Hi guys,

After reading many previous threads on this forum for a while, I finally bought a set a Koni yellow shocks and Tanabe GF210 springs. (from DPEWEB.com)

Today I had the local Mazda dealer (Anderson Ford Mazda) installed them for me (Myself have very limited knowledge of suspension). But apparently something is WRONG --- the front dropped but the rear not (if not higher). The GF210 is supposed to drop about 1.4/1.2 F/R but now my car looks funny and stupid.
Please see the pictures I just took after I got home.

I've read about tightening the control arm bolts when the car is on the ground and told the technician the same thing when I saw the car like that. He said he doesn't believe the car look right either and didn't know what else do to lower the rear. They said the problem was the springs, which I doubt.

What's wrong? Please help me, anything you can share will be appreciated!!
I really feel bad when driving my car now.:banghead:

Man... I never had this problem but I know you need to wait a little to set in the springs. It shouldnt be that high though. Others will be able to help I bet. GL

Thanks 4 ur reply.
Yes, It's very high and when I drive it, I feel I am going down from the top of a mountain. The rear didn't drop at all.

I was not allowed to go into the dealer shop's working area so I didn't see what the mechanic did. But I told him to loose the control arm bolts and retighten them when the car's on the ground. He came back later and told that didn't work. Not likely since he's a mechanic but is there any chance he didn't loose the right bolts? If he did wrong, how could the front be dropped?

Any possibility the problem is the springs, like they said?

I live in an apt without a garage and necessary tools. Otherwise, maybe I could try it myself.

looks like the rear control arm bolts weren't loosened properly, or maybe the bottom end of the spring wasn't seated all the way around in the end of the shock perch (long shot)? Or is it possible they put the wrong springs on the wrong end since it looks seriously dropped in the front and seriously high in the rear? The front springs have a higher rate and different length than the rear.

However, Tanabe is known to f'up too. There was a member here that bought their rear swaybar and it came with bushings that could not possibly work, but Tanabe insisted they were the right ones. No way, no how ...

Hi teamrx8,

Here are two pictures I took of the springs after I got them.
The shorter ones are for the front and longer ones are for the rear, right?

I read the story about that Tanabe sway bar too, but heard nothing bad yet from other members who installed the springs.

Do the rear springs look longer than they should? Did they really f'up the one I ordered? I hope not....

As seen in pictures, there is a piece of black plastic on each springs and I noticed that the mechanic left them on. Should them be removed before being put on the car?

did he load them? or i forget the term, but from what i hear, with these springs, is you're supposed to have them compressed all the way then do an alignment.

maybe he didn't do that?

if it doesn't feel right as well then I would have them removed. If you search up gf210 on this board, you will come across other members that have them and the car looks great. a lot of blabbering about wishing it was lower, but nothing a coil-over setup can't do.

I think using the spring compressor is just make it much easier to install the spring, then release it from the compressor. It won't change the length of the springs. I might be wrong though.

the bushings get loaded and keep the car up if the suspension arm bolts aren't loosened and allowed to break free to the new, lower ride height before retightening them

I have the exact same springs and my car doesnt look like that. My drop is great. The backend is lower and same with the front. Def a mean stance these springs give my car.

But im sorry to hear about your situation. Hope all works out for you.

Thanks, Moete. I hope this can be resolved soon, very soon.

Even if not 100% clear yet if that's the Mazda dealer' fault this time but I honestly do not trust them (at least not any more).

I had a mazda6 before, and when I sent it to have brake pads replaced, they damaged my car like this: (they replaced the door afterwards but the body work was not very good).

I thought about giving them another chance, but am afraid that was a wrong decision.
They charged me 470 bucks today and my car ended up like this.

If time allowed, I really need to learn doing stuff myself.

I can't tell from the pics which is which, the higher rate front springs would typically have a larger wire diameter than the rear springs

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=40234

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=46048

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=61558

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=86757

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=23403

Thanks for finding the links for me, I am reading now.

front springs part no. ends in F and are shorter

rear springs part no. ends in R and are longer

you may be able to verify the number by pulling the wheel and checking the part no.s

otherwise I don't thing the rear suspension was broken free on the chassis side and settled properly before retightening

Appreciated! I will check that in the morning. Will post updates here.

