My car is stock height for a GTA but speed bumps and sharp inclines into parking lots kill me.

I was thinking about adding air bags in the front so I could raise it when needed.

I don't want them affecting anything else just give me a couple inches of lift when needed.

Can this be done? Has anyone done it?

Thanks

 

What's hitting? Just the air deflector? That isn't a big deal, you can trim it a little if the sound bothers you but unless you're going fast you won't rip it off or anything.

You also might consider your driving style/ approach. If you've ever gone offroading or rock crawling, driving a low car is done the same way you approach a large obstacle in a Jeep or 4x4. Angle the car towards the incline or bump, slow down, cut the wheels toward it, roll up slowly, starting with the front wheel that's closest.


Miatas can go lower than a third gen can. It really isn't even possible to get a third gen low enough to worry about hitting the body if driven carefully because you'd run out of usable suspension travel first. The only things you really have to worry about on a third gen are the exhaust and the air dam as long as you're careful and slow down first.

 

Your just driving too fast over the speed bumps & not driving at the correct angle for inclines/declines. I know because my GTA is low & never hits on speed bumps because I drive slowly over them. I come to a complete stop & idle speed over them when I need to.

As for inclines/declines of driveways & intersections? I have even gone to choosing a different route to avoid some intersections when I need to.

Face it.....A low riding car, stock or otherwise, requires a different driving style that the DRIVER has to adapt to not that the car needs to adapt to the driver.

 

Well I promise you can get over the speed bumps at my sons school. I am not the only car that has to drive through the grass to get around them. You cant take them any way except head on its to narrow.

Also the incline at the local gas station is pretty bad.

BTW I am ideling through the school in stop and go as kids load up. Not going fast.

I just want about an inch or 2 in the front for them.

 

Have you changed struts/shocks and springs lately?

 

Get a Ride Tech kit if you want bags.

 

No they are all from 1987. I am getting ready to replace 100% of the bushings, rod ends and the shocks and struts on the car. The car only has 58,000 miles on it but some of the bushings and the lower ball joints are bad are bad.

That was why I was thinking about adding the air bags, because it's apart.

I was really looking for something that would not change any of the driving character of the car. I love the way it handles.

 

http://www.ridetech.com/store/1982-9...d-level-1.html

 

You and I are very similar. My GTA has 60,000 miles. I replaced the struts/springs about 2 years ago. Springs within the last year. Before I did all this, the car looked good. Rode fairly nicely. But would have issues with speed bumps and steep driveways.

New struts/springs made a HUGE difference. The springs helped as well. It's not just that the ride height went up about an inch or so. It's more the huge difference in how the car reacts to hills, dips, and steep entrances.

I was surprised at how easy it was to compress the original shocks by hand after they came out. The new shocks? I had to put a towel on the end of them and then push down with all my weight to compress them.

 

Red,

What brand springs, struts and shocks did you buy.

It seems like I can but what is soposed to be stock replacements pretty cheap but I don't want to loose what the WS6 is all about.

On the other hand there are many that seem real high priced that I can't be sure they are worth the money.

Sorry for any typos I am on my phone.

Thanks

 

Shocks/ Struts- Koni Yellows and Bilstein HD's are expensive but are definitely worth the money. They ride and handle far, far better than stock, have lifetime warranties, and last an extremely long time. Your average parts store specials (Monroe, Gabriel, KYB) are cheap, but won't last very long, and won't ride nearly as well or perform as well as Koni Yellows or Bilstein HD's. Tokico Illuminas, Koni Reds, and KYB AGX's are kind of in between, not too expensive but decent performers you can get a few years out of.

For stock height springs, MOOG is the way to go. WS6 was just the RPO code for heavier springs and bigger sway bars, there's nothing inherently magical about the springs themselves other than that they were usually somewhere in the 420-700 lb/in range if I remember right. For originality's sake, replacement springs will get you closer to the original ride and handling than fatigued, sagging WS6 springs will.
MOOG 5662's are 748 lb/in and MOOG 5660's are 598 lb/in for the front.
For the rear, MOOG makes the 5665 which is a progressive spring with a rate of 107 lb/in and the "cargo coils," CC635 springs which are also progressive and have a rate of 104 lb/in.

I know Summit carries MOOG springs but I don't honestly know who has the best price around on them, might want to search around on reputable dealers' sites for the best price. Koni's go on sale once a year (they are on sale right now, actually) and when I bought mine the best price was through Shox.com, but that was last year so prices may have changed.

Good shocks and struts, new springs, and new bushings will make a huge difference. The car will surprise you with what it can do in the twisties and it will ride far better than before.

 

midnightfirews6,

Thanks for all that info.

 

Midnightfirews6 pretty much nailed it. The only exception is that the 5665 springs are linear. The cc635 are progressive.

I went with Koni Yellow struts/shocks and Moog 5662 and 5665 springs. For a review of these, check out my thread here: https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/susp...og-5662-a.html