Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilstein

Miata Parts, Intakes, Superchargers, Headers, Exhausts, Shocks, Springs, Sway Bars, Brake Kits, Autocross and track mods.
Brian
Site Admin
Posts: 11307
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:44 am
Location: San Diego CA
Contact:

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by Brian »

Tightest position front would add more understeer than we want. But that answer on this car with the mix of items on this car does not equate to this being the right answer on another car with a different driver and/or a different mix of items. Frankly, my wife is a pretty good race driver at this point, she can handle some tail out rotation, she made 'best of the week' list last night at karting event and wins with regularity. But I could easily imagine another driver would want that front bar on stiffest setting.....and perhaps rear on softest setting. It's a world of choices, there is no universal right answer, go autocross and try all the different settings to find the settings that work best for YOU. This is really not an answer somebody can tell you, only by learning the car at the limit under safe conditions of a local autocross event with each of these settings can you really understand the difference.

The answer also changes if we change equipment, let's imagine we added TEIN street advance coilovers to this car today which have front spring rate of 6kg and rear of 5kg. The result with these sways at the current settings would likely be too much oversteer....and we would start to address that by changing front bar to full stiff and rear bar to full soft (and likely end up with going back to stock rear bar or some lower rate rear bar).
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
Bart
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 6:20 pm

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by Bart »

Very interesting. And if Koni Sports were thrown into the mix?......

So far I like how it handles. I don't know if I'll ever drive it hard enough to spin out the tail. I think I'll put the front sway back to middle and drive awhile at that setting to see what it does.

Once again, thanks for the quick response

Bart
Last edited by Bart on Thu Mar 13, 2014 7:43 am, edited 1 time in total.
Brian
Site Admin
Posts: 11307
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:44 am
Location: San Diego CA
Contact:

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by Brian »

Adding the KONI sport would lower the car about half an inch....which would also add camber all around and really change the entire equation. It also gives you quite a bit of adjustment in terms of balance front to rear by adjusting the damping settings on the shocks.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
DavidP953
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:27 am

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by DavidP953 »

Brian wrote:On my wife's 2012 we kept the stops full length with stock bilsteins and that worked out great.

But if a customer adds the Koni SPORT shocks, that would lower the car another half inch or so and at that point you need to trim stops to avoid riding them all the time (or get our FCM stops for lowered cars on koni).
I have the Progress sways, and am installing the Progress springs soon. I read you recommended the FMC Comfort or Sport bump stops in the spring's write up. I ordered the FMC Comfort bump stops for my 2013 Club with factory Bilsteins. Is that the right ones for a street daily driver?
Brian
Site Admin
Posts: 11307
Joined: Tue Feb 15, 2005 11:44 am
Location: San Diego CA
Contact:

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by Brian »

Yes, the comfort FCM is a great choice for daily driver.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
Bart
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Feb 25, 2014 6:20 pm

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by Bart »

Brian,

Now that the Progress sway bars and springs are installed, with the OEM Bilsteins, will the car require a wheel alignment?

Thanks
Bart
njaremka
Posts: 94
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2010 10:31 am

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by njaremka »

Bart wrote:Brian,

Now that the Progress sway bars and springs are installed, with the OEM Bilsteins, will the car require a wheel alignment?

Thanks
Bart
Yes, it will. Anytime you make adjustments to the ride height, you should get an alignment performed.
DavidP953
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:27 am

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by DavidP953 »

Well, I am finally defeated. Tried to install my Progress springs, starting with the rears and could not remove the top nut on either shock. Tried everything except a torch (can't chance melting the rubber bushing) and no joy. An impact gun did nothing. I give up. I reassembled the car and will just have to give a shop the job. After all these years as a motorcycle, auto, and fighter jet technician, it looks like I am going to have to hang up the wrenches. If anyone knows the magic way to remove these top nuts, I would love to hear it, but in the meantime I have to get some painkillers and wash them down with some Bourbon.
GaryO935
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Feb 16, 2013 5:39 pm

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by GaryO935 »

First...put some penetrating oil on and let it sit. I locked a hex key (5MM) into my bench vise with just enough protruding to engage the top of the shock. I placed boards etc under the shock to hold it at the correct level. Then I placed a wrench (not open ended) onto the nut and making sure that the play was removed from everything, whacked the wrench with a large hammer. The nuts are tight and by the end of it all...the hex key had a bit of a twist in it.

I also worked fighter jets....and cargo :)
DavidP953
Posts: 8
Joined: Sun Oct 14, 2012 2:27 am

Re: Progress Springs vs. Racing Beat Springs w/factory Bilst

Post by DavidP953 »

Thank you Gary, I will give that a try. AFTER I replace the passenger side door mirror that my wife tore off on a construction site traffic barrel this morning. (I should have learned in Kindergarten never to let others play with my toys, but it is our only car.) :roll: On the other hand, she is definitely getting better at drifting the turns. :lol:
Post Reply