Hi all, I'm new to the forum, I just bought my Mazda 3S on this past Wednesday and have a few questions.

First, what is the best way to tighten the cornering on the car. Also what are the best steps/brands to reduce as much weight in the car as possible. I race at Infineon stock races and am trying to get better times around the turns. Second whats the best brand for suspension and turbos.

As always thanks in advance, Brian

 

Hey Brian. Welcome!!
For an '04, and depending how deep you want to go....
Sway bars (Racing Beat, Hotchkis, COBB, Tri-Point Racing, etc....,) front and rear are the way to improve cornering. But in an '04 the front links are weaker. Be sure to upgrade to the RB links first. The front bar is a pain. The rear is a 15min job. Also I hear some doing a rear upgrade using the MS3 links.

Shock/struts (Koni or Bilstein,) and/or coilovers are probably your best bet for a racing application, but not as a DD. The ride and handling will be hard especially over bumps. I would probably go Tein if I were serious about it... but not the Tein Basics. Then find a shop that can do corner weighting and an alignment for racing application. (e.g. more negative camber no doubt.)

To reduce weight: Wheels and tires (Road racing, 225/45-17 are 0.8" wider w/o adding too much weight and fit perfectly) are one way to start for reduced unsprung weight (better handling/braking strip the interior of all but the bare essentials; Lighter weight racing seat(s.) You can save a lot of weight stripping the interior. Of course you'll want a bar or roll cage. That will have to custom fabbed.

You don't mention brakes. Don't you want to be able to stop once you are going??
EBC and Hawk are the two basic choices for pads, EBC has some very good rotors too.

I'm not familiar with the series you are running in. You might want to consult a rules book before performing too much or you may out-class yourself.

 

Thanks for the quick response. The brakes I was already planning on EBC rotors and pads. As far as outclassing myself I can always switch to the race spec races. I was looking at the Cobb sway bars I saw them for the mazdaspeed 3 but not the regular 3. Should those bars fit on both vehicles or should I look elsewhere. Also I forgot to ask what the best chip system is along with a standalone fuel management system. I heard the standalone FMS is the only way to remove the 118mph speed limiter. Again thanks.

 

You would have to convert to the rear MS links in order to use bars designed for an MS. But it has been done many times already, so I know it's not a difficult conversion.

Personally, I am not going to spend +/-$1600 to find out. It's just not worth it when an MS3 is already out there and has most of the goodies you'd want.
I have heard/read that a piggy-back does not work effectively on these cars, so standalone is your only option. W/O a turbo in the mix I would not even consider it for my situation.

Tri-Point Engineering has what I understand and have read to be the best turbo conversion kit out there. (Still $4G though.) Mated with the 5-sp manual and the lighter weight of the NA chassis/body and you have one mean machine.
Before they went under, Sport Car Compact mag did a comparison between their turboed '06 HB and a stock MS3. According to their findings, the 5-sp actually made the car faster around the track because of the longer gears and fewer shifts required, especially in the turns. But the MS was still a click faster in the straights and of course, has an LSD which the NA does not have.
My question would be what about long term reliability in the converted car?