Proteman

Will the "stock" springs work with the MazdaSpeed suspension
kit ?


2002 Mazda Protege ES
Millenium Red Mica

Ron Pattison

I would doubt very seriously you would want them to...I installed the MP3 suspension on my 2002.5 P-5, and the damping is very different. I can't imagine the new struts would be tuned properly for the original springs...but just my opinion here.

Installshield

The Mazdaspeed's Tokico struts were worked and valved by racing beat for use with the stiffer spring rates of the Racing Beat springs(similar to the MP3 but stiffer for the added front end wait). Installed with the softer springs could result in some quirky jerky motions. and possibly some sagging after a large bump. The stock springs would have a tougher time returning the supsension back to nuetral after hard cornering or a back breaking bump. I would recommend installing the two (Or some other lowering such as H&R or Eibach's) as a set rather than the struts first.

Sir Nuke

this is suspension stuff....its going over there ---------->>>

carguycw

Which "MazdaSpeed suspension kit" are you talking about exactly? The MP3 suspension pieces that Mazda sells as accessories? The OEM suspension from the new MazdaSpeed Protege? Are you talking the shocks or the swaybars, or both?

I actually think the MP3 struts would work OK with stock Pro springs. The MP3 struts don't have very high compression damping; they will probably make the ride stiffer, but I really don't think they're stiff enough to make the ride excessively bouncy (they're nowhere near 94 Miata R Package or 93 RX-7 R1 stiff).

Installshield

True...

The MP3's struts would work better I believe than the Mazdaspeed's. The Mazdaspeed's are tuned to be even stiffer than the MP3's.