RoXanneBlack8

i guess they dont offer test drives at dealers in NY. or maybe he thought sports cars would ride fine on pot holes?

TerenceC

My bet will be Koni yellow shocks using stock springs. Changing to different tires is easiler to do but I feel that most Japanese car stock shocks need some attention.

From my experience, Japanese car manufacture usually tune their stock shock to be relatively stiff on compression on high speed(shock speed, not car's speed) but too soft on rebound(that's why it make the car feel bumpy on the streets but feel soft for autocross or track use).

Koni yellow(~$150 per corner) seems to be the opposite, they tune the shock to be softer on compression but much stiffer rebound than stock shocks. But they have to set a compromise between low and high shock piston speed.

So if you are willing to spend lots of money(~$1K per corner), 3-way adjustable shocks like Pensake work wonder with stock spring. Just ask any top stock class autocross runner. They can easliy tune the shock to be very stiff at low shock speed(for roll stiffness, and responsive steering) while set the high shock speed to be soft(for hitting potholes and bumps on the street).

my 2 cents,

Terence

CarAndDriver

The easiest route would be to get softer tires....look on tirerack.com for softer tires in the stock size.

The OEM Bridgestone RE040's are harsh.

Umbra

The oem tires are really stiff. I went to 19" yamaha's and it softened the ride up a bit. That's how hard the oem are.

But seriously you want the car softer????? Try wisconsin roads for being bad sometime and then drive those in coilovers.

Let me guess, you bought the automatic too?

fourdaystillfeb

thanks to the guys that gave straight answers. and screw all the smartasses. I think I will go with softer tires and some konis of tokicos I would like some adjustability so I can autocross and still be comfortable on my way to work.

PhotoMunkey

You are the perfect candidate for the Bilstein HDs for the RX-8. Works for stock ride height, and must be tried to be believed!

I have an 06 Base 6MT (chosen specifically so I wouldn't have DSC!) and I also felt the shocks were too stiff. Even Mazda N/A tells me that there hasn't been a change in the shock settings for 2006, but I'm not so sure. My shocks were too harsh with stock springs or Eibach Pro-Kit progressive-rate springs. My K-Sport coilover package has a MUCH better ride over sharp impacts, yet has significantly higher spring rates to control body motion. I'd recommend that option except for the price (the Bilsteins are far less expensive!). For around $500 you can have the best ride in severe road conditions, and yet still use them at the track.

Read up on why the Bilsteins are different...

nyc1229

The comments on the Koni and Bilstein shocks are interesting. It seems that the tires (sidewall construction and thickness) help absorb part of the impact -- pothole, bump, whatever; whereas the shock & spring tuning address the car settling back after the initial forcing. It's not so much the actual impacts I find annoying, but the bobbing around when multiple forcings come sequentially. Almost like a resonance from the up/down wheel motion cause by uneven pavement or expansion joints. This happens at about 5 Hz, which I think is too low a frequency for that energy to be absorbed by tire deformation. Based on the comments, if the Koni shocks have tightened rebounding but a bit looser compression for the initial forcing, maybe that's the answer. Do the Bilsteins have similar hysteresis effect?

apotocki

Hmmmm....stock shocks were too stiff?!?
Sure seems like my Koni's are 'stiffer' than my stock set-up. (and I'm just a hair (1/2 turn) from full soft)
At any rate, I'll be surprised if 'any' aftermarket set-up will provide you with a MUCH softer ride. You 'may' be able to find some combination that will 'soften' up the ride a bit.....but.....the car is basically a sports car at heart. Good Luck.

ps - my thought would be to keep the stock suspension set-up and change out the 'lo-profile' tires for tires with as large as a side-wall as you can get.....but.....then I'd have to wonder what the car will look like!?

nyc1229

If tires are the easiest thing to try, anyone have opinions on more comfort-oriented touring tires that provide more absorption without turning it into a Buick? TireRack shows ones like Bridgestone Turanza Serenity & Continental ProContact as ones that have best ride quality.

(Though I've heard that Contis have weak sidewalls which are prone to damage and blowouts, not good if you don't have a spare -- anyone have experience with these on the 8 or other cars?)

Potenza 960AS and Yoko Advan S.4 also show a high ride-quality rating, but are still classified as UHP.

This thread
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension-55/245-45-r18-yokohama-tyres-installed-87277/
showed that 245/45/18 will fit without rub, which gives about 0.4 inch more sidewall (26.7 tire diameter compared to 25.9). Anybody know if 235/50/18 (27.3 diam) will fit?

tmak26b

save your money and buy another car, it's not going to help. You live in NYC

Astral

I think that you should buy adjustable shocks. It seems that tires will only help with minor impacts--I drive to NYC regularly and when I hit those water drains in the left lane on the BQE, I can feel the impact just fine with my winter tires.

Overall, I'm not a fan of the stock shocks. I think they have something left to be desired in their response over bumps.

I think your best bet is to get Tokico D-Specs (e.g. from dpeweb) shocks, because they are 4-way adjustable (and with the rear cables, you can adjust them whenever however you like). From what I've read, they can be turned to "softer than stock, Lincoln-like ride" at their softest. They can also be turned stiffer than stock.

So when you get Tokico D-Specs, you can try all sorts of different settings to see what you like. Best of all, you can tune it to soft for commuting and then turn it up to stiff when you hit the twisties for some weekend fun.