How many miles have you put on it since picking it up?

After installing my Tein S-Techs, the rear looked higher than stock. Took it for a 20 minute drive and took it over a few speed bumps, etc. Got home, measured, and it had dropped about an inch. Over the next few weeks, the whole car settled another 1/2".

Drive it around and get the rear to compress as much as you can, see if it will settle.

How many miles have you put on it since picking it up?

After installing my Tein S-Techs, the rear looked higher than stock. Took it for a 20 minute drive and took it over a few speed bumps, etc. Got home, measured, and it had dropped about an inch. Over the next few weeks, the whole car settled another 1/2".

Drive it around and get the rear to compress as much as you can, see if it will settle.

Had the same 'issue'. Even after trying to put load on new S-tech springs, my rear was riding higher than stock as well. Over the next couple of days I saw it creep downward thought and now everything is fine.

I checked the part #s and both front and rear seem correct to me.

mazmart and worm, so you both experienced a big 'sudden' settle? We talking about something big, like 1.0+ inch drop? Not sure if that 'miracle' will happen to me. That doesn't sound a normal settle though.

I talked to another shop this morning and they have a busy schedule today. They told me they could look at it for me tomorrow. Of course, I need to pay....

I would say it took two days before I noticed the rears settling. The front was immediate.

I only switched out the springs though, left stock shocks.

mazmart, so far I drove about 35 miles after picking it up. NE's roads have lots of bumps but I haven't seen any change compared it looked like on yesterday's pictures. hoping to see changes though.

Might not be a good question, but do new shocks (other than coilovers) matter the ride's height?
My koni yellows are not height-adjustable, just firm/soft. I set one full turn from full soft (both front and rear) out of the range of 5 half-turns.

Odd, How could the Koni shocks stop you'r springs from settling?

Yeah...that makes no sense.

they can't. I believe they didn't pre-load.

Did they cut the bumpstops (or do you have to with the Koni's)?

edit - nevermind - that wouldn't have anything to do with the ride height. Just thinking out loud. Hope you get it worked out.

Preload? I've seen so many people with this issue when they install new springs. I highly doubt that your springs will "settle" an inch or more. When I installed my S-Techs they dropped to the perfect height right when I took it off the jack stands (and yes, I preloaded, see DIY link below). Usually the preload issue shows up front though, so I'm not sure if that would cause the back to sit high like that.

I followed MazdaManiacs excellent DIY: http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=87244&highlight=diy+tokico (great avatars are a bonus). It really shouldn't matter what springs/shocks you are installing, this is a great DIY for how to remove and install the suspension components.

Thanks aipex,

Just make sure I undestand this:

'Pre-load' means: raise the car into the air - loose the two bolts of control arms on each side - put the car back to the ground - re-tighten the bolts
Is that right? Or it is something else?

If that's the case, I will try to do it today after I get off work and see if that helps.

I am aware that in MOST cases this type of issue happens to the front, not rear. But if the shop didn't do it right or the guy knows shit about this procedure, I don't undertand why the front got dropped.

I didnt have to pre-load my rears, only the front.. I can't even imagine that pre-loading the rear would have any effect.
Regardless, try it. You might even take the time to take the rear wheel/s off and take a look at the install yourself.

Yes, regardless, I will try it, since Im kind of desperate now.

the rear is a multi-link, you need to break the bolts loose on the chassis side of every suspension arm, so it's more like 5 or 6 per side, then you'd need to realign it too since two of those arm ends are for the camber and toe adjusters

and I'm trying hard to get people on this forum to stop calling it pre-loading

Pre-loading is what happens if you don't loosen the suspension arm end before lowering the car; this pre-loads the bushing, which is what keeps the car jacked up. What you are actually doing is loading the suspension with the weight of the car before locking the control arm bushings into their new static ride height position

thx, teamrx8.

