[DMRider_10]

Right bought my VR Limited Combi II, and its marked on the sticker inside the door shut as having Bilsteins. Now on three corners, it does have billies. The two rears are identical and look like they have never been touched, so nothing suggests to me that theres anything wrong there.

Now. the FRONT PASSENGER corner of the car has quite a bit higher ride height, so thats what im investigating here. Now your probably expecting me to say the 3rd Bilstein is on the FRONT DRIVERS side and thus the reason for the increase in height on the FRONT PASSENGER side, is due to a different shock being fitted......but thats wrong lol. The FRONT PASSENGER side has the 3rd Bilstein shock on it (the corner thats too high) and its the FRONT DRIVERS side which has the different shock, which is a KYB unit that ive never seen before?!?!?! Now to confuse things even more, I have a recipt in the cars folder which says that the O/S/F shock was replaced in Novemeber 2003?!?!?!

O/S/F is passenger side front, right???

Stay with me! lol.

Here are the ride heights of the 4 corners:

Id say the reason for the difference between the two rears (despite the shocks being the same) is that the PASSENGER FRONT being high is raising the DRIVERS FRONT and PASSENGERS REAR up. Ie. the FRONT DRIVERS side is affecting all the ride heights except the REAR DRIVERS side.

Here are the front two shocks:

DRIVERS:

PASSENGERS:

So key things I need to figure out are:

1) Why is the PASSENGER FRONT corner so high?
2) Which is the easiest way to solve this problem? One front shock? A pair? etc etc

Thanks!!!!

 

[laurence]

i think i have a front bilstein kicking about in the garage and four eibach lowering springs , let me know if you want
any bits

 

[AndyBRG]

Drivers side rear spring is sagging and pulling the front higher.

EDIT:

Ignore that, The perch is higher on the KYB shock.

 

[DMRider_10]

i think i have a front bilstein kicking about in the garage and four eibach lowering springs , let me know if you want
any bits

Are shocks handed? Ie. does it matter which side they are off?

Ta

 

[Andy64]

Definitely pivoting on the front drivers and rear passenger side
Could be as already said, rear driver side sagging, or, front passenger side has a higher spring and is pushing the opposite corner down

 

[DMRider_10]

So which of the front shocks is the problem with then? The KYB (drivers) or the Bille (Passenger)???

 

[AndyBRG]

So which of the front shocks is the problem with then? The KYB (drivers) or the Bille (Passenger)???

As you have 3 billies, the KYB is likely to be the issue.

Measure the perch heights on both shocks and it should confirm your suspicion and issue.

 

[DMRider_10]

So which of the front shocks is the problem with then? The KYB (drivers) or the Bille (Passenger)???

As you have 3 billies, the KYB is likely to be the issue.

Measure the perch heights on both shocks and it should confirm your suspicion and issue.
[/quote]

Thats obviously what I thought, the odd shock is the problem. but I didnt think it could possibly raise the opposite side up THAT much?

When you say perch height, you mean from the bottom of the shock (hub end) to the perch under the spring?

Thanks

 

[Gixer]

Mate ya need 4 shocks the same.
I honestly wouldn't drive a car with a different shock on.

Problem is, even if you find another used one, will the spring be the same?

If it was my car i'd swap all the shocks out.

I was under the impression different shocks on the same axle was a MOT fail?

 

[Paul R]

As Mark has said YOU NEVER have odd shocks on the same axle

 

[DMRider_10]

As Mark has said YOU NEVER have odd shocks on the same axle

I do lol. But not by choice obviously. I think whats happened is, while in Japan the front shocks have been changed to a pair of KYB's then its come to the UK and in 2003 the passenger one has needed replacing, so the garage has fitted the correct shock for the car, which is a billie.

Obviously things like this should be done in pairs and not as above ^

So i think im gonna get a pair of front shocks from somewhere.

On cars that had billies fitted, what springs were fitted with them? Were they stock springs?

Thanks

 

[friendly1_uk]

I think billies lower by 10mm or something dont they? but here we have that corner being higher. We need something that puts 10mm in the shade. Like the 35mm you could gain by fitting a used billie complete with a spring from another car.

Then you would have a car thats meant to of been 36 rear and 35 front, But has lost 10mm of its drop by not having a billie front right. Then gained some 25mm or so passenger front by fitting a taller spring. If the front left goes up 20mm, the rear right has to drop near 20mm as it has.
Quite a bit points towards a long front spring, as i dont believe that little lot was new 7 years ago.

P.s a million variables span off while i wove the explaination of heights. Its along them lines though

 

[kaitai]

Off Side front means Driver's side.

KYB shock is the problem and you need another front Bilstein. Shocks on the MX5s are not sided so all you need is to source a front shocker. Only downside is that you might not match the mileage which might still affect the ride height due to wear in the spring.

Lawrence's offer of one shock and four springs is a good option or try and find a pair of front bilsteins from the same car.

 

[friendly1_uk]

Off Side front means Driver's side.

your sword would get in the way if you got off the drivers side of your horse.

There are only two sides to a car. The left and right side. These can only be named from one possition. Seated at the wheel. This is the only logical and therefore internationally accepted way of doing it.

 

[Mr Slow]

Off Side front means Driver's side.

Nearside is the side 'nearest' the kerb

 

[Mx5 Dan]

We can have a look tonight pal when you come round

 

[Si-Mon]

Off Side front means Driver's side.

your sword would get in the way if you got off the drivers side of your horse.

There are only two sides to a car. The left and right side. These can only be named from one possition. Seated at the wheel. This is the only logical and therefore internationally accepted way of doing it.
[/quote]

Actually everyone in the UK uses off side and near side in the motor trade and it's off side (away from curb) or near side (nearest to curb) as parked up in the UK with the flow of traffic.

I don't know about international but that's how we do it here and it seems just as logical to me. What if we have LHD cars going about (the old smart). It would confuse the mechanics.

 

[kaitai]

Read the OP, he asked if the OSF was passenger side which I corrected in saying that it's drivers side to keep it simple for the OP to understand.

I know the exact definition of OS and NS as I used to be in the UK motortrade. Ask any motorfactors or garage in the UK for an OS part and you will get the drivers side. We used to get customers asking for a right suspension leg but they meant right as in facing the car, this is why it's simpler to double check by confirming whether it's the drivers or passenger side. Obviously this does not apply for European customers

 

[DMRider_10]

Ok so that makes more sense then.

The one thats been changed is therefore the KYB.

So were the billies fitted as stock with different springs or are they the stock 5 springs?

If its just a stock spring Ill get Lawrence's shock and a stock spring and fit it and see how were looking then.

If they are different springs I might just look for a pair of front billes complete with springs.

Can I just confirm that mx5 shocks ARE NOT handed as Kaitai said "Shocks on the MX5s are sided so all you need is to source a front shocker" which implies they are handed?

Thanks

 

[Mr Slow]

They're definately not handed, I think Katai miss-typed.

Also I'd say they are stock springs, BUT remember every year MK1 got a different length spring, (progressively longer as the years rolled on), so be careful. It may be worth pulling both sides so you can at least compare.