prokit suspension setup stuff

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MikeMzda3

6/7/2007 4:49:47 PM

sorry if this is a major repost...im just gettin back into the forum and im not sure to what extent this subject has been covered...bare with me

I'm tired of my stock height and I wanna start sockin away money to lower the car - I just haven't decided on what to get spring-wise.

I'm leaning towards eibach springs. tein s.tech springs sound kinda wierd with the offset in their drops...the front is lowered 1.6 while the back is lowered 1.1 or 1.2...im not sure if thats a "bad" thing...the eibach keeps their lowering a little closer...does anyone know what the deal is with the teins?

The prokit drop is less (1.2/1.2) while the sportline is much more (1.8/1.6). I've heard of sportlines riding harsh and blowing your struts out faster...again, does anyone have experience with this? I like low...but I also like practical... if anyone has a lowered car, please leme know how much your drop is and how bad you scrape / if you scrape at all. Oh...and if you have a preference for springs...feel free to throw it out there - give me reasons! thanks guys.

shalezoom3

6/7/2007 4:53:10 PM

you are pretty much going to blow your shocks and struts not matter what with a drop.....but with the H-Tech (like I have) and the Prokit...they will last a little longer.

Most shocks and struts should be replaced every 75k anyway...so i am just riding my broken ones till then.

I love my H-Tech drop.....nice up from...little higher then i would like the in back. but it helps for better handling at autoX

MikeMzda3

6/7/2007 5:47:40 PM

i think i found something... eibach prokit springs matched with koni yellow adjustables $845.00 shipped. now i need to find a camber kit.

dentinger

6/7/2007 8:15:34 PM

heh... if ur just getting a prokit, i wouldnt worry about a camber kit...
the stock camber is +1 degree i beleive.
i have sportlines on my car, and my camber is at +2
im not going to worry about the camber, since it isnt too severe.
i'll just rotate my tires more often.

but if u want ur shock to last a little longer, dont cut ur bumpstops like the instructions say.

ive had no problems with my sportlines so far...incredible ride and handling.
i can easily take turns at 60+ km/h now lol

anyways, my rear end does make a cunking noise, but it doesnt bother me too much... but i think its cuz i did the install myself... meh

sstlaure

6/7/2007 8:26:12 PM

I've got the Prokit springs w/Mazdaspeed camber links. The camber is perfectly at the stock nominal setting. I love my Prokit springs. A little stiffer, but not so bad that I have a problem (24,000 miles/year on Michigan roads.) I installed them around 14,000 miles and now have 52,000 on the car and the stock struts are just fine.

virgin1

6/8/2007 4:18:49 AM

quote:

ORIGINAL: dentinger
... anyways, my rear end does make a cunking noise, but it doesnt bother me too much... but i think its cuz i did the install myself... meh

Ya' might wanna check to see if the springs seated properly in the rear, and if not, raise the rear and turn them around till they do.
I had a rubber squeaking noise over every bump after I installed the rear sway bar and that drove me nuts!! I dropped it again and used plumbers silicone grease (sticks very well and is highly waterproof) on all the bushings and voila! No more squeak.

virgin1

6/8/2007 4:30:54 AM

Pro kits seem to be the recommended norm, and some say that they are closer to a stock ride than any of them.
I have a set of H&R's (-1.3"F/-1.2"R) in my shop waiting to go in, but I am not sure what to expect from them yet. I'll let y'all know when I do them.
As far as a camber kit... you probably won't need one, but if like me you're more comfortable w/the added adjustment, consider the SPC's. I got mine cheap from someone selling out on eBay (in other words I got lucky. Right place, right time,) but have seen them for < $200 elsewhere. Unlike the MazdaSpeed links, the SPC's have an adjustable link/eyelet on one end, like a tie rod end.

They came black. I painted them blue to match my other suspension/brake components

sstlaure

6/8/2007 4:52:16 AM

For reference: Mazdaspeed Camber links measured 290mm center of hole to center of hole.

Stock my car's rear camber was -1 degree, after the drop -2.1, after the camber links, back to -1.

It handled better with the higher negative camber (kind of settled in the corners), but due to the high mileage I drive, I wanted the camber back to stock.

I know some people have done things to get their camber closer to zero, I wouldn't recommend doing that as some negative camber is better than none, and positive camber is bad.

virgin1

6/8/2007 5:07:09 AM

I would think that that is conditional on what you are planning to do with the car?
With a a taildragger, it seems to me that if reducing understeer is the goal, then a little less neg camber could be a plus. Isn't that one reason Mazda designed these cars with a narrower rear track than front?
Positive camber is definitely a no-no though. That would make things real squirrely.

shalezoom3

6/8/2007 4:01:34 PM

aren't the mazdaspeed camber links just rebaged SPC's???

virgin1

6/8/2007 4:22:22 PM

No. The MS links are a solid flat piece. No adjustments.
See what the SPC's look like above inthe pics I posted.

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