Help please with dirt rally suspension

[mx5rally]

Hi all, I have heard a rumor that there is one or two MX5 dirt rally cars in NZ, I live in the land of OZ and currently dirt rally an MX5.

Can anybody point me in the right direction of the rumored NZ MX5 rally car owners for some suspension tips.

Thanks in advance

Dave

[Euen]

Hi Dave

There are a couple of guys who use their 5s on Targa/tarmac rallies but haven't heard of anyone using theirs for gravel rallies. My own car is a replica of a TF MG which I use on Targa events in NZ. The car uses all MX5 running gear including the subframes and suspension. I am currently using Koni shocks and King 60mm springs (400F/250R) however the ground clearance and suspension travel would be seriously inadequate for use on gravel. I would really like more suspension travel, particularly in the rear.

One problem with trying to raise the car for extra ground clearance is that you run out of range for the camber and caster adjustments.

Most work on MX5 suspension has been to provide a lower ride and the only info I have seen on any serious attempt to maintain a reasonable ride height with adequate travel is the work that Keith Tanner did with Affco in the States for his targa miata. (www.targamiata.com)

I would be interested in sharing notes on how you have set your car up and whether you have found any way to over come the issues mentioned above.

There is a guy on the forum from central Otago called GravelBen who, I suspect, may like to "enjoy" some of the gravel roads down there but I am not sure whether he has made any significant changes to his suspension.

Cheers
Euen

[Gravelben]

You're correct about that - frequently getting up to gravel antics (though in Southland now) but just running the tired old original suspension and entertainingly slippery road tyres. Not doing any competition so its just playing really. Smooth gravel standard ride height is ok but it doesn't take much rough stuff for mechanical sympathy to slow you down a lot - seems to feel corrugations particularly badly.

I have seen photos of an MX5 being rallied on gravel in the north island (Taranaki perhaps?), a blue one from memory but don't have any other details unfortunately. I think it was listed on trademe last year at some stage, not sure if it sold or not.

A bloke from Christchurch won last years Silver Fern marathon rally in an FD RX7 which would presumably face the same problems with lack of suspension travel, not sure how he set the car up.

[WideOpenThrottle]

There may be a huge difference in road surfaces to consider between here and Oz.Dust & sand may constitute a gravel road across the ditch while here its rocks,smaller rocks,pot-holes,ruts,etc!.Need i say more

[MN]

Yes both are from Wanganui. The blue one has now been sold and is in the Hawkes bay I believe. However the red one is still in Wanganui and is used on gravel hill climbs not rallys as such. Its basically stock suspension but with adjustable koni's and still on the 14" wheels. He rolled it badly at Taranaki Tarmac a couple of years ago and its still not on the road.