Suspension tuning plays a crucial role in improving the car’s performance, whether for spirited street driving, track days, or autocross. With the right suspension upgrades, the NB Miata can be transformed into a sharper, more responsive vehicle that maximizes its potential while maintaining or even improving ride comfort. This guide will walk you through the essential suspension upgrades that can elevate your NB Miata’s capabilities.
The stock suspension on the NB Miata is good for casual driving, but for more aggressive driving or competition, it starts to show its limitations. As the car ages, components like shocks, bushings, and springs wear out, leading to diminished performance and a less precise driving feel. By upgrading your suspension, not only are you refreshing these worn-out parts, but you’re also making improvements that will significantly affect the car’s balance, grip, and overall driving dynamics. A properly tuned suspension is the foundation of a performance car, allowing you to better manage power, braking, and steering precision.
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Suspension is often overlooked when it comes to performance upgrades, with many drivers focusing on engine modifications. However, the suspension is arguably more important when it comes to managing how the car handles on the road or track. There’s a common phrase in the automotive world: “Make the suspension faster than the engine.” This means that even if you add more power, without a solid suspension setup, you won’t be able to use that power effectively. For a car like the NB Miata, which is already well-known for its excellent balance and handling, improving the suspension will take performance to the next level.
While speed is often a focus, handling is what truly sets a fast car apart. A well-tuned suspension allows the Miata to carry more speed through corners by keeping the tires planted and minimizing body roll. This is especially important in the NB Miata, which has modest power but excels in balance. By upgrading the suspension, you’ll experience sharper, more predictable handling that translates to faster lap times and a more enjoyable driving experience overall.
The NB Miata’s factory suspension was designed for comfort and everyday drivability, not for high-performance driving. As these cars age, most of the factory suspension components are overdue for replacement. Stock shocks, springs, and bushings wear out over time, leading to a “loose” feel and degraded handling. For Miata owners, now is the perfect time to replace these tired parts with modern performance components that can significantly improve ride quality and handling, making the car more responsive and fun to drive.
For many NB Miata owners, coilovers are the go-to suspension upgrade. Coilovers offer a wide range of adjustability, allowing you to tailor your car’s ride height, damping, and even spring preload to suit your driving style—whether it’s for daily use, spirited driving, or track events. Coilovers combine the spring and shock absorber into a single unit, making them a compact and versatile suspension option.
One of the key advantages of coilovers is that they allow you to lower the car’s center of gravity. This not only improves cornering ability but also reduces body roll, making the car feel more planted and responsive during hard cornering. Additionally, coilovers often come with stiffer springs and shocks, which translate into better feedback from the road and a more predictable driving experience. Whether you’re navigating tight turns or cruising on the highway, coilovers can drastically improve how your NB Miata feels on the road.
Coilovers also offer ride height adjustability, allowing you to lower the car for a more aggressive stance and improved aerodynamics. However, it’s important to not lower the car too much, as this can negatively affect the suspension geometry and reduce performance. Most coilovers also offer damping adjustability, allowing you to fine-tune the stiffness of the ride to match your driving needs. For track driving, stiffer settings might be ideal, while a softer setting is better for daily driving on rough roads.
The type of top mounts used in coilovers can also affect ride quality and performance. Coilovers typically come with either pillowball mounts or rubber mounts. Pillowball mounts provide a more direct connection between the suspension and chassis, improving road feedback and precision, but at the cost of comfort, as they tend to make the ride harsher. Rubber mounts, on the other hand, are softer and offer more cushioning, which is better for daily driving but allows for more deflection, reducing precision. Additionally, when choosing coilovers, consider the design—monotube versus twin-tube. Monotube coilovers are generally better for performance driving because they dissipate heat more effectively and provide more consistent damping. Twin-tube designs, while cheaper and more comfortable for street driving, can become less responsive during aggressive driving.
Some of the top coilover brands for the NB Miata include Tein, BC Racing, KW, and Fortune Auto. Tein coilovers offer a great balance between daily comfort and performance, while BC Racing is known for its affordability and high level of adjustability. KW coilovers, on the other hand, are higher-end and offer superior performance and build quality, ideal for those looking to track their Miata. Fortune Auto is a premium brand that allows for custom valving, making it perfect for enthusiasts who want the absolute best in performance.
While coilovers are the most common upgrade for performance-minded NB Miata owners, air suspension is another option worth considering. Although not as popular in the performance driving community, air suspension offers unique advantages, particularly for those who prioritize comfort and flexibility. Air suspension allows for instant ride height adjustments at the push of a button, giving drivers the ability to raise or lower the car based on driving conditions or personal preference.
For enthusiasts who like to showcase their cars at events or stance competitions, air suspension provides an unparalleled ability to achieve a low, aggressive stance without sacrificing drivability. With the ability to raise the car when needed (for navigating speed bumps or uneven roads), air suspension is a highly practical choice for daily drivers who want a custom look without compromising the car’s usability.
However, when comparing air suspension to coilovers, it’s clear that coilovers are still the superior choice for high-performance driving. Coilovers offer better road feedback, quicker responses, and greater precision, making them ideal for track use. Air suspension, while smooth and comfortable, does not provide the same level of responsiveness or control. That said, there are some air suspension systems that can handle light track use, but for most performance drivers, coilovers remain the top choice.
Another critical component of a well-balanced suspension system is the sway bar, also known as an anti-roll bar. Sway bars connect the left and right sides of the suspension to help reduce body roll during cornering, improving stability and handling. The stock sway bars on the NB Miata are designed to provide a neutral driving experience with a bit of understeer, which is safer for everyday driving but less ideal for performance driving.
Upgrading to thicker sway bars helps reduce body roll even further, giving the car a more balanced feel in corners. Adjustable sway bars are a great option because they allow you to fine-tune the balance between the front and rear of the car, helping you dial in understeer or oversteer characteristics to suit your driving style. Adjustable sway bar endlinks are also a must if you lower your car, as they ensure proper suspension geometry and prevent preloading, which can cause unpredictable handling.
Brands like Racing Beat, Flyin’ Miata, and Voodoo13 offer high-quality sway bars that are tuned specifically for the Miata. Racing Beat is known for its performance-focused sway bars, while Flyin’ Miata provides options that are perfect for both street and track use.
No suspension upgrade would be complete without addressing the brakes. With an upgraded suspension that allows you to carry more speed into corners, you’ll need a braking system that can handle the increased demands. A big brake kit, which includes larger rotors and calipers, will provide more stopping power and better heat dissipation, reducing brake fade during intense driving sessions.
Upgrading to performance brake pads and stainless-steel brake lines can also make a noticeable difference. Performance pads offer better bite and heat resistance, while stainless-steel lines provide a more consistent pedal feel, giving you more control under braking. Additionally, consider using high-temperature brake fluid to prevent boiling during extended track sessions.
For those who want to tackle a suspension upgrade themselves, here’s a simplified installation guide. First, make sure you have all the necessary tools, including jack stands, a torque wrench, and a spring compressor, which can be rented from most auto parts stores.
Begin by jacking up the car safely and removing the wheels. Disconnect the sway bar endlinks and unbolt the shocks and springs. If you’re reusing the factory-style suspension, use a spring compressor to safely remove the old springs. When installing coilovers, ensure that the top hats are aligned correctly, and adjust the ride height to your desired level using the adjustment collars. Reinstall the sway bar endlinks, and be sure to torque everything to the manufacturer’s specifications.
After installation, take the car for a test drive to check how everything feels. If necessary, make adjustments to the ride height or damping settings to suit your preferences. Always follow up with a professional alignment to ensure optimal handling and avoid uneven tire wear.
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