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-   -   KYB GR2 Struts (https://www.mazda3club.com/3rd-gen-suspension-brakes-62/kyb-gr2-struts-13055/)

JPerezz21 September-21st-2002 12:17 PM

KYB GR2 Struts
 
Aight just though i would let everyone know that KYB GR2 struts are available eventhough its not on their website. I just had a set installed on my MP5. The Struts were actually for the MP3 but my shop just modified the end links for the Sway Bar to Attach, so i can go with a MP3 sway bar at anytime now. Oh ill get the part# and post it for everyone. -John-

nyczmp3 September-21st-2002 03:58 PM

i need new struts...how much and how is the ride...come on man elaborate a lil more....PLZ!!!!!!!!!!!

JPerezz21 September-21st-2002 08:15 PM

Well so far the ride has improved I have better road feel and no more bounce,dive,etc... which started when the Stock Struts went bad. It is firmer now combined with my RB Springs so i can definitely tell the difference between the stock and kyb struts on how the car feels when going over a bump or dip. The car didn't feel right at all when the struts went bad it even felt loose as far as steering goes. But its only been a day on the KYB's so only time will tell how they hold up. My boy charged me $550.00 w/install & tax. The struts were $99 a piece. I have to call him back to get the Part# so i should have that on Tuesday.

obender66 September-22nd-2002 11:58 AM

$99 for GR-2? Ouch! They used to be $60 for 2 nd gen.....
What is warranty on them? Still 3 months?

And what kind of modification fot end links you're talking about?
Pictures, pleeeease?

Alex

JPerezz21 September-22nd-2002 04:44 PM

Well the OE replacement struts were $63.00 each so that would have been a waste. We checked with Monroe for inserts and others but we could only find the KYB but they were designed specifically for the MP3 so i guess thats a good thing. Don't have a Digital Camera so can't hook up pics immediately. The Mechanic basically cut the End Links instead of the Sway bar to make it work and he cleaned it up after welding it back together to make it look good. Ill try to get pics asap.

carguycw September-23rd-2002 09:58 AM


Originally posted by JPerezz21
Well the OE replacement struts were $63.00 each so that would have been a waste. We checked with Monroe for inserts and others but we could only find the KYB but they were designed specifically for the MP3 so i guess thats a good thing. Don't have a Digital Camera so can't hook up pics immediately. The Mechanic basically cut the End Links instead of the Sway bar to make it work and he cleaned it up after welding it back together to make it look good. Ill try to get pics asap.
For your own safety...PLEASE ditch the modified endlinks and buy a set of shorter MP3/1999 endlinks! Cutting and welding a metal rod as skinny as a Protege endlink will always weaken it, and as many people have already pointed out, Protege endlinks are not very beefy to begin with. :rolleyes: If a front endlink breaks while you're cornering hard, the result will be VERY, VERY BAD. Can you say snap oversteer? Can you say big-*ss wreck? :eek:

A set of endlinks for an MP3 or 99 model Pro are the right length. Please get some. :D

JPerezz21 September-23rd-2002 06:58 PM

well i was thinking about upgrading eventually to the AWR swaybar and that would be the plan to change endlinks and swaybar together.

jowettw September-23rd-2002 09:37 PM

how's the ride like?

carguycw September-23rd-2002 11:13 PM


Originally posted by JPerezz21
well i was thinking about upgrading eventually to the AWR swaybar and that would be the plan to change endlinks and swaybar together.
AWR makes a rear bar, not a front bar. You need a new set of FRONT endlinks. Please get some before you wreck your car. :peace:

Also, to answer some previous questions about GR-2's, RD Enterprises (www.shox.com) sells them for $229 a set. I have installed a set of GR-2's on one of my previous cars, and although they are better performing and more durable than most OEM struts (and WAY better than discount store crap like Monroes or Gabriels), they are NOT high-performance struts. They are generally a good deal softer than Tokico Blues. They're good for a daily driver, but not for a racer. :D

JPerezz21 September-24th-2002 09:42 PM

The were no problems with the Front only the Rear Sway Bar end links

Installshield September-24th-2002 11:40 PM

yeah why are they so expensive?

The non adjustable GR-2s are around $50 each for every other car they fit, and the GR-2s all slightly stiffer than their stock counterparts. Any word on if they are making them for the P5 and ES, not just the MP3?

carguycw September-25th-2002 10:37 AM


Originally posted by Installshield
yeah why are they so expensive?

It's called profit margin. :D

pollax September-25th-2002 06:47 PM


For your own safety...PLEASE ditch the modified endlinks and buy a set of shorter MP3/1999 endlinks! Cutting and welding a metal rod as skinny as a Protege endlink will always weaken it, and as many people have already pointed out, Protege endlinks are not very beefy to begin with. If a front endlink breaks while you're cornering hard, the result will be VERY, VERY BAD. Can you say snap oversteer? Can you say big-*ss wreck?
I agree. You may want to try and drive with no endlinks than with the welded endlinks. You car may handle like ass but at least you don't have to worry about severe handling chages when cornering.

