Not really, the adjuster is just at the top of the body and needs to be threaded down to the bottom end

so after taking a break, I’m just getting around to modifying the rear shock hats for mine. I have both alloy and steel hats, but when it’s all said and done I don’t think the alloy tops will be much if any lighter. It’s easier to just cut most of the top part off the steel mounts and weld a new larger OD stainless top on in it’s place with a bolt-on 3/4” spherical bearing cup.

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Rx8 Handel better with long stroke shock ??

Not really on the standard RX8 configuration.

what jumped out at me is the front mounts, those things are going to limit compression travel sticking so far down below the top like that. It would just depend on how low you were running it and the spring rates. Which their recommended track rates are a lot higher than what most people here are using. So maybe not an issue afterall.

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are you going to have access to the rear adjuster on top? i thought you would have went with inverted rear setup like TeamRx8 but thats also not a bolt on setup. the front top hat do look a bit tall. are they from MCS? they usually dont provide top hat.

Been thinking about upgrading my ProParts front mounts with 5/8” bearings for these Diftech mounts with larger 3/4” bearings, which you can see the height difference between the Diftech and that other pic. Must be at least an inch if not more:

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...3864c627c.jpeg

I think I would cut the rear sheet metals like post I seen earlier , this is MCS top hat , on invoice they list as MC Miata Top hat

Nice , hopefully I won't need it after my testing at dec 28

The front hats I have now are about the same height as the Diftech hats.

So FRSport had a set of the DifTech hats discounted $80 for the box being busted up or something so I just went ahead and ordered a set. DifTech told me these don’t include any shaft/bearing adapters so you either have to buy those for additional cost from DifTech or somewhere else. I have a source for those so no problem. It does include a tool for popping the bearings in/out though. Go figure.

nice open box grab. wouldnt be hard to turn out some shaft adapter on a lathe

If I had one ... got some reasonable sources for the adaptors though

If enough people are interested, happy to get a few of these done at cost. Slightly overengineered and a pain to get the spherical bearing in an aluminum housing, but they do their job.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...35e3d14b8.jpeg

Well it really needs to be machined into the plate like DifTech or the cup could attach with screws like ProParts. If you weld it in the whole thing needs to be sent out for heat treatment. Otherwise the welding heat will result in the material being too soft and eventually the stress will pound it loose.

Bearing is pressed in and there's a groove for a retaining ring. Mount from oven at 200F, bearing from freezer... gentle hydraulic press push did it. Largest force is during bump... press friction and retaining ring are only fighting the spring force.

Oh sorry, I thought the bearing was just sitting on top and you were going to install a separate cup to the plate. I now see that it’s pressed into an integral cup. My bad.

Yeah... hard to see the details. For a tech geek, it became a fun crash course in mechanical design.

very nice work

any one know if front top hat for ND will work for RX8?

https://www.sakebombgarage.com/fpspe...hats-nd-miata/

Well they don’t have it listed for the NC, so likely not. FD3, NC, and RX8 are all the same chassis fitment, but there may be variances in bearing and shaft diameter adapter sizes that need to be confirmed.

which I’ll have a used pair of ProParts front mounts with high quality 5/8” bearings up for sale soon. Most come with the cheapest rotgut COM bearings made, which don’t usually last very long before getting sloppy. My adapters are for a 14mm shaft size though, which isn’t so common. I can help you get the adapters from a supplier with good pricing though.

I sent an email to vorshlag to see if they would make anything for us. They do many other cars already, and have perch dimensions for many dampers already. I feel it couldn't hurt, I'd buy a few sets from them if this was an option. I figured a few of you would as well.

You should contact Mark @ DifTech instead. I’ve already been discussing it some with him and he expressed an interest in doing some.

Which I finally got moving on mine. Have some material arriving today and will be taking a closer look at it this weekend. It’s just a matter of determining how much larger the OD can be and still clear the chassis structure around the top of the mount.


which DifTech already has a bolt-on 5/8” spherical bearing carrier they can sell you for the top rear mount. You’ll have to cut the slightly dished top off the steel OE mount and weld a flat plate on with threaded mating holes or nuts and also the proper diameter center hole.


https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...05cb59467.jpeg


However, since I’m replacing the top of the mount my preference is to use 3/4” bearings and I’m pursuing having something similar made. I prefer to have threaded holes in the bearing carrier and for the socket head bolts to come up from the inside the mount and bolt it down that way instead.

I can't speak for Terry (I do know him), but he is normally interested in making parts for high volume cars. There wouldn't much return on an R&D investment in the RX-8 at this point in time, so I suspect he will pass.

Agreed, my experience is they’re not interested in doing custom/limited production run work.

That's basically what my email said to him.. I know the rx8 is on its way out and the people who do spend the money are few and far between when it comes to this car.

Well a little chop-chop action tomorrow should provide me a good grasp on how to proceed forward ....



https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...c96ffa500.jpeg

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