The latest prelims it might be interpreted as implying that a minimum ride height will be stipulated:
NOTE: The ride height is TBD, and is in works by the CRB.
It has been said that the new combination of shocks & bump stops will make it undesirable to go lower than some moderate height, which I see as a double edged sword. But the last description of testing suggests a more compliant shock, and that will tempt some people to use more bump stop if it isn’t a brick. They’ll say it’s a trade-off, less forgiving and harder on tires, but that won’t keep some from trying it. For next season I wouldn’t be surprised to see some people deciding the Bilsteins are faster, at certain tracks while the Penskes might be better someplace like Sebring. Let’s hope not, or hope that people running competatively in Majors just switch immediately and stick with them.
Thought I read 2019 is optional use for part/most of the season (presuming 2019 Runoffs will require Penskes) with 2020 requiring them for all Majors/Super Tours.
That’s what I recall as well, so prior to the Runoffs there will still be opportunities to play with both. I anticipate that most who are serious about the Runoffs will just switch and be done with it unless they suddenly find they are less competitive than expected, which I don’t really expect.
Anyone have their private test days booked yet? Some tracks are surprisingly affordable at the right times.
Right now the intent is to let the Bilsteins be compliant for regionals indefinitely. But if the need arises there would be an end date. We are confident that it will not have to happen but it is being left open for now.
First deliveries of the new shock for Spec Miata are on their way to teams and competitors
Since the selection of Penske Racing Shocks as the new supplier of dampers for Spec Miata, things have been progressing quickly as Penske and Mazda Motorsports prepare to equip Spec Miata racers in time for the first SCCA U.S. Majors Tour of 2019 in January.
“We’ve had the shocks on the shaker rig in North Carolina with three different chassis,” says Steve Horn, Suspension Technician at Penske Racing Shocks. “We’ve also done durability testing – we didn’t anticipate any problems, but we like to do our homework with that. Now we’re gearing up to build a bunch of them.”
Josh Smith, Mazda Motorsports specialist for technical development, says the shaker testing validated the track testing, indicating that all three Spec Miata chassis tested would receive the same benefit from the new shock.
“The largest thing the shaker summary shows is if you start looking at the charts where it goes back and forth between some of the contact patch variation numbers, we’re talking two and three decimal places out for which one is a ‘better’ number,” Smith says. “What that shows us is it’s a larger variation as to who nut-and-bolted the car and what grease is in the swaybar bushing than what shocks were on the car – that’s how close and consistent the shocks are. That’s how even the playing field is going to continue to be. Everybody is going to be elevated equally.”
Another thing the shaker testing showed was how unsettled the car will be riding on the bump stops; the car will respond much better if ride height is set so that the car stays off the bump stops, allowing the suspension to work as intended. See the accompanying video for an example of a curb strike with the car set up to compress to the bump stops vs. keeping the ride height sufficient to keep the car off the stops.
The Penske shock will replace the previous Spec Miata shock absorber beginning in 2019. The shock will be eligible in any level of SCCA and NASA road racing competition in 2019 and required for the championship events. For 2020, the Penskes will be mandatory at the championship events, as well as in SCCA U.S. Majors Tour competition.
While maintaining the simplicity of a non-adjustable shock – adjustment isn’t really needed for a spec class – the shock features all the hallmarks that make Penske shocks highly sought after.
“As far as technology, there’s nothing earth-shattering,” says Horn. “The goals were consistency – the drivers could predict what the car was going to do, and it would do the same thing every time. The shock is a separate gas charge, separated from the damping oil, but it doesn’t have all the complexity of the external adjusters. If you do your homework and do the testing and get the damping sorted out for the car, then the lack of adjusters isn’t really a big deal, because everybody is on the same thing. It’s still a Penske shock, so the things that make a Penske work – the nice bore finish inside, the good piston design, the seals that make a Penske do what it does, are all still present here; it’s just that the added complexity has been removed to make for a good, consistent race shock.”
This isn’t Penske’s first foray into a shock for spec racing cars. The company has built shocks for SCCA’s Spec Racer Ford, although that shock does have a single adjustment available. Horn adds that he doesn’t believe much has changed since the test at Carolina Motorsports Park where the shock was selected from among several competitors, and says that the feedback he got from racers at the Runoffs has been overwhelmingly positive. “We’re excited to get them into the hands of competitors and get them on track,” he says.