JPerezz21 September-25th-2002 07:23 PM


Originally posted by carguycw


It's called profit margin. :D

I assume that since they are just recently released as well and for the MP3 most likely affects cost and these were the only other struts we could find besides OEM or MazdaSpeed and considering the cost for those options i ain't complaining. For OEM i was looking at around $400 installed and just for those to go bad again. OEM is actually Inserts at around $63.00 a piece plus $150.00 for install.

jowettw September-27th-2002 01:54 PM

will the KYBs fit any 3rd gen protege? i drive a 1999 1.8L and the struts are definetely going on my car (thanks to the H&R springs).

if not, i guess i will hafta go with the MP3 Tokico Blues. But no one has a definitive answer as to whether these will fit either

pollax September-27th-2002 03:50 PM


will the KYBs fit any 3rd gen protege? i drive a 1999 1.8L and the struts are definetely going on my car (thanks to the H&R springs).
The suspension for all 3rd gen Protege's are the same. The only difference is in some late model Protege's the end link mounting positions on the front are in a different position on the shock body. The MP3 uses the same mounting position as 99-00 Protege's so you can use the KYB GR2's without any problems.

The shocks from a Protege 5, MP3 and regular Protege's are all interchangable with each other, the only problem maybe finding the proper front end links to attach to your anti-swaybar.

Installshield October-1st-2002 05:10 PM


Originally posted by pollax


the only problem maybe finding the proper front end links to attach to your anti-swaybar.

And that the stock strut's endlink mounts will not handle an MP3's fatter bar.

jowettw October-1st-2002 05:27 PM

would the KYB's be "aggressive" enough to be fitted with H&R's?

carguycw October-2nd-2002 02:23 PM


Originally posted by jowettw
would the KYB's be "aggressive" enough to be fitted with H&R's?
They should last longer than regular OEM struts, but performance is another story. Although I have never driven a Pro with GR-2's, my experience with other cars suggests that they are probably softer than MP3 Tokico Blues, so they will give you a cushy ride but won't really be stiff enough for optimum handling with aftermarket springs. However, I'm an autocrosser, and my definition of "stiff enough" is pretty freakin stiff. YMMV :D

Installshield October-2nd-2002 03:13 PM

GR-2's would do pretty well with H&R's and Eibach's. They are stiffer than stock, but probably not as stiff as the MP3's. I have heard that MP3's Tokico's are valved different then regular blue tokico adjustable struts and are stiffer. The MP3's are not adjustable and still stiffer than the other tokico's ajustable's on the stiffest setting. If that made any sense. That was from a dealership.

KYB AGX's are their stiffer more expensive struts. I think they are adjustable too. Hopefully both types will be out soon for all proteges

jowettw October-4th-2002 04:23 AM

what's the part number for the KYB's ?

thanks!

carguycw October-4th-2002 09:19 AM


Originally posted by Installshield
GR-2's would do pretty well with H&R's and Eibach's. They are stiffer than stock, but probably not as stiff as the MP3's. I have heard that MP3's Tokico's are valved different then regular blue tokico adjustable struts and are stiffer. The MP3's are not adjustable and still stiffer than the other tokico's ajustable's on the stiffest setting. If that made any sense. That was from a dealership.
FWIW I seriously doubt this. First, regular Tokico Blues haven't been released for the Pro yet, so it's impossible to compare them.

Second, I SERIOUSLY doubt that a set of stock shocks on a U.S.-model Mazda are stiffer than a set of Tokico Illuminas cranked up to "5". I had Illuminas on my old CRX, and when they were set on "5" the car rode like it had no suspension. :eek: The 94-97 Miata "R" Package and the 93 RX-7 R1 have already taught Mazda about the marketing consequences of selling cars with ridiculously stiff shocks. :D

Bruce95fmla October-4th-2002 12:44 PM


Originally posted by carguycw


They should last longer than regular OEM struts, but performance is another story. Although I have never driven a Pro with GR-2's, my experience with other cars suggests that they are probably softer than MP3 Tokico Blues, so they will give you a cushy ride but won't really be stiff enough for optimum handling with aftermarket springs. However, I'm an autocrosser, and my definition of "stiff enough" is pretty freakin stiff. YMMV :D

GR-2's are not performance struts , they are just the same as stock struts, ... I had them on my car already ,, if you want stiffer go adjustable, ... or tokico ,
b

Installshield October-4th-2002 02:51 PM


Originally posted by carguycw


FWIW I seriously doubt this. First, regular Tokico Blues haven't been released for the Pro yet, so it's impossible to compare them.

Second, I SERIOUSLY doubt that a set of stock shocks on a U.S.-model Mazda are stiffer than a set of Tokico Illuminas cranked up to "5". I had Illuminas on my old CRX, and when they were set on "5" the car rode like it had no suspension. :eek: The 94-97 Miata "R" Package and the 93 RX-7 R1 have already taught Mazda about the marketing consequences of selling cars with ridiculously stiff shocks. :D

I had a little to much to drink that evening I think....

The dealership technician told me that the MP3's were stiffer than the stock Tokico's. In my head I compared this with the adjustable blue tokico's you can buy, but not yet for the pro. He was talking about the stock protege's tokico's. Are the stock struts tokico's?. I read somewhere that they were Tokico and KYBs.

Sorry for any mis information I may have given. I %100 agree with you that they most likely would not be stiffer than aftermarket adjustable's.

Also, I had GR-2's on a Probe GT, and they were stiffer than the stock struts. I don't know if they are for every car, but I could tell a difference. They are advertised as KYB's sport struts, while the AGX's are their performance struts. They were not a whole lot stiffer though

Raptor October-15th-2002 06:59 AM

Any news on the P/N numberfor the GR-2 Struts ??? :(

JPerezz21 October-18th-2002 09:35 AM

My bad i forget to provide it... I'm at work so ill post it later tonight for all of ya.

Chicken SOup October-30th-2002 01:57 PM

Can someone give me a good place to order the KYB GR2 struts for my P5..I need them to pair up with my Prokits...
Thnaks


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