Today after work, I jacked the car and loosed (very loose) 5 bolts (yeah, teamrx8, there are 5 of them) on the rear passenger side. Then lowered the jack and put it to the ground. No change at all.

I didn't do the driver side since it was already close to dark. But there was no need to bother though.

So I guess that's not the reason.

you could try to load the trunk up with weight for several days to see if that helps settle the springs, but generally speaking quality springs don't settle :dunno:

That's exactly I am going to do --- last shot.
Thanks teamrx8, for always being here with me, as well as all of other members who gave your thoughts. Really appreciated!

If it doesn't work either (probably not I'm afraid), I will have to pay for another set of springs and installation. Sucks.
Sigh..........

Are you 100% sure the markings on the springs in the front have the F as indicated by another thread member?

I got eibachs put on mine, but prior to install, the shop let me check them out. if i recall, the shorter springs went on the rear, and the markings on the eibachs I had specified which were the front and which code was for the rear.

Sorry to double check you on this, your last statement was 'it looked right'. So please confirm either by the box/manual install instructions or manufactures reference.

Once you've inspected the code on the spring to match for it to be front or back. Feel free to rule this out, but this looks to be the most obvious cause, especially since your front is lower then what the manufacturer listed for a drop. :)


best of luck!

he already did several posts up, they were OK

whitebeau, teamrx8 you both were right!! -- the dealer put the front springs to the rear and rear ones to the front.

I finally clearly checked the part # last night. I jacked the car and removed the rear passanger side wheel and put my head inside there as much as possible, then I found out they were messed up.

Tanabe now uses these part #:
Front: 0705 SE3PGF
Rear: 0705 SE3PGR

Tanabe added an addition letter 'G' to both fromt and rear #, compared to the thread that was posted before. The first time I checked the #s was yesterday morning and I was in a hurry to work. Didn't have time to jack the car and remove the wheel. Since it was still kind of dark outside and the angle I was looking from was very tough for my neck. I saw that 'G' following 'SE3P' and believed it was a 'R'. (I though there was only on letter following 'P'). My bad~~~

So, I drove it to the dealer this morning and they re-did the install for me. The car basically looks fine now but the front is 1.25-1.5 finger higher than rear. I think this maybe because the earlier wrong positions made them settle differently? I hope they will get settle closer after a couple day's driving on their correct positions. I have no idea if previous wrong installtion would cause any potencial damage to the springs which I will suffer later. Hope not.

But at least the springs now sit at where they are supposed to. I really appreciate EVERYONE's kind help during the past two days!! You guys are the best!

There is just another thing.

My '05 rx8 was a used car when I bought it. Before upgrading the suspension this time, I found the car's body leans toward drives side if looking carefully (when parking on a very even ground). When I checked more, the left rear gap between tire and fender is about 0.3 - 0.4 inch lower than the right rear side. Both front sides are almost even though.

I was believing either the spring or the shock might be damaged when the first owner had it. That was part of the reason I made this upgrade, hoping to fix this issue. But now with the new springs and shocks installed, the situation is still the same. So I think it should have nothing to with the installation this time.

Could this be a chassis problem? My car still has fully warrenty, which should cover this if something else is broken.

if they loosened the bolts on the front arms after the spring install and had it on the ground, it should settle a little in the next couple weeks depending on how you drive. those springs are wound to seat a specific way, but i can't imagine damage occurring, the whole 'seating period' is basically the expected breakin period of the spring that's expected.

My eibachs had 1.25 drop on all 4's, and the front appear to be higher, but depending on the perspective when you look at it sometimes it looks like it's sitting lower on the rear. measuring the clearance before it was lowered, and the clearance from the ground before and after... i've had 1.2 +/- .2 all the way around, so looks can be deceiving.

