your car, your choice. Just be careful what you promote on
the list. If they buy on your recommendation, will you refund their money

Sean Craig

spacers

Post by Sean Craig » Wed Dec 04, 2002 3:27 pm

Making a car go faster is what I like to do. The challenge of taking a
massed produced gutless wonder like the MX5 and making it go as fast as
possible (on the track I might add) is a lot of fun to many people out
there. Some of us are happy to plod along with the power and handling
that Mazda gave the MX from the factory. There is no arguing the fact
that the handling form the factory is awesome. I know of several
motoring journos who have MX5s as their daily drivers and love them to
bits. In Japan the after market scene for the MX is huge and there is
heaps of mods that can be done to the suspension to make the MX faster.
The factory got it right no doubt but the after market scene has done
it better. The MX was designed in the eighties and to think that twenty
years later it can't be improved on is crazy. To say that by putting
spacers on throws Mazadas (or should we be saying Lotus because it sure
wasn't Mazda that came up with the idea) effort out the window is so
wrong. These spacers have been designed for a race series in Japan. I'm
also going to be changing my shocks and springs to after market ones
next week. I have drive an MX with these springs/shocks in and the
overall handling and ride quality improved dramatically. Much smoother
and able to cope with the bumpy NZ roads a lot better. After they have
been fitted I'll try the spacers on again and see what difference it
makes. I'm not telling everyone that they must by them Lou and I think
people have brains and can figure it out for themselves. You don't rush
out and turbo your car because someone tells you to. These are race
proven spacers and I don't run them on the street. All I said way back
was for people to try them out. Make up your own minds.
Anyway it's been fun ... chow
Sean
On Wednesday, Dec 4, 2002, at 14:35 Pacific/Auckland, Gary Morrison
wrote:

[...]

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