From Ohlins to NC Xidas - My Review
02-15-2022, 09:42 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2
Total Cats: 2
From Ohlins to NC Xidas - My Review
My Xidas are finally here and installed, so I thought I’d write a review for them.
Before Xidas, I was on Ohlins 7k/4k for several years. I’ve done over 140 track days, driven from coast to coast and back, and made even more trips to the grocery store with Ohlins on the car. They are comfortable, compliant, and do everything that is asked, regardless of the kind of driving I am doing.
My main reason for upgrading to Xidas is for track focused spring rates. I truly do believe the Xidas one piece shock design and significantly longer travel is superior to pretty much anything on the market today for the NC.
I do drive my car to the track, often several hours each way, so I am hoping the race spring rates with soft damping will be comfortable for road trips.Yes, I am attempting to use a race grade adjustable suspension for road trips and track abuse. My first track day with Xidas is VIR at the beginning of March. Unfortunately, I will not be on track until then, so my opinions for now will solely be based on street use.
My build as follows:
2007 Mazda Miata Touring
Hotchkis Front / Progress rear sway bars
Front StopTech C43 BBK
Rear RX8 brakes
Gloc R10/R8 brake pads
17x9 et48 Enkei PF01 wheels
245/40/17 Hankook RS4 tires
MotoEast intake
PPE 1.5' longtube header and catted midpipe, resonator delete
GWR Super Q muffler
TDR tune
Sparco Ergo Seats
G Force 7001 5 point harnesses
Hard Dog M3 roll bar
Factory LSD
Walter Motorsports rebuilt 6 speed transmission
Mazda Motorsports LCA offset bushings
-3.2/-2.6 Front/Rear camber, zero tow, caster 7
Fenders rolled
Install is pretty straight forward. I have done the suspension install on the NC at least a dozen times. The Xidas are long. Just like the OEM suspension was cumbersome to get out the first time, getting the Xidas in took a little bit of extra effort. For the fronts, I disconnected the tie rods from the knuckles. This allowed me to get the LCA low enough to get the shock mounted in place. This may have been overkill, but it made it much easier. For the rear suspension, the suspension arm furthest up and closest to the bumper was the only arm that needed to be disconnected.
With Ohlins, I settled on 13/13.25 inch front/rear hub to fender ride height. This translates to 4.75/5 inch front/rear from the pinch weld to the ground. These measurements are WITH driver weight. I found this ride height to be perfect for street driving with Ohlins. This does leave me with about a 6.35mm rake. I found the rake to be helpful on track to prevent the rear end getting too loose. I may end up lowering the rear a little bit for less rake, but more on that to come in a month or two.
One thing I will point out is the instructions that come in the box say “One full rotation on the rear preload collar is roughly 2mm change in pinch weld height.” It is actually closer to 1mm in pinch weld height and 1.5 mm in hub to fender height. For reference, Ohlins is 1.5mm in hub to fender height, per their instructions which I found to be spot on.
From my experience, if the car is on jackstands, the preload collar can be adjusted by hand after the 2.5mm set screw is loosened. There is no need for a 5mm allen wrench for assistance.
So, how do the race spring rate Xidas do on the road? On full soft, they felt as comfortable as Ohlins, but were a little too bouncy. I adjusted them to 10 from full stiff, and they felt much more compliant. A drive home 20 miles on the highway felt just as good as Ohlins.
For pictures, I decided to make a large Google Photos album. This includes everything from unboxing, measuring full droop of the rear without any suspension, fender clearance, and install.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eB1t8gbjyXzTpRT26
These are just my initial thoughts and impressions. I will add a more detailed review when I get back from VIR in about a month.
Before Xidas, I was on Ohlins 7k/4k for several years. I’ve done over 140 track days, driven from coast to coast and back, and made even more trips to the grocery store with Ohlins on the car. They are comfortable, compliant, and do everything that is asked, regardless of the kind of driving I am doing.
My main reason for upgrading to Xidas is for track focused spring rates. I truly do believe the Xidas one piece shock design and significantly longer travel is superior to pretty much anything on the market today for the NC.