In regards to the car leaning? i'd check for any section that looks like it has been completely replaced. I've taco'd a suspension side in my 240sx drifting over a curb (little 2 fast, and not enough brake) had the whole right side suspension replaced, even after that I think the frame had a slight bend.

unless other people have a better suggestion, once the suspension linkage looks good (inspection). i'd go coilovers and get it corner balanced. of course unless you find an offending bent arm, control arm....etc.


Have a good weekend!
:)

My car's clearance is almost the same front/rear on the passanger side and about .3 difference on the drives side, due to the leaning. So I think to make it perfectly even, the front gap should be somewhere higher than the rear, as a stock 8 is.
To make some aggresive look, like using s-tech, the rear clearance will be slightly higer than front. This would be a personal perference about how to lower your 8.

Sorry to hear the accident you had before. I will check my suspension with a better mazda dealer later to see what they can find.
Thanks for the info you provided and u have a nice weekend too!

you have to be on PERFECTLY flat surface to get accurate measurements, I wouldn't sweat it

post some followup pics

I will take & upload some pics tomorrow.

Follow-up: here is what my car looks now.

The first pic shows the front part #

very nice.

glad it worked out..

beers :beer:

Thanks, actually I am drinking beer right now when reading threads :)

Today I jacked the car, loosened and re-tightened the front control arm bolts when the car was on the ground.
It turned out the front drop about .3 inch more on both sides than the pictures above.
I did this because I doubted the dealer guy actually did what I told him to do.

Stupid questions it might be, but do I need another allignment becasue of what I did today?

Thanks, actually I am drinking beer right now when reading threads :)

Today I jacked the car, loosened and re-tightened the front control arm bolts when the car was on the ground.
It turned out the front drop about .3 inch more on both sides than the pictures above.
I did this because I doubted the dealer guy actually did what I told him to do.

Stupid questions it might be, but do I need another allignment becasue of what I did today?


yes,

but better yet. loosen them up again and drive around the block one or twice. then tighten them up...

wait 2 weeks. till it really settles. then have them realign it.

dont ask me how i know.

beers :beer:

Will do that.
Thanks, man!!

Follow-up: here is what my car looks now.

The first pic shows the front part #

Question: I noticed that it looks like your spring has a black piece of rubber around it. Did it come with this or did the mechanic add it? I think I may need to add that since I'm hearing some noises from the MS suspension and I think it's the springs rubbing. Anyone know where you can get this?

Looks much better.

I got the eibach's and had to do the antiSwoope "pre-loading" thing afterwards since the shop where I got them didn't do that. Also, I'm kinda small (5'4") so I've had some BIG people at shops/dealer drive my car and that helped the springs settle, I think.

I had the same problem. Loosen the bolts on the suspension arms and drive around a little bit to load the suspension. The probably tightened the bolts before loading the suspension properly

The black plastic coating came with the springs. You can check the picture in post #5 of this thread, it was taken right after I took the springs out of shipping box.

The plastic is near to the end of each spring, where will be highly compressed once installed on the car. My understanding is for the protection purposes.
Other guys can give you more accrurate answers.
So your MS springs didn't come with the plastic coating? Maybe that's fine since manufacturs have different designs. Other MS users?

Recently I always 'kindly offer' other people a ride. The real reason is the person can sit on my passanger seat to help me settle springs on another side :)

The black plastic coating came with the springs. You can check the picture in post #5 of this thread, it was taken right after I took the springs out of shipping box.

The plastic is near to the end of each spring, where will be highly compressed once installed on the car. My understanding is for the protection purposes.
Other guys can give you more accrurate answers.
So your MS springs didn't come with the plastic coating? Maybe that's fine since manufacturs have different designs. Other MS users?

Recently I always 'kindly offer' other people a ride. The real reason is the person can sit on my passanger seat to help me settle springs on another side :)

wow,

u r nice!!!! :) i bet you look for fat people.

beers :beer:

well....fat ppl will be ideal. but if a 400-pound guy and a hot girl ask for a ride at the same time, you know my choice! :)

well....fat ppl will be ideal. but if a 400-pound guy and a hot girl ask for a ride at the same time, you know my choice! :)

speed humps.

beers :beer: