JoshP5

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

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.

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

_Kansei_

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

JoshP5

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.

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

_Kansei_

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

Dim

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!

JoshP5

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...

_Kansei_

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)

Dim

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?

_Kansei_

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

JoshP5

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.

aMaff

impact ftw. I've never had problems with mine. Of course, i don't live in the salt bowl...

_Kansei_

trade cars? you can keep the turbo (and the rust)

JoshP5

Apartment living ftl. No garage ftl. Closet full of car parts ftl.

aMaff

uh...................... no. I'll take that turbo tho

aMaff

I live in an appartment. I either go to a friend's house, or use the car wash area to work on the car, and yes, closet full of car parts is t3h suxx0rz.

BTW, if you want a very good impact for not a lot of money, get the 'expensive' one (<$100) from pep boys. Autocrossers swear by these things. I really like mine. it's not the lightest thing in the world, but it'll get the job done.