I do drive my car to the track, often several hours each way, so I am hoping the race spring rates with soft damping will be comfortable for road trips.Yes, I am attempting to use a race grade adjustable suspension for road trips and track abuse. My first track day with Xidas is VIR at the beginning of March. Unfortunately, I will not be on track until then, so my opinions for now will solely be based on street use.
My build as follows:
2007 Mazda Miata Touring
Hotchkis Front / Progress rear sway bars
Front StopTech C43 BBK
Rear RX8 brakes
Gloc R10/R8 brake pads
17x9 et48 Enkei PF01 wheels
245/40/17 Hankook RS4 tires
MotoEast intake
PPE 1.5' longtube header and catted midpipe, resonator delete
GWR Super Q muffler
TDR tune
Sparco Ergo Seats
G Force 7001 5 point harnesses
Hard Dog M3 roll bar
Factory LSD
Walter Motorsports rebuilt 6 speed transmission
Mazda Motorsports LCA offset bushings
-3.2/-2.6 Front/Rear camber, zero tow, caster 7
Fenders rolled
Install is pretty straight forward. I have done the suspension install on the NC at least a dozen times. The Xidas are long. Just like the OEM suspension was cumbersome to get out the first time, getting the Xidas in took a little bit of extra effort. For the fronts, I disconnected the tie rods from the knuckles. This allowed me to get the LCA low enough to get the shock mounted in place. This may have been overkill, but it made it much easier. For the rear suspension, the suspension arm furthest up and closest to the bumper was the only arm that needed to be disconnected.
With Ohlins, I settled on 13/13.25 inch front/rear hub to fender ride height. This translates to 4.75/5 inch front/rear from the pinch weld to the ground. These measurements are WITH driver weight. I found this ride height to be perfect for street driving with Ohlins. This does leave me with about a 6.35mm rake. I found the rake to be helpful on track to prevent the rear end getting too loose. I may end up lowering the rear a little bit for less rake, but more on that to come in a month or two.
One thing I will point out is the instructions that come in the box say “One full rotation on the rear preload collar is roughly 2mm change in pinch weld height.” It is actually closer to 1mm in pinch weld height and 1.5 mm in hub to fender height. For reference, Ohlins is 1.5mm in hub to fender height, per their instructions which I found to be spot on.
From my experience, if the car is on jackstands, the preload collar can be adjusted by hand after the 2.5mm set screw is loosened. There is no need for a 5mm allen wrench for assistance.
So, how do the race spring rate Xidas do on the road? On full soft, they felt as comfortable as Ohlins, but were a little too bouncy. I adjusted them to 10 from full stiff, and they felt much more compliant. A drive home 20 miles on the highway felt just as good as Ohlins.
For pictures, I decided to make a large Google Photos album. This includes everything from unboxing, measuring full droop of the rear without any suspension, fender clearance, and install.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/eB1t8gbjyXzTpRT26
These are just my initial thoughts and impressions. I will add a more detailed review when I get back from VIR in about a month.
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02-17-2022, 07:22 PM
#4
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Lake Forest, CA
Posts: 7,968
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We have been waiting on more Race front springs, and rear sleeves (sleeves supposed to be here today). Several sets of NC Xidas going out today and tomorrow.
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02-25-2022, 11:15 AM
#6
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Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 2
Total Cats: 2
Added more pics to the Google Photos link. I did an alignment at a friends house, and finally added a little toe in for the rear. My alignment numbers are
Front
-3.2 camber
0 toe
6 caster
Rear
-2.6 camber
Total toe: +1/8" (.12") (If this looks familiar, it's because it's from SuperMiata AND Goodwin Racing's websites)
I took it on another driver to see family and the highway driving is stout! It's still very comfortable at 10 clicks from full stiff and the new alignment drives straight.
I'll be at VIR next week with Hooked On Driving. Review of that event to be posted the following week.
Front
-3.2 camber
0 toe
6 caster
Rear
-2.6 camber
Total toe: +1/8" (.12") (If this looks familiar, it's because it's from SuperMiata AND Goodwin Racing's websites)
I took it on another driver to see family and the highway driving is stout! It's still very comfortable at 10 clicks from full stiff and the new alignment drives straight.
I'll be at VIR next week with Hooked On Driving. Review of that event to be posted the following week.
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