FM V-Maxx XXtreme coilovers for NB - Track Pack
FM V-Maxx XXtreme coilovers for NB - Track Pack
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Description
Improved! The rear shocks now have offset bushings for extra clearance between the spring and the halfshafts. This gives you a wider range of height adjustment.
Our V-Maxx Classic suspension is very popular, but there's one thing missing from it: adjustable damping. So we worked with V-Maxx to bring an adjustable set to market. They call it the XXtreme.
The XXtreme Track Pack comes with stiff 504 lb/in front and 336 lb/in rear spring rates. They're aimed at cars that spend most of their time on the track. It can still be driven on the street, but it is stiff. Early Miatas should have some sort of chassis reinforcement in order to take full advantage of these spring rates. If you'd like a softer option more suited to street use, these are also available with the Sport spring rates for the same price. The springs are also available separately if you'd like to have multiple sets on hand.
So what makes them work? One of the problems with a lot of coilover setups is that the spring can go loose under full droop. When that happens, there's nothing to extend your shock any further so you've essentially reached the end of your suspension travel. The secondary spring in the V-Maxx coilovers helps to extend the wheel further and give more useful suspension travel.
The secondary springs are 112 lb/in, which gives them enough strength to overcome the damping of the shock. On most cars, they are just barely fully compressed at rest. Other systems will use helper springs as soft as 5 lb/in, which simply isn't enough to do anything useful when you're moving down the road.
Since the spring perch is adjustable, you have full control over ride height and cornerweighting. A 1/2" shorter rear shock body gives extra compression travel for improved ride and handling, even at lower ride heights. They have a two-year warranty. Note that this kit doesn't include upper shock mount parts, as you can reuse your stock shock mount parts. It's a good idea to replace the rubber bushings though, that kit is listed above.
They're not quite in the same league as the Fox in terms of outright speed, but they do offer excellent value and are a good choice for someone who wants an inexpensive coilover setup. Includes both sets of springs, four shocks, adjusting tools and bumpstops. Not compatible with FM's rear upper mounts, as this combination provides more compression travel than the suspension can physically deliver. Note that this kit doesn't include shock mount parts, as you can reuse your stock shock mount parts. It's a good idea to replace the rubber bushings though, that kit is listed above.
Please note that these were designed as a performance setup, and thus work best at a lower-than-stock ride height. We recommend setting them at approximately 11.5"-12" in the front and 12"-12.5" in the rear, although they can run higher.
Customer warning: Flyin' Miata is the exclusive US distributor for Miata V-Maxx suspension. Kits from elsewhere will not have a warranty nor will they have the correct spring rates. Buyer beware!
Instructions
Shipping
What does it fit?
Emissions
Emissions do not apply.
Warranty
2 years
SKU
Killer
Pictures on the Miata MX-5 Enthusiast Club facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/732305460206633/posts/3906249136145567
During installation, I forgot the upper spring perch(?) (between the top-hat and the spring) for two of the four coilovers and had to re-do the install for those, so maybe tape it together during installation, or just don't be forgetful like me. All in all, the installation + driving it a bit and adjusting the heights multiple times and re-torqueing everything took about 10 (distracted and sometimes tipsy) hours. Someone more experienced or with a friend can probably do it in 5 hours.
Installation tip: Disconnecting the sway bar end links makes the removal and installation a lot easier, but you will struggle to get the end link out of the control arm if only one side of the car is jacked up because the side you're on is at full droop while the opposite side is at full compression. I actually stripped the threads on my sway bar end links which I naturally used as an excuse to get a set of adjustable end links.
My only minor gripes were two details in the instructions
- The instructions said to set the fronts to 7.5" from the center of the lower mounting bolt to the bottom of the spring perch lock, but I found that this was still keeping my fronts as low as 10.75" hub-to-fender. Raised it up to 8.5" which set my hub-to-fender right at 12" on the fronts. For the rear, I set the mount-to-perch height at 4.25" which achieved 12.25" hub-to-fender.
- The instructions also didn't include the torque for the rear upper control arm bolt.
If you're a StAnCe KiD and you're curious, the lowest setting on VMAXX Xxtreme coilovers with the track springs is 10.5" front and 11.5" rear (center of hub to fender) with the helper springs still in. At this height, you're just riding the bump stops. My 2003 NB2 with 225/45r15 tires on a 15x8et25 wheel is not drivable at this height. I suppose you could get away with it if you get an aggressive alignment and a good roll on your fenders, but I almost couldn't leave my gravel driveway, and the right turn out onto the street was a 12 point turn. The U-turn up the road was a 24 point turn. I also bent out the fender lip during that turn, woops. If you're going to do the stance thing, just buy some $400 racelands.
Re-adjusted to 12" front and 12.25" rear, and it feels really good. Haven't rubbed yet but I also haven't taken any hard corners. The track spring option feels more comfortable than I thought it would on the imperfect streets around my neighborhood/town, but I probably wouldn't go somewhere like Downtown Seattle with it (pothole forests, those cities). So far, I like them more than the Tein Street Advance Z coilovers that I had on a different Miata 3 years ago, and I'm glad I went this route. Hoping to get an autocross and a track day in before the rainy season so that I can update my review, but I'm sure they'll perform fantastic compared to the stop setup I had before.
I bought these coilovers for my 99 to replace the factory bilstein and hard s springs. I picked up 7 seconds a lap at thunderhill with the change. The install directions are very detailed. The only gripe I have is the starting point for height on the front was 2" to low. We got 1.2 degrees camber out of stock arms in the front. For the price point these land in they are a great product!
Got these coilovers about a year or so ago and got them nice and "broke in" before I got the final adjustments and alignment done. I have them set up per what was recommended here, with 11.5" front height and 12" rear height. My car already has all the underbody bracing, sways, and roll bar installed, this coilover setup really brought everything together! Yes, even on the lowest setting it is a bit stiff but our roads here in Charlotte are.... really not the best. On smooth roads like on and off ramps it really shines! Cornering is flat and predictable. I also like how you can go over a speed bump and when the rear tires go past, there is only a single dip as the suspension soaks up the car weight. I had Koni shocks and RacingBeat springs before and it was a "nice" street setup, but these easily take the cake.
Reason for 1 star delete: I intended to do the install and could only get one of the complete coilovers together. Even on the lowest damper and lowest spring height I could not (by hand) put the top hat on. No problem, until I found that not all the dampers were the same. I had 2 that would only go 7 clicks from low to high, another that had 8 clicks, and the last had 9 clicks. I am not sure if this is supposed to be this way, but I find this a slight quality issue. I could understand if the rears had X amounts of adjustment and the fronts had Y amounts, but to have 3 out of 4 shocks with different adjustments just seems... off?
I had heard these would be uncomfortable to daily but after getting them on the car I am amazed how how awesome these feel. The increased cornering performace has me slightly afraid to push further considering Im much faster in the corners with absolutley no complaints from the car. I couldnt be happier with the level of customer service and the performance of this product especially considering the price range. People talk about bang for your buck but these are more like high explosives for pennies!