Ask Dave April 2010

Ask Dave - Ask Dave

Last Updated (Tuesday, 30 November 1999 00:00) Written by John Flowers Thursday, 08 April 2010 01:55

Hi Gang.
I am happy to be writing my first article for our ongoing series entitled Ask Dave. For years I've been working on Miata's and now I'd like to share my experiences with our membership. If you have questions or concerns about your Miata feel free to email me and I'll be happy to help. I'd love to hear from you.
Our first question is actually two questions; "What is the best wind blocker for a 2006 Miata? What is an an-tenna splitter for our CB units? Do you have them and do you install these? Sandy Proctor"
The new MX5's can benefit from the new Cobalt windblocker that is made of high quality plastic. It installs be-tween the twin hoops on the NC 3rd Generation models from 2006-2010. With the windows up and this wind-blocker in place the difference is dramatic in the reduction of turbulence and the finished product looks like it was designed right from the factory. I've attached a picture of this unit. An Antenna Splitter is a small module that al-lows the use of your current Radio Antenna to double as your CB Antenna as well. This eliminates the need to run a separate antenna for your CB. The benefits to this is that from the outside your car looks completely stock with no unsightly large antenna whip or base mounted on the back of the car. This also removes the risk of damaging the paint on your car. The unit works fully automatically and you don't need to do anything when transitioning from the use of your Radio to the use of your CB. Installation is a quick procedure that takes about 30 minutes and is completely hidden in the trunk of the car. These units are produced by a one man shop in the US and are made to order so they usually take about 2 weeks to build. The cost of the unit is $175 CDN and installation is $25. If you are interested in either of these items feel free to let me know and I can order either one, or if there is anything else you'd like for your Miata and I can also order that as well.
Our second and third questions both relate to the age old issue of vibrations and balancing. "2004 Mazdaspeed Miata-I have had the wheels balanced on a high speed machine and the car drives smooth at high speeds. However when accelerating from a stop to 30-40kph I experience a vibration that rattles the car but goes away afterwards. Allen Stiehl"
I have learned that the 1990 Miata's are prone to needing very good alignments and balancing to eliminate shudder-ing, and that not all balancing services are created equal. Also can you recommend a good service provider? The Badger-Doug Dorsey"
It is true of all Miata's that they can suffer from vibrations since they are very sensitive, lightweight cars. Since the drive trains can sometimes be the source of vibrations on various cars we can be thankful that Mazda endowed our cars with very strong drive train components that rarely become unbalanced and in need of replacement. The most common source of vibrations on Miata's come from improperly balance wheels and tires and this can sometimes take a few tries to get just right. Mazda, as well as several auto manufacturers, recommend the use of a very good balancing machine made by Hunter, the GSP9700.
Most balancers actually balance the wheels at 2 speeds at once, 40kph and 80kph so it's no surprise that some have issues at either of these speeds. If the balancing is not performed precisely then you might find a vibration at either these speeds or even higher while on the highway. The added benefit of the Hunter unit is that it can locate a bent wheel or a tire that has an internal issue that will prevent a perfect
balance. Have a look at Hunter's site to locate a machine near you. http://www.gsp9700.com. It is also very impor-tant to have the proper alignment on the car. This can transmit vibrations through the car that normally would not be felt if the alignment was correct. Don't think this has anything to do with mileage as most Mazda's come deliv-ered out of specification right from the factory.
One last issue is due to worn shocks. This is very common on cars with 80,000-90,000kms or more. The Miata shocks tend to stiffen up over time providing a harsh ride and poor handling, while also transmitting vibrations as well. All manufacturers of high quality shocks recommend replacing your shocks around 80,000-90,000kms and the results can be very dramatic.
Again if you have any questions feel free to contact me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Thank you. Dave Biagioni www.daves-garage.ca