[Gear Poet]

Hello. Unlike in many vehicles, the Mazda Miata ND platform and suspension - which the 124 is based on - depends directly on the suspension bump stops as part of a dynamic system. At a very early point in suspension travel over surface irregularities or in curves, the bump stops will engage as part of dampening and control. In other words, any time you turn an ND at speeds above 20-25 mph, you're likely "riding" on the bump stops to some degree. As a result ND bump stops are long, and contain graduated densities of material along the lengths -- soft at one end (contact point), graduating to hard at the other end (base on the frame). This is by design.

As a consequence, in tuning a suspension, bump stops require attention. For example, you can buy "street-oriented" bump stops from Flyin' Miata, whereas Goodwin Racing sells "track-oriented" bump stops (FM's are longer and softer and more closely follow OEM design; GWR's are shorter, harder, and compensated by recommended changes in spring rates, etc.)

My question is for verification. I've been assuming that the 124 suspension is identical, and 124 bump stops are identical in form and function to the ND's. Recently, however, I was told by a vendor that this is not the case. The vendor, however, deals mostly in 500 parts. (Nothing against that outfit, I have no complaints.)

So has anyone here dealt specifically with bump stops in relation to 124 suspension tuning? Anything you can tell me? Thanks! GP

 

[walawn]

@Greg made a really good video illustrating the differences between the current gen MX-5 and our 124s. While they may both share a platform; they really are truly different cars.

 

[Gear Poet]

While I appreciate the fact that platform sharing doesn't always indicate "same car", and the exaggeration that the term "Fiata" implies, my question is specifically about bump stops in the context of the suspension system. I understand how they work in the Miata series; I'm not sure whether they work similarly in the 124. Again, all bump stops do not function alike.

 

[zxtwou2]

The suspension is identical in both cars in geometry and such. Abarths and club MX5s came with Bilsteins and stiffer springs, but not much much. The same bumpstops that work on the MX5 will work on the Fiat. You can use bumpstops to tune the suspension, as well as adding plastic washers and such. For instance, for C Street SCCA cars, you want a stiff rear and soft front bump stop to help alleviate the understeer a big front sway bar will cause....hard in the rear will help increase rotation.

Brian Goodwin will have probably the best info on bumpstops out of anyone else on this forum.

 

[Gear Poet]

So the same "bs" solutions that work with the ND will work with the 124, taking into account various suspension configurations. Thanks, zxtwou2; that's helpful.

 

[murix]

Yes. I'm running Goodwin bumpstops with Swift springs. The stock is the same tall squishy piece in the club ND