The first Spec Miata Penske shock shipment to Mazda is on its way, and Smith says that there will be 275 car sets of shocks in that shipment. Check back here at MazdaMotorsports.com for more information on installation and setup in the near future.
Click here to see a summary of the shaker rig test.
Bul Winkle likes this
2011 NASA Western Endurance Racing Championship E3 Champ
Nice write up. It would be great if the first person to install these does a measurement from the pinch welds for ride height. The measurements they give on the shock body doesn't mean much if you have Bilsteins.
Wouldn't a measurement of ride height between the top of the shock to the bottom of the bumpstop be more accurate than measuring from a pinch weld that may have been "modified" by floorjacks, curbs, etc?
Nice write up. It would be great if the first person to install these does a measurement from the pinch welds for ride height. The measurements they give on the shock body doesn't mean much if you have Bilsteins.
The critical measurement will be off the shock body so you stay off the bump stops. The measurement to the pinch welds you can do after you find the Minimum height limit from the shock, considering your weight as they noted. I assume we will be trying to find the fine line of getting as low as we can and stay off the stops.
I assume that we will be riding higher than we are today so we may be getting less rear camber, we will soon see.
Nice write up. It would be great if the first person to install these does a measurement from the pinch welds for ride height. The measurements they give on the shock body doesn't mean much if you have Bilsteins.
Actually using that measuring technique, if you set the Bilstein and Penske shocks similarly, you should achieve the same ride height. How close to the bump-stops from one to the other, is what will differ.
Chris
Happiness is a dry martini and a good woman ... or a bad woman.
- George Burns
even outside of spec miata, i think these are going to be the go-to budget performance shock. i mean what 1k shock system from anyone else has actually been on a 4 post? probably only the OEM stuff. penseke isn't fudging around here.
Gordon Kuhnley: Driving miata's in all conditions, courses, and motorsports that I can.
Actually using that measuring technique, if you set the Bilstein and Penske shocks similarly, you should achieve the same ride height. How close to the bump-stops from one to the other, is what will differ.
I'm after the same information. I guess I wrote it a strange way but it was like 1am lol. I want to set the minimum height to barely avoid the bump stops like is said above, but I'm curious how much higher the car will be with this setting. Again as said above there might other impacts such as camber.
Go measure your Bilstiens using that method and see how it compares to the numbers Penske recommends. That will give you a good idea where you stand.
You could only make that comparison accurately if the shock bodies are the same length. I'll have to take a closer look once I decide to drop 1k on the Penkse shocks.
You could only make that comparison accurately if the shock bodies are the same length. I'll have to take a closer look once I decide to drop 1k on the Penkse shocks.
No, since the springs were not changed (the length is the same), then ride height is determined by the distance of the spring perch from the lower control arm, i.e, the shock bolt hole.
EricJ likes this
Chris
Happiness is a dry martini and a good woman ... or a bad woman.
- George Burns
I just measured mine and it doesn't look like my ride height will change much. I measured off either 1/8th higher/lower than the Penske recommendation depending on which corner I measured. So our cars won't look all jacked up in the air. Although, I've seen some that run lower than me and it's possible they will think it's jacked up.
Chris
Happiness is a dry martini and a good woman ... or a bad woman.
- George Burns
"The new shock price will be set at $198.74 apiece, with the complete upper mount/bump stop kit retailing at $249.90. Parts will be available exclusively through Mazda Motorsports with a total cost for conversion; including four shocks, top mount, bump stops and lower spherical mounts for less than $1,050."
No intent of being sarcastic, but what's the deal with using/modifying FatCat Isolators and later when they (Penske) do a complete kit they'll make their own isolator. Will the SCCA write the shock isolator rule that either (FC modified) or (Penske) of the isolators is ongoing acceptable.
From what I have seen so far we will end up at the 4 3/8 - 4 5/8 to pinch weld range. Very close to what we liked to run before. So camber numbers wont be anymore than already is a issue. This is all based on not having tested them yet.
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