Shock mounts

I don't think there's a need to replace any kind of 'mounts'. Now, the boots, if they are all weathered / cracked and falling apart probably should be replaced but they are a bit expensive for what amounts to a dust / debris shield. I don't mind admitting that I hadn't even considered that way back when I first did that to my 92 and I was too deep into it to stop or go back. Two of mine were allright and two were pretty crappy. I got 'creative'! The new shocks came in heavy plastic sleeves and I simply used those sleeves (like a heavy duty plastic bag shaped like the shock) to replace the two bad ones. I simply zip tied them top and bottom. I drove the car in Houston weather for 5 yrs and 65k that way and they were holding up fine, no holes or problems.

Chris

99BBB

Remember that the bumpstop is part of the dust boot. You need that.

That is exactly what I was confused about. The KYB boots don't seem to have the bumpstop and so I was thinking that I might need their mount for it to work. Sounds like I really just need to reuse the old boots or at least the old bumpstop from the old boots or just get new genuine Mazda boots. The OEM boots are expensive but I would hate to have the car apart and then learn that I needed them... So I will get the OEM boots to go with the KYB GR-2 unless there is a better recommendation for a basic set-up. Thank you both for your replies.

Glad you clarified that, I thought I was loosing my mind thinking, what 'mounts' is he talking about? Ya, I think the bump stops would do their job even if they were separated from the original boots and reused, as long as they weren't rotted and crumbling.

Chris

99BBB

Those are two of your options. But I would use urethane bumpstops from Flyin' Miata or Fat Cat Motorsports, with some cheap generic boots. You'd gain a very useful amount of travel. That's my plan if I ever take my suspension apart again.

Thanks again to both of you.

Since you are in there you may want to consider changing the rubber pads that the springs sit on. I did not change mine and all of them had holes where the end of the spring wore through the rubber. I now have a squeek.

Christ> Thanks again to both of you.

thanks for that. do you happen to know where to get them?

Lanny Chambers wrote in news:lanny- snipped-for-privacy@newsclstr02.news.prodigy.com:

You can get the KYB Boots w/ integrated bump stops for $13 ea ($52 for all

4). FlyinMiata sells the polyurethane bump stops for $31 a pair, add about $7.50 a pair generic boots for a total of $77. I know $25 isn't a huge difference when you're looking at the cost of replacing shocks, but why is the seperate polyurethane boot option significantly superior?

-Scott

I have not seen them in the aftermarket so I would think you would have to get them from Mazda.

Christ> thanks for that. do you happen to know where to get them?

finishlineperformance (aka rosenthal mazda) says that "The spring sits right on the perch. No rubber between the two." Perhaps your springs are an after market variety or you are talking about a newer model Miata than my '95?!? Thanks.

That's funny, I was just about to post this:

Chris, I am not sure what he is referring to. The springs are held in place between two metal caps, or perches, and make metal to metal contact with these caps. There is no rubber piece between the two parts.

Pat

It's not the separateness. The FM and FCM bumpstops are designed to make better use of the Miata's limited wheel travel, especially on lowered cars but also with stock springs. They're both shorter and more progressive than OEM. Users report far less hard bottoming.

There are a couple of interesting recent threads about bumpstops on the miata.net handling forum.

Yes, mine is a '99. There are rubber pieces on the spring perch.

thanks for the follow up guys. one less thing for me to have to buy...

FWIW, KYB finally wrote back to me and confirmed that their inexpensive SB108 boots for the Miata do include the bumpstops... or in their cryptic words, "SB108 is a bumper bellows, bumper and cover in one." I already ordered and received the OEM ones, but thought perhaps others might want to know that the KYB model SB108 is essentially the same thing for half the price.