Don't get the Koni Yellows adjustable shocks, unless you are prepared to remove the rear shocks to readjust them. If you dial your initial settings in the way you like during the install, you're OK, but if not, then it's a fair amount of work to adjust the rears.

Here's a Tokico D-spec review from one guy.

If you look at cost, D-specs are $595. This is approx. the cost of replacement tires. If you go for a taller sidewall, you're also throwing off the speedo, which is annoying.

If you were to change the tires, I would suggest going with 17" rims, so that you also reduce the chance of busting them in pot holes.

Of course, I haven't tried any of this myself and I have much more tolerance for a stiff ride, so take all of this w/ a grain of salt.

Twin 8s!

Just came across this thread. I have over 80k on my 8 now and my wife has about 72k. We have noted that can seem to be a rough ride. But I think the main culprit is the Bridgestone tires. We switched to Avon tires and the ride improvement was amazing. Of note, if you are driving your 8 in chilly weather (say 40-50 degrees) the Bridgestones are like rocks on rims... One last thing, I normally got 21-24k on the Bridgestones and I have over 32k on my Avons and should get another 5-7k.

I am looking to replace the factory shocks now. I do not want to go with stiffer replacements and ... I do not think the factory units are the best option. Any thoughts?

SmokeyTheBalrog

Actually, many times they don't. Don't know about Mazda, but when my Dad was shopping for a car neither Toyota nor BMW offered test drives.

And it's not just pot holes. Many of the streets are slightly warped do to high volume of cars.

In my old "sports" car an Acura CL type-S. The ride was a bit softer and going through the city wasn't a problem most of the time. But with the Rx8 it is much less comfortable.

Astral

Any problems up to these miles? Or is everything A-OK?

I'd recommend Tokico D-Spec adjustables. You can set them to be softer than stock, and as soft as stock, or just a little stiffer than stock, or much stiffer, and you can tinker the softness until you get what you like.

nyc1229

Seems like the Tokico D-spec is the most recommended option for shocks. I looked into those and the shop recommended that I replace springs too. But I don't want to lower, and all the aftermarket springs seem to have higher (stiffer) spring rates, which seems like it would offset the ride-quality gains from the shocks. Will the D-specs work well with stock springs? The shop warned me about premature wear or damage because they said these are performance shocks that need to go with performance springs; however Tokico's own website said that the D-specs are engineered to go best with OEM or Tokico springs.

Astral

D-Specs will work just fine with OEM springs. Keep your springs.

SmokeyTheBalrog

Sounds like they are trying to milk you.

If you are not a lactating female stay away.

Which shop are you going too? If it's inside NYC it's probably crap. Check and search the NE regional forum for good shops.

Design1stCode2nd

The man asked, in a very intelligent manner I might add how to soften his ride. Attacking him is childish and stupid. It's his car let him do what he wants. Some people put big wings and nasty bodykits on their 8 as well. Looks like **** but that's their perogative tool.

Best best is to get 17" rims and softer tires. Go for lighter rims and a softer rubber compound. Just going from my winter to summer tires made a huge difference. If you do this also keep in mind the new tires will be slippery for the first 500-1000 miles from my experience.

I'd actually call tirerack and tell them what you are trying to accomplish and they should be able to set you up.

Xtasy94

There must be a few RX8's out there with busted shocks. By that I mean the shock orifices are not open enough to allow the fluid to flow through. I don't think it is the springs. I have now driven at least four other 2004 RX8's with the same 6sp touring suspension as my '04 and they are all noticably more compliant than mine. My neck has been killing me for the last 4 years. I know part of it is LA freeways, but that doesn't explain why the other RX8's feel like my 626 sedan and mine feels like it has no suspension. The original poster is not a wuss. There are differences between the cars. I am actually sitting at my dealer typing this waiting for a tech to drive the car with me. I am also demanding that we ride in another RX8 for comparison. I know I am not crazy and either is the original poster. Good luck. Other than that, it is an awesome car!!!

Xtasy94

See smooth ride thread for update.

Xtasy94

So even though the tech admitted that the other RX8 was slightly smoother with lower profile tires and possibly stiffer suspension, his manager along with the useless Mazda techline claim it is because I have Potenzas in the front and Kumho's in the rear. This makes no sense to me since it was doing this worse when I had all Potenzas and the Kumho rear tires actually helped a little. My Potenzas still have about 5K miles left on them and I don't want to waste them. One of the guys who works there also has an '04 RX8 so I had him drive my car and his car which had a sportier Eibach setup which lowered the car and he admitted that his was smoother and that there was definitely something different about mine.

So now I have to write a scathing letter to Mazda and tell them what asses they are being about this. I had the same kind of thing happen to me 9 years ago when my 626 rotors were scoring badly after only 14K miles and they told me twice that it was normal. My mechanic was the one who spotted it originally and told me to take it in under warranty. After many letters and phone calls, Mazda finally admitted that there were a few instances where they had soft rotor castings and replace both the rotors and the pads. They have been fine ever since and now the car has 120K+ miles on it (I go real easy on my brakes).

I think any suspension I put on there at this point will be better than what I have. Does anyone know if there are any good adjustable suspension setups out there for our car? Thanks.

To be named later