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I know Peter mentioned a little about this on another thread, but I wanted to give you guys a little more information about the set-up before it makes it on Miata.net, since it technically is a JDM product.
According to Ohlins USA these are the Ohlins they are selling in Japan, same shocks and spring rates. The spring rates for this set-up are 450lb/in Front and 336lb/in rear. The shocks themselves are 30 way adjustable for rebound. Both the front and rear come with very sexy CNC pillow top plates for mounting and custom bump stops. Even the instructions are in japanese. (seriously it took us longer to assemble the shocks because none of us can read japanese then it took to install them)
I have been told these have been selling in Japan for some time now, I believe that Adrenaline Racing has been importing them. In the past Ohlins USA would not touch these coilovers because they are a Ohlins japan product, Ohlins USA wouldn't offer any support of them, pretty much left the customer to deal with Ohlins Japan. Well, this has all changed.
Ohlins USA will be bringing these kits into the US and DDMWorks will be selling the Miata kits here in the US. DDMWorks will be offering full service and support on them through Ohlins USA including rebuilds, custom rebuilds or anything else needed for support. We are located about an hour from Ohlins USA, which allows us to work with them to really make sure that this kit works well on the Miata. This also makes it easy for us to work with them on service and support of this set-up.
Before releasing this kit in the US, Ohlins USA wanted to make sure that this kit worked well, so we have been really testing this set-up. One of the tests involved putting our Miata on the Ohlins USA 7 post shake rig and putting the suspension through all kinds of testing. The Ohlins coilovers tested very well. We have played with the set-up in the mountains, around town and even long trips, and I have been amazed by how it has transformed my car.
Papa Joe at Rspeed had a chance to drive the car last Tuesday and was even impressed with it, I also gave Chad a ride. Also since Ohlins is bringing in the kits themselves, we are going to be able to offer the kits for less than what has been available in the states before, the introductory price is $1995. DDMWorks is also going to offer complimentary shipping to the lower 48, or installation if you are close to Greenville, South Carolina. We really want to get some of these kits out there. We know that once a few people get these on their car, it will be the set-up to have. Everyone that has taken a ride in my car has been already been amazed that the car has 192k miles on it with stock suspension except for the Ohins.
The only thing I can say is that it is the best handling Miata I have ever driven.
The 2 words that I would use to describe the set-up are: stable and predictable. The car just does whatever I want it to do. If you hit a bump in the middle of a turn the car does not get upset, it just absorbs it and goes over it. Long sweeping turns are my favorite, and I can get the back end to just drift around if I want to have fun, or carve through the corner. The car is so predictable you start doing things that would have been stupid with another suspension set-up, but the Ohlins just give you the confidence to do it.
Hope this doesn't sound to much like a comercial, we are just very excited about this set-up and the opportunity to work with Ohlins USA. I would have never believed how much better the Ohlins are, but fortunately I had the chance to try them on my own car. If anyone is close and wants to meet up for a ride, let me know.
I guess one of the other really impressive things about the set-up is that after returning from Ohlins, I took my wife for a drive. We drove about 1/4 mile with the Ohlins installed before she said "that is substantially better". Even with the high spring rates of these coilovers the car rides better than it did with my Racing Beat street springs installed. The ride is not harsh, just firm and controlled. My wife actually thinks she can drink her coffee in the car now :roll:
I will post some pics of the car with them installed, I know that you guys will have some questions, and I will do my best to answer them.
kiwotsukete,
Dave
According to Ohlins USA these are the Ohlins they are selling in Japan, same shocks and spring rates. The spring rates for this set-up are 450lb/in Front and 336lb/in rear. The shocks themselves are 30 way adjustable for rebound. Both the front and rear come with very sexy CNC pillow top plates for mounting and custom bump stops. Even the instructions are in japanese. (seriously it took us longer to assemble the shocks because none of us can read japanese then it took to install them)
I have been told these have been selling in Japan for some time now, I believe that Adrenaline Racing has been importing them. In the past Ohlins USA would not touch these coilovers because they are a Ohlins japan product, Ohlins USA wouldn't offer any support of them, pretty much left the customer to deal with Ohlins Japan. Well, this has all changed.
Ohlins USA will be bringing these kits into the US and DDMWorks will be selling the Miata kits here in the US. DDMWorks will be offering full service and support on them through Ohlins USA including rebuilds, custom rebuilds or anything else needed for support. We are located about an hour from Ohlins USA, which allows us to work with them to really make sure that this kit works well on the Miata. This also makes it easy for us to work with them on service and support of this set-up.
Before releasing this kit in the US, Ohlins USA wanted to make sure that this kit worked well, so we have been really testing this set-up. One of the tests involved putting our Miata on the Ohlins USA 7 post shake rig and putting the suspension through all kinds of testing. The Ohlins coilovers tested very well. We have played with the set-up in the mountains, around town and even long trips, and I have been amazed by how it has transformed my car.
Papa Joe at Rspeed had a chance to drive the car last Tuesday and was even impressed with it, I also gave Chad a ride. Also since Ohlins is bringing in the kits themselves, we are going to be able to offer the kits for less than what has been available in the states before, the introductory price is $1995. DDMWorks is also going to offer complimentary shipping to the lower 48, or installation if you are close to Greenville, South Carolina. We really want to get some of these kits out there. We know that once a few people get these on their car, it will be the set-up to have. Everyone that has taken a ride in my car has been already been amazed that the car has 192k miles on it with stock suspension except for the Ohins.
The only thing I can say is that it is the best handling Miata I have ever driven.
The 2 words that I would use to describe the set-up are: stable and predictable. The car just does whatever I want it to do. If you hit a bump in the middle of a turn the car does not get upset, it just absorbs it and goes over it. Long sweeping turns are my favorite, and I can get the back end to just drift around if I want to have fun, or carve through the corner. The car is so predictable you start doing things that would have been stupid with another suspension set-up, but the Ohlins just give you the confidence to do it.
Hope this doesn't sound to much like a comercial, we are just very excited about this set-up and the opportunity to work with Ohlins USA. I would have never believed how much better the Ohlins are, but fortunately I had the chance to try them on my own car. If anyone is close and wants to meet up for a ride, let me know.
I guess one of the other really impressive things about the set-up is that after returning from Ohlins, I took my wife for a drive. We drove about 1/4 mile with the Ohlins installed before she said "that is substantially better". Even with the high spring rates of these coilovers the car rides better than it did with my Racing Beat street springs installed. The ride is not harsh, just firm and controlled. My wife actually thinks she can drink her coffee in the car now :roll:
I will post some pics of the car with them installed, I know that you guys will have some questions, and I will do my best to answer them.
kiwotsukete,
Dave
