99protege

new member, love the forum...

i've spent hours reading up on springs, and after finally deciding on a pro kit, i learn that stiffer/shorter springs aren't good for my factory struts. so here's my new dilemma, and the answer i haven't found yet... are there quality struts out there to go with springs such as the pro kit? i've got 82k on my current susp. and don't want to just add springs if they're gonna kill my struts.

i know the mp3 spring/strut kits are recommended here, but they're not low enough for my taste.

tein/jic seem to be the top dollar options, but i want to exhaust the lesser $$$ options first.

i'm looking for a track-worthy suspension, but i'm not shooting for any championships, if you get my drift...

thanx

redrims

You can get the MP3 struts or mazdaspeed struts to go along with your eibachs.

Any type of lowering springs you put on your car will require performance struts. You don't have to get the MP3 springs to get the MP3 struts.

99protege

cool. so by that rationale, i could consider any "performance" strut? any recommendations other than the mp3 struts from anyone?

i would think this would be a common scenario, being that the eibachs are so popular. or do people just add the springs and disregard the struts?

help me obi wan...

redrims

Yep, but there aren't that many out there.
I would suggest the mazdaspeed adjustable struts from corksport. I'm going to get those soon.



Yes and no. Some people get new struts right away and some wait until their stock struts wear out. Right now I am still riding on my stock struts. They usually last for about 3-4 months before they gat bad. I have seen people go as long as 6 1/2 months. I have been riding with my stock struts and eibach springs for about 2 1/2 months now and they still ride really good. Once I feel the first sign of wear, I'm getting the mazdaspeed struts.

Its up to you.

99protege

awesome. thanx for the info, very helpful. one more question... if i go the same route - install the springs now, and struts later - what are the signs that the struts need replacing? softer ride? body roll? noise? i guess the safest route is to wait no longer than 6mos.

side item: anyone have opinions/info on tein vs. jic coilovers for the pro?

carguycw

Signs that the struts are worn...
1) If you push down hard on the corner of the car, it should come back up once and stop; it should not bounce up and down 2 or more times. [This is the classic service manual strut test.]
2) Loose or disconnected feeling in the steering and/or decreased grip while cornering on rough pavement.
3) Wheels bounce up and down when braking or accelerating on rough pavement. (Note: Proteges inherently have some wheelhop under hard acceleration, but not during mild takeoffs, and the wheels should NEVER hop during braking.)
4) Suspension clunks over bumps.
5) Frequent suspension bottoming, particularly with a heavy load.

BTW if you've got 82k miles, your struts are most likely ALREADY worn out. My car has 78k miles and mine are pretty much toast. If they're not gone now, stiffer springs will probably ruin them in a matter of weeks. If I were you, I would not mess around with replacing the struts later; I would do it NOW so you don't have to do the job twice.

Also, the MP3 strut kit has been discontinued and superceded by the MSP strut kit. You will not be able to order the MP3 struts unless your dealer has some backstock, which is unlikely because most dealers don't stock the pricier, slower-moving parts from the accessory catalog. The MSP struts are basically similar but a little stiffer.

Before Rishie chimes in with his usual schpiel explaining why JIC's are superior to any other suspension product ever built by anyone...

The bottom line is that the JIC's should ride smoother than the Teins and will probably last longer, but cost 30% more, and at $1,350 MSRP, the Teins aren't cheap. Both are high quality products that will last longer than the MP3's but you need to weigh that against the cost. For people who aren't too picky, the MSP struts will probably be fine.

99protege

thanx chris.

good point. i used to drive 100 miles a day roundtrip to work, all highway, so it's not as bad as it sounds, but very good point.

i think mazdastuff.com has the mp3 struts (here) correct me if i'm wrong.

looks like we have the same car. just out of curiosity, what is your suspension setup?

tonkabui

just to jump in the mix real quick... but you can also do a visual check if your ride suddenly becomes different. look at the strut itself and if you see an oily discharge, the shocks are blown. if your car sags on any one corner, your shock is blown. if you sense a change in drivability, yet none of the tests you performed on the shocks shows that it's clearly blown, you might have another problem. other than that, carguycw has gotten everything else.

carguycw

Bone stock, but I hope to do something about that later this year. The only mod I've made is a performance alignment- negative camber and positive caster maxed out, zero toe front and rear.