Coilover & Camber: Please Educate Me

[dectk06]

I have a question about what a coilover is.

From my understanding, a coilover is a combo of a spring and a shock that offers adjustable ride height/adjustable dampening rate.

So in the above image of the BC coilover for our MS3's, the red arrow points to spring/shock combo for the front for our MS3. The blue arrow points to the springs for the rear.

What is green, then?

Also, I have a question about camber adjustment for an aggressive setup:

Are camber plates for the front adjustment and camber arms for the rear adjustment? Do I have this in the correct order?f

Thanks for the help! Just trying to learn, here!(burnout)

 

[filphil]

I have a question about what a coilover is.

From my understanding, a coilover is a combo of a spring and a shock that offers adjustable ride height/adjustable dampening rate.

So in the above image of the BC coilover for our MS3's, the red arrow points to spring/shock combo for the front for our MS3. The blue arrow points to the springs for the rear.

What is green, then?

Also, I have a question about camber adjustment for an aggressive setup:

Are camber plates for the front adjustment and camber arms for the rear adjustment? Do I have this in the correct order?f

Thanks for the help! Just trying to learn, here!(burnout)

I believe the arrows are pointing to the ride height adjustable portions of the system. The green indicates adjustable shock height while the red show adjustable spring height.

Camber is adjustable through front camber plates supplied by BC and the rears are adjustable through camber arms provided by SPC or Eibach

 

[dectk06]

I don't understand.

The green is then the shocks themselves just showing that they are adjustable?

 

[Nliiitend1]

I don't understand.

The green is then the shocks themselves just showing that they are adjustable?

The green arrow is pointing at the rear shocks. "Coilover" is a somewhat mis-leading term when it comes to the MS3. Technically, even the OEM setup is "coil-over-strut" (which is where the term coilover comes from...) in the front by design.

Generally though, when referring to "coilovers" on this car, it is usually implied that it is a system that has adjustable ride-height and does away with the fixed conventional strut/spring perches in the front. Since the rear of the MS3 doesn't use a "coil-over-strut" suspension, the ride height is made adjustable by mounting the rear springs atop a perch insert that essentially allows for vertical adjustment of the spring's bottom mounting point. With many systems (such as the BC system pictured above) the length of the shock body itself is also adjustable (which allows you to make sure that the damper is operating in it's optimal range of motion no matter what static ride height you set it to).

Does that help?

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

I believe the arrows are pointing to the ride height adjustable portions of the system. The green indicates adjustable shock height while the red show adjustable spring height.

Camber is adjustable through front camber plates supplied by BC and the rears are adjustable through camber arms provided by SPC or Eibach

Mazda has some Mazdaspeed rear camber links as well. Not sure how adjustable they are compared to the ones made by SPC or Eibach. I ordered them along with my BC coilovers so I'll let you know when they get here.

 

[Nliiitend1]

Mazda has some Mazdaspeed rear camber links as well. Not sure how adjustable they are compared to the ones made by SPC or Eibach. I ordered them along with my BC coilovers so I'll let you know when they get here.

The Mazdaspeed Rear Camber Links are NOT AT ALL adjustable. They're a fixed size just like the OEM links, but are basically slightly longer to offset the added negative camber that you get when lowering the rear of this car...

IIRC, they're good for a ~1 degree reduction in rear negative camber.

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

The Mazdaspeed Rear Camber Links are NOT AT ALL adjustable. They're a fixed size just like the OEM links, but are basically slightly longer to offset the added negative camber that you get when lowering the rear of this car...

IIRC, they're good for a ~1 degree reduction in rear negative camber.

Good to know. I might upgrade to one of those other brands in the future if I feel the need for adjusting my rear camber. I think I'll be happy with the Mazdaspeed ones for now.

 

[Biggs]

If I was to say get the COBB springs would it be a good idea to get the Mazdaspeed rear camber links aswell... or would they not "match"

 

[dectk06]

The green arrow is pointing at the rear shocks. "Coilover" is a somewhat mis-leading term when it comes to the MS3. Technically, even the OEM setup is "coil-over-strut" (which is where the term coilover comes from...) in the front by design.

Generally though, when referring to "coilovers" on this car, it is usually implied that it is a system that has adjustable ride-height and does away with the fixed conventional strut/spring perches in the front. Since the rear of the MS3 doesn't use a "coil-over-strut" suspension, the ride height is made adjustable by mounting the rear springs atop a perch insert that essentially allows for vertical adjustment of the spring's bottom mounting point. With many systems (such as the BC system pictured above) the length of the shock body itself is also adjustable (which allows you to make sure that the damper is operating in it's optimal range of motion no matter what static ride height you set it to).

Does that help?

Yes, thank you!

After looking at the repair manual for rear suspension, I see where the rear shocks would go.

Copyright: Mazda USA

In the above images, the rear shocks are pointed with red arrows, correct?

If so, problem solved!

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

Yes, but I am still confused... sorry(sadbanana).

If green is rear shocks and blue is rear springs, will rear springs wrap around rear shocks just like the front (i.e. a complete "coilver-over-strut")?

Or will the rear shocks be placed elsewhere (i.e. rear shocks in different places than rear springs)?

I just don't see a complete "coilver-over-strut" fitting into the places where the rear springs are sitting on our MS3's... Maybe it's possible, as I do not know...

I lowered my car with H&R's and returned it to stock as the ride quality compromise was too great. So I'm looking at coilver-overs for a possible future upgrade.

Thanks in advance for your answers! I really appreciate it! (godown)

Rear struts and springs are in separate spots on the rear. Take off a rear wheel and take a look at the stock setup. What you get in a coilover setup just replaces that.

 

[dectk06]

Rear struts and springs are in separate spots on the rear. Take off a rear wheel and take a look at the stock setup. What you get in a coilover setup just replaces that.

Yup, I realized it 2 minutes after I posted that.

You must have been typing the response while I was editing...lol

Thanks for the help, BTW!

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

Yup, I realized it 2 minutes after I posted that.

You must have been typing the response while I was editing...lol

Thanks for the help, BTW!

I had no idea either until I had the tires off the car today. Switching over to my auto-x rubber. I thought I'd flex my knowledge on the forums and make myself seem smart lol.

 

[dizzin9]

struts.

 

[Nliiitend1]

struts.

(confused)