zeus

I searched the forum but didn't find anyone reporting problems with fitting the Mazdaspeed struts on a P5, so I'm either the first to do so or I have a unique problem.

The front sway bar control link mounting tabs on the Mspeed struts are 3" lower than on the stock P5 struts. Which means my 10.5" long end links are way too long. The sway bar is just along for the ride right now. Handling sucks, and with every bump I hit, the bar smacks the lower control arm with a clang. I got word that I need links from a 99 sedan, but the parts department at my dealer says those are still 9" long. They were no help at all. I need links that are in the 7 to 7.5" range.

Anybody have advice or know which Pro has end links in that length? How long is your front end link?

Sir Nuke

yep...get the sway bar and end links from a MP3...and your all set.

zeus

Thank you Sir.

I'm going to trust you on this, cuz I got to lay down $70 with the dealer just to see what the length is. Did you have this problem, or are you a scholar as well as a gentleman.

KHH

I have another question about the Mazda Speed struts...does anyone know if they are adjustable while installed on the car, or do you have to remove them? If adjustable while on the car, is the **** at the top, or located on the bottom? From the pictures I've seen, it looks like it's on the top. Thanks.

zeus

They're easily adjustable. The front struts are 4 way adjustable with a small screw driver at the top of the strut ram from under the hood. The rears are five way adjustable with a **** on the lower side of the strut. You just have to reach behind the tire. There seems to be a good range of adjustability, but I can't really tell how well they perform with the front sway bar not attached.

Sir Nuke

NOPE>....someone else here on the board did...and that was their solution.....I read a lot...lol

Eric F

That's interesting about the P5's end links being longer than the sedan. I have had the MazdaSpeed struts installed on my '00 ES sedan for quite a while. I'm using the stock end links with the struts without any problem. I've also installed the MP3 front and rear sway bars, and the stock end links still fit with no problems. It must be a difference between the hatchbacks and sedans, so any sedan front endlinks should work. I don't know exactly how long they are, but 7" to 9" seems about right.

The struts have been great so far, and they are very easy to adjust on the vehicle. I do wish the fronts were variable adjustable like the rear, for better fine tuning.

rowan

By the way, in case it hasn't been mentioned..

Mazdaspeed struts = 2xKYB and 2xTokico.

Which explains why the adjustment mechanisms are different.

jstand6

The Mazdaspeed struts were released before the 2.0L sedans were introduced. When the 2.0L was released, the suspension geometry had been redesigned to be tuned for the extra weight and reduce body roll. It appears the Mazdaspeed struts were designed for the '99 and '00 sedans. The best thing for the 2.0L sedans and Pro5 is probably the MP3 struts.

-Jerry

Jas00x

Another interesting note about endlinks is that they changed mid-year in 2000. My 2000 ES came with the longer endlinks, then I got some shocks, and needed the shorter end links. I went to the dealer to see if it was a ES, LX thing or something.
As I looked under cars, it was pretty random which ones had the long endlinks and which ones had short endlinks. I'm not sure about the newer models (if they are long or short), but apparently the short links came first and for some reason they changed it mid year to a longer endlink.

Later,

ZackyFarms16

ok, this is a little confusing. i dont know too much about suspension setups bu but basically, im getting rims and eibach pro-kit soon and am looking into buying struts along with it. can someone give me a straight like answer or something about what i need and about how much they will be (or where i can get em) for the p5. Will i need anything else like to make up for the length difference(???). protege5online.com has them for 650 for all 4.

[edit]
will i be able to use the front stock sway bar that came with the p5? im also planning on getting the rear swaybar from SR Motorsports. will this fit still?

sorry for the questons, however this thread confused me a litle

Eric F

You sure about that? All 4 of mine say Tokico on the struts.

Eric F

From what has been mentioned so far, it sounds like Mazda, or their OEM strut vendor (Tokico), made a running change to the end link mounting point on the struts sometime during the 2000 model year. Your 2002 P5 should have the longer end links with your stock struts and sway bars. Any 3rd gen Protege sway bar should work on all vehicles. If you use struts designed for the shorter endlinks on a vehicle that came stock with the longer end links, you would need to buy the shorter end links and everything should fit fine.

ZackyFarms16

ok, awesome thanks. i was looking at the rear sway bar from mazdaspeed and they have it for about $30 cheaper so im gonna go with them on that i think. Where can i buy these endlinks and how can i find out if ill need them(like how can i see if they were the later production ones?). I was gonna get them off mitch at protege5online, either that or mazdaspeed.

rowan

All 4 struts say Tokico? Hmm.. ok then.
The only reason I said that is because that is what Tim from Mazda Motorsports said when I asked him about them at Mosport. (Touring Car race #2).