NegatiZE

Correct me if I'm wrong, but these front and rear sway bars SHOULD bolt right on to my Protege????

http://www.mazdastuff.com/product.cfm?ProductID=986

Or do I have to reinforce the mounting bracket on my rear stock shocks? If so, getting the MP3 shocks would fix this problem right?

jstand6

Hmmm... remember, in 2001, the Protege received suspension mount reinforcements and revised suspension geometry. I know some people on this board who have purchased the Mazdaspeed struts (designed for the '99-'00) who have had problems fitting them onto the '01+ Protege's.

Here's a quote from Racing Beat's development of the MP3: "The Protege was lowered and stiffened through the use a set of Racing Beat performance suspension springs, and larger sway bars were fitted. Modifications were required to the shocks to accept the demands of the stronger loads from the larger sway bars. " Go to
Racing Beat's website for more information on how they developed the MP3 and what modifications they had to do. Just click on "Mazda Protege" in the left button bar and then "Project MP3" on the next page that loads.

Hope this helps!

-Jerry

Sal's "J"

Go to Mazda Motorsports.com and order the 19mm rear sway bar for $ 152.00 + tax+shipping. I ordered mine yesterday and when I spoke to Brian, he said that it should be a direct fit w/ a 2001 LX 2.0, because it just replaces the stock sway bar. I hope that they do fit once I get them on Friday.

proman

it SHOULD bolt on. the main difference will be the mounting which the mp3 shocks will take care of the problem. however EricF has tested the durability of the unreinforced mounting brackets and seem to work fine.

Eric F

Yes, the Racing Beat/MP3 front and rear sway bar will fit ANY '99+ Protege, including the Protege 5. The rear sway bar frame brackets are different enough in the way they mount to require the MP3 rear cross member, which is included with the kit. My personal opinion and experience is the stock strut's rear stabilizer bar end link mounts are strong enough to handle the Racing Beat/MP3 rear bar, or the AWR 3/4" rear bar. I've had both bars installed at one point or another without any noticable problems with the stock rear strut's end link mounts. The stock front mounts are a different story. Those do appear to be a weak point and I would replace the stock front struts, or reinforce the end link mounting point before installing the Racing Beat/MP3 front stabilizer bar. The MP3 struts do feature reinforced front and rear end link mounts, and would provide better damping than the stock struts also. The MazdaSpeed adjustable struts feature more reinforced front endlink mounting tabs than even the MP3 do, but use the stock rear end link mounting tabs.

NegatiZE

Great! So if I choose to install either the Mazdaspeed struts or the MP3 struts, I wouldn't have to worry about reinforcing anything right? And these two sets of struts should fit, right?

Eric F

Correct!

NegatiZE

Thanks a lot!