The eibachs are great IMO

The back does seem lower.
The ride quality is the same if not better.
The ride is still very smooth with the springs

and the car is lowered but not too low , I can still just barely clean speed bumps

 

Great, and handling?

 

handling is great in corners and high speed
I'm really happy

 

Better than stock? Tighter? Less body roll? How about wheel hop on bumps during corners? C'mon Mike, elaborate just a little bit, wouldya?

 

no wheel hop on corners
better than stock in corners and high speed
less body roll

everything is really better even the way the car looks

On straight line ride is a little bumpy

 

Better :D thanks.

But I'm a bit confused... eariler, you said
Then you just now said
So which is it? Sorry to beat a dead horse here, but I'm seriously considering these springs, but not if I sacrifice ride quality...

Thanks

 

JIC is a japanese company that specialize in high end suspension. Some of the advantages of lowering your car is to create less body roll when going into a turn. Another advantage is to create more downforce at higher speeds. If the suspension is done correctly it should have overall performance. So try and stay away from cutting stock coils. Also when lowering your car there is a chance of messing up the alignment if not properly tuned.

 

Thx for the info.. how much do these drops usually cost?

 

JIC cost around 1500

sorry to be confusing
I have noticed with more driving that the ride is a little bit bumpier but not bad by any means

 

K, thanks Mike.

Anyone else with the Eibach's want to weigh in here?

 

Mike, check your sway bar end links. I broke one of mine, and there are none in what would be called the "west or east" coast dist centers that keep them in stock, those are mazda dealers though, so it makes me wonder.

When she gave, the suspension was not as tied together, so she became a little bouncy.

 

thanks, syntrix
I'm going to mazda dealer tomorrow for tire rotation.
I'll have them check that
should I pay 50 for alignment?

 

Sounds like just a front wheel alignment.

I'd get one done where they can actually adjust camber, etc on the front and rear!

Might want to consider going outside of the stock alignment specs for more performance oriented alignment.

 

Oh, and my JB weld job has actually held up for the last 3 days!!! Woooo woooooo!!!!!

 

nice drop. love your house, btw

 

Both cars look great guys - nice work! Just want to throw my $.02 in regarding the lowering of your rides for those who may not have done this to their cars before and it hasn't been mentioned thus far in the discussion.

I lowered my Infiniti with H&R performance coil-overs (springs) and it made the car look awesome especially with an upgraded wheel and tire combo. The handling was changed dramatically for the better IMO but the ride was considerably more harsh. The bouncing that MikeB mentioned earlier only got worse as time went on. It was explaned to me by the guys at the performance tuning shop that it was due to not changing the shocks as well as the new springs (coil-covers). That I was only changing a part of the suspension by lowering it with the springs. They said the OEM shocks are set when they come from the factory to the specs of the suspension including that of the current ride height. By lowering the car with the new springs (coil-overs), that I had changed how the shocks would work. I.E. if I went over a bump and the shocks wanted to expand and contract a certain distance the new springs wouldn't allow them to do so because they had reduced the range at which the shocks could move. That this undo tension would cause my OEM shocks to wear out sooner than normal. He gave me a year or so before I would be back in to get new shocks and additional suspension gear. I asked how much the total upgrade would cost to complete the deal and including the labor involved I was shocked. Needless to say it was more than I thought and wasn't able to complete the proper steps when lowering your car for the long haul.

Yes, the car looks sweet lowered and handles alot better with it down another inch or so but over time (8 monthes. or so) the bouncing got me to the point where I was rethinking my decision.

I'm definitely not talking anyone out of lowering their 8 because if I had the resourses to purchase a whole new suspension kit including shocks, struts, and springs I would. MikeB hit the nail on the head when he said that high speed cornering is the slam (not his exact words but you get the point), because it is and I long for it everytime I get in my 8. Just be aware to discuss all suspension components with your particular shop or whom ever your purchasing the parts through so you know what your getting into.

Just wanted to pass on my experience with lowering a car to those who may need it. Take care.

 

thanks for the above advice and knowledge
makes sense to me

 

Hmmm.. think I might look at the Mazdaspeed suspension kit if the ride is too bouncy. Just got rid of a car with lowered suspension (springs only) and the ride really p*ssed me off after a while!! (but it did look good.. lol)


-andy-

 

The bouncing issue won't be of as much a concern in the RX-8 as with other vehicles because the throw of the stock dampers is so long.
The shocks in the RX-8 are HUGE compared to most vehicles out there and there is plent of rebound left even after you pull and inch or two out of the travel.
Harshness of the ride is another matter as you trade spring rate for length.
I have droppped mine with Auto EXE springs which, to my supprise, drop the car a bit more than the Eibachs for which I didn't have the patience.
I'll take pics at some point, but the tire gap in the back is almost completely gone and in the front there is just 1/2" on so left.
The RX-8 has a strange stance in that when it is sitting completely level, there is more fender clearance in the front than the rear.
The ride as exactly as smooth as stock (the Auto EXE springs use a progressive rate coil that uses a stock rate for the first 80% of spring travel and a significantly stiffer rate for the rest) and no bounce.
In fact, I feel the initial rate is too low. I was hoping for a slightly stiffer ride as the stock ride is a bit "cushy" for my taste.

 

Great points, and worth thinking about.

But wouldn't adjustable coilovers, like the JICs do the trick? If the ride was too harsh lowered 1" then you could simply adjust them so there is less drop, right???

 

Let's clarify a few things.

Thing of new springs (like eibach's and autoexe's). These springs are stiffer, and will require a greater amount of dampning, and will need to have the dampner disperse more heat faster, as you have faster moving mass in less of a travel area. (Think car moving up and down over bumps).

Even if you are fine with just springs and stock dampners, I'll bet that it will wear faster, and within a few months, you will get the bouncy effect. Think of the stock dampner working harder and not dispursing heat as quick.

Sure the JIC's might be better, and you get a stiffer (or even a custom spring rate). You can even keep the stock height of the car and retain stock suspension geometry (to a degree of compression). However the JIC's are much more.

My take on things.... if you do springs, get struts to match the springs at the same time. Usually stock shocks will not be designed to handle a stiffer spring. The disadvantage here is that I don't know of any person that races that has bought the Mazdaspeed springs and shocks yet.

Even if you get coilovers, you will want to have them rebuild after say 2-3 years. Sooner if you race more often (like me )

 

Lets hope Tein or Zeal comes out w/ coilovers for the 8 because IMHO, aftermarket springs w/ stock shocks suck. Its not made for each other because the aftermarket spring rates are too stiff for the stock shocks. I've had experience with JIC and they are not bad, hopefully it won't be too noisy because most cars w/ JIC tend to have a click noise when going over bump or such. My previous car was a 96 honda civic with Tein Flex coilovers and suspension techniques front and rear sway bar. That bitch handles like a Lotus. Comparable to the 8's stock suspension but less body roll.

 

I'm glad someone had a good experience with the tein flex's. Had them with EDFC on my WRX, and they wore out very quickly. I talked to TEIN at SEMA and they have no release date (as of that time) for products for the RX8. They did say that the first product would be the FLEX. I don't know how they would put the stepper motors on the rears.... there's just not any room in there for the regular EDFC motor! Maybe it's a bit smaller. Here, use your imagination from a pic I took:

 

I dont know about wear because I only had them on the car for 6 months and had to sell the car right after. Performance wise its great. If anyone has had experience w/ Zeal, let me know. I've heard alot of good things about them such as build quality and such. The specs and materials they use are top notch. I would either get the B6 or V6. Check them out

www.endlessusa.com