Is it true that you can use Mazda Miata rear shocks to lower the rear of an ea81?

I have a fwd hardtop, so I can't just adjust the trailing arm to lower it.

Edited March 7, 201511 yr by Whatever

No.

 

Miata shocks (they're coilover shocks, some would consider them struts), work on EA82s, and only allow better damping options, they require coilover sleeve type springs, which is what allows ride height adjustment.

 

 

EA81s do not use a coil spring, they use a torsion bar, which is what determines ride height. AFAIK, they should all have an adjustment bolt in the center to adjust the preload on the bar.

 

 

Be aware, that lowering an EA Subaru is a form over function modification. The suspension geometry is designed around the factory ride height. Anything lower than stock FWD height changes camber and roll center in a pretty negative way. If all you're looking for is looks, go for it, but you will sacrifice performance.

I cant believe you even said performance and ea82 in the same sentence numb 

lololololol performance EA82.

 

But actually I am going to use an EA82 for a chump car so stock Miata rear struts and XT fronts are going to be awesome in it.

I have two "hardtop" wagons an 82 and an 84. I had no problem with popping the torsion bar trailing arms out and popping them back In, cutting the springs, and removing the bump stops. All easy to do and I would say before hand the car was much more unstable. every subaru I've bought started out at an awkward ride high for the wheel alignment ( positive camber issues) I'd say lowering it is a good thing

Thanks everyone. 

And I do have that awkward positive camber in the front. 

Edited March 1, 201511 yr by Whatever

So wait doesn't the xt have air suspension?

lololololol performance EA82.

 

But actually I am going to use an EA82 for a chump car so stock Miata rear struts and XT fronts are going to be awesome in it.

 

No, they won't. Read my post above. Miata shocks only allow better damping options. Stock ones are probably worse than stock Subaru, as they are the same length, and have less travel. The spring perch will still require an adjustable sleeve.....which is what will allow the lower ride height. Just use that on the stock Subaru shock.

 

 

So wait doesn't the xt have air suspension?

 

Not all of them. FWD ones do not (possibly some non-turbo 4-cylinder 4WDs....but I'm not sure), and have the shortest overall length of any EA82 strut.

 

 

 

EA82 is a decent chassis for performance, but requires significant modification. The front camber and castor are high on that list, but lowering until the roll center is on the ground is definitely not the answer. And with the design of the rear trailing arms, I do not recommend anything lower than stock FWD height (an inch or so lower than stock 4WD).

I've been kicking around the idea of air suspension for my coupe.. Any suggestions?

 

I've been kicking around the idea of air suspension for my coupe.. Any suggestions?

 

 

Don't

 

 

I won't hijack this thread with a full discussion on that, but I will say this. The stock system is not very reliable, and performs really poorly, and it would be extremely difficult to retrofit into a new chassis. Aftermarket universal systems would work better, but would be very difficult to install....

My car doesn't have the adjusting bolt on the torsion bar.

Edited March 4, 201511 yr by Whatever

Followed trevors advice. Learned about how the suspension works and figured out how to lower the back. On either side there's 12mm bolts. They hold the trailing arms and the torsion bars to The frame. There are two torsion bars and a tube that goes around them (I mistook the tube for the torsion bar). Theres this thing splined on both sides inside in the middle of the metal tube that the torsion bars slide into. Anyways I took out those 12mms and three 17mms on either side that held the trailing arms to the lcas, and I pulled the whole torsion bar assemblies on either side out of the tube and notched them towards the sky. It lowered my car a few inches so its super flush now. Now I just gotta get some fatter tires.

Edited March 7, 201511 yr by Whatever

Whereabouts in Bellevue are you located?  We should do a mini-meet some time.