Hybrid

Hi guys. I recently picked up a 02 Protege5. The first thing I wanted to do to the car is upgrade the suspension system. After browsing the forum for awhile, I came up with a setup that looks decent

MP3 Strut Kit
MP3 Stabilizer Bars
MP3 Strut Tower Bar
H&R Sport Spring Set
17" MP3 Racing Beat (I think thats what they are) wheels
205/45/17ZR Yokohama Parada Spec-2 Tires

I have a few questions about this setup

#1. Do the MP3 struts fit the Protege5?
#2. How long can I expect the struts to last with the H&R springs?
#3 Does anyone have any personal experience with the Parada Spec-2 tires? What do you think?

That is about it. Please add something to the list if I forgot something

Installshield

MP3's have Racing Hart wheels, but close enough.

yes everyting will fit if you replace them at once. You can't get the MP3's sway bars with out getting the MP3's struts. The endlink connecting points on the stock struts are to weak to handle the stiffer bars. Also you will need to pick up a universal polyurethane rear swaybar mounting bushing(Energy suspension makes some I believe). If you keep the stock bushing it will need to be bored out to fit the wider bar. The rear subframe is slighty different on MP3's and P5's, and the MP3's swaybar bushing will not mount properly on the P5's rear suspension.

The MP3 struts will last longer than the stock P5 struts with H&R springs. The struts are valved for stiffer springs. Whether or not they will last as long as the stock strut/springs setup is anyone's guess.


A friend of mine got Parada spec 2's for his Volvo 850. He has some major suspension work done and the tires seem to be ok. He went from a $160 per tire set of Dunlop Sp 9000's so he was not blown away by the Yoko's performance. He has the exact size you are looking at. for the price they are great though. Also you could check out Pirelli's P Zero Nero's which are in a similar price range. neither tire is the best in the rain which is why personally I ordered Bridgestone Potenza S-03 pole positions. The wet traction is almost as good as the dry. They are a little more money but I drive in the rain so much I hope it is worth it. The parada's got decent wet traction but that volvo hydroplanes all over the place.

Sir Nuke

ONE MORE THING>....you have a P-5...you already have the same strut tower bar that the MP3 has.....why would you want to buy another one?

APEXistud

My personal experience with the Parada's is that they are very loud tires. Not that people really care about that at all, but they are probably the loudest tires I've heard next to the Yokahama A038 and Falken Azenis. But setting noise aside, they are awesome tires.

Fobiah

Sir duke has a great point. I wanted to lower my car too, and I thought that I only had to buy the mp3 struts. Are you saying that I need the strut tower and stablizer bars also? That would suck.

Sir Nuke

No....what he said was...IF you chose to get the MP3 sway bars...you can't use them with the stock struts as the end link connections are too weak on the STOCK struts....BUT....you can get the MP3 struts and stay with the stock P-5 sway bars....

AND if you are lowering your car...not only do you need the struts...but a set of lowering springs such as the Ebiach's or H&R's

and NO YOU DO NOT NEED A NEW STRUT TOWER BAR....the strut tower bar that comes on the P-5 is the same as the one on the MP3.....only a different color! lol

Fobiah

Thanks for clearing that up for me, Sir Nuke

carguycw

One other thing: you will need front swaybar endlinks from an MP3 or a 99 to early 2000 model Protege. Mazda moved the endlink mounting point upwards on the front struts about halfway through the 2000 model year, but for some reason the MP3 uses the earlier models' lower endlink mounting point and shorter endlinks. My recommendation is to source a couple of them from a wrecked 99.

And a couple of other notes:
(a) The AWR rear swaybar available through Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development is cheaper than the MP3 rear bar kit AND it's adjustable.
(b) This has been pointed out many times before, but changing the front swaybar on a Pro is a *major* PITA. This step alone will probably take the same amount of work as the rest of the suspension setup put together. (I am not kidding). You may want to consider using the stock front bar with the AWR or MP3 rear bar, it will make the job easier and reduce understeer too.

zeus

The MP3 gear is fine but for the money you can do better. Rather than the MP3 struts, I’d recommend the Mazdaspeed units. I used them on my P5 with Eibachs and the 21mm AWR rear bar. The bar isn’t really all that adjustable, but it works so good with the stock front bar, I’m not even considering replacing it; and I know that’s contrary to most people’s opinion. I added a little extra caster in the front, a little extra chamber in the rear, 17x7.5” wheels, and 215/40 T1-S Proxes; and it’s now one fine handling car. Sure the Proxes are expensive and wear quick, but man do they stick.

One complaint though. I can now feel the rear body sway over the suspension a lot more, and the front sub frame flex and sway with respect to the body under hard cornering. I am talking hard here too. I’m thinking I need Tony’s front sub frame brace, rear link set, and a few custom bushings to finish it off. I sure wish someone had feedback on these AWR extras.

If I had to pick springs again, I think I’d go with the H&Rs. The Eibachs are too soft for my liking.