JoshP5's Suspension Build Thread
 

Well, this has taken forever, and it's going to take a little longer still. I have all the parts necessary for my Protege5's Stage I suspension mods:

-Racing Beat (MP3 prototype) springs
-Tokico HP struts
-MSP front upper strut mounts
-MSP rear trailing links
-MSP bump stops

This setup was chosen to preserve the utility and driveability of the P5, given that it's my daily driver and I expect it to handle adverse weather and rough dirt roads.

Currently I can do all kinds of stupid things in the middle of a corner and the rear end stays planted. With any luck this setup will provide more neutral handling (a little lift-throttle oversteer would be nice), and I won't have to mess with aftermarket swaybars. If it still pushes, I'll consider swaybar options for Stage II mods.

I'll be in Korea for the next three weeks so the installation will have to wait until after I return, but I've attached a photo of the car in its current state...a little baseline data for the upcoming drop.

To rid your car of it's understeer, the only REAL remedy is a rear swaybar. It looks like you're going the Mazdaspeed route, so try looking around for a MSP rear swaybar. It'll make a HUGE difference, and you'll definately get rid of that frustrating understeer.

I have a 21.5mm AWR bar on my P5, and it works great!
http://www.awrracing.com/pages/pro/prosusp.html

The MSP rear sway bar doesn't get rid of the understeer nearly as much as I expected :(

I'm confused, Chris. You recently reported that your car is way tailhappy--and didn't you post a wtb thread for an MSP front bar before you were b&? I figured you were trying to balance it out.

Adding the MSP rear bar is a convenient fix, but it seems too aggressive. The RB springs are pretty stiff out back, so they might do the trick alone--we'll see.

Way tailhappy.. in the rain

Initially I had my car (ES sedan) set up with Tokico HP suspension kit (with their progressively wound springs), Mazdaspeed front/rear sways and front strut bar. After I installed the AXR rear clunk fix (a must have for the Speed rear sway, relocates the bushings to where they should be and lets the bar work properly) the car was bouncy over road imperfections. My gf complained so I swapped out the springs for a set of RB MSPs. The car as it sits now is great. I don't drive it as much as I do my Speed6, but everytime I do I smile. Tossable cars FTW!

It makes sense that your ride is less bouncy now, given the Tokico rates are 185lb/in front and 145-200 rear, while the MSP springs are 158/117--they're ~20% softer.

I figured it was more due to the fact the rear sway was actually able to work as designed so it was feeding more into the chassis. I am sure the lower rates did help. Also the Tokico springs are progressive which I have read isn't optimal for handling.

Now I just have to try getting my Speed6 to a similar level of handling. Within the limits of reason of course.

You back yet?

Got back yesterday but still on Korea time. :cookoo:

Current thoughts: RB springs drop the rear a little more than the front, which I fear will exacerbate the current high front end condition the Protege5 suffers from. Now I'm thinking of running Tein H-Tech springs up front and RB springs in the rear.

Both H-Tech and RB front springs are linear and have the same stiffness--162lb/in, but the H-Techs drop the front about half an inch more than the RB springs.

why not just run H-techs all around?

nah, just get AWR coilovers, no more worries about uneven ride height.

also no more cartilage between spinal vertebrae after 5k miles.. it's fun! :D

Because they barely drop the rear at all--see attached photo.

looks like they barely drop the front at all too...

seriously that's dropped?

Well, the springs and struts were replaced, so in that sense it was "dropped." Check this closeup of the front wheel--you can tell it's a bit lower than stock--maybe an inch. Also, the photos were likely taken the day of the installation, before settling. I'll inquire with the owner as to how it settled...

The rims make a difference in looks as well. Seems like 17" or bigger rims will make the drop more noticeable.

H-Techs arrived today, all parts in inventory. :D

not installed yet? hurry up now

I know, I know...it's coming.

Parts! :D

nice, looks like you're doing it right. Good luck mang :)

too bad all tein springs are progressive :'( makes me so sad. I got the response back from Tein USA the other day. The spring rates they quote are the spring rates at 1G.. even for cars that can't ever hit 1g even with their springs >_<

coilovers or bust!

damn those springs look huge man

I bought the biggest ones I could find. ;)

Kansei wins the most-obtuse-post-of-the-day award. :Wconfused

Probably forgot the meds again :bounce:

is that not a tein box in the background?

It is. :winkyum:

haha you're finding all the awesome emoticons.

I'm racking my brain trying to decide which combination to use :drool:

RB front, Tein rear
-Linear front and rear (162/129 lb/in) for predictable handling
-mild drop (3/4,1/2") is subtle, gives decent ground clearance, and looks good with fatty 205/50s

Tein front, RB rear
-seemingly more rear spring stiffness (162,111-190 lb/in) for reduced understeer, but rear's progressive
-little more drop (1.2,0.9") will look better with future 205/45s (in 25K miles)

It's a tough call--any insight is welcome. :winky:

Ever wonder what HTechs look like next to Racing Beat springs? Here's the pic:

note the progressive 'helper coils' on the teins..

but my worries about my teins being progressive springs are laid to rest finally

when they told me that their springrates are measured at 1g.. they weren't talking lateral Gs, they're talking 1g as in.. the car is sitting on the springs in normal gravity. The 'progressive' aspect is just helper coils that are fully compressed and totally out of the picture when the car is resting on it's suspension. The reason for this is that it eliminates the safety concerns of lowering springs i.e. the springs falling out of the mounts when the suspension is fully extended.

so install away!

I do like the sound of a little more of a drop of course ;)

with enough of a drop, even 205/40-17 tires don't look stupid :P

Oh, that's what you meant in post #24. I thought about your post and eventually decided it was just Kansei's brand of sarcastic internet forum disinformation. :D

It's nice to know Tein measures their springs at 1g, rather than at 0.3g on their lunar spring testing facility.

don't mess with the lunar testing facility!

but yeah.. the weight of the car completely cancels out the progressive-ness of the springs and they just act linear.. so you have nothing to worry about with the h-techs :)

New strut mounts? Man, you're going all out. I know ordering new hardware is fun.

I was recently lowered. Couldn't take the endlinks off, so just used my stock struts. And, oh boy, they're more than due for a replacement!

Well, not totally all-out--I haven't got new endlinks, just hoping by some miracle the original ones will survive. It should all be determined sometime this week, though...

oh oh I see something not in the parts pile.. the front strut bearings. Maybe if you are low mileage enough they're still fine though. I'm still on my original ones but I could tell they weren't good as new the last time I tore apart my suspension (at around 85k miles)

Yeah, I ordered new endlinks, because I know for certain mine will need to pwned off the struts and the sway bars. They are soooo rusty and fused and stuff.
Where does the strut bearing go in the front?

The bearing is inserted in the upper strut mount, it is what allows the strut/spring/mount to pivot for steering

I decided to take the car in and have my guy do his thing. If he can't get the endlinks off using nonmedieval methods, I'll place another $100 order at onlinemazdaparts--bearings, rubber seats, and endlinks, ugh.