the sway bars...


Today I just ordered the Mazdaspeed shocks, MS Springs, MS Tower Braces (front and rear) pretty much everything except the front/rear sway bars.

I'm excited to get these parts on my car in the next 2 or 3 weeks hopefully and am wondering if i REALLY need to spend an extra 1/2 a grand to get the sway bars, i've read they are only 18% stiffer then what's already under my car. And iv'e read anyway that most of the modifications to the suspension are in the shocks and springs anyway from mazdaspeed? Dropping $1,100 for all the above parts kinda scared me hitting the "order" button but whats done is done.

Thanks<
jeff

 

I hear ya Jeff. I have my MS sways on the way.. already have the two tower braces... I just need the springs and shocks... but it seems like you'll be beating me to it, so let me know how it goes.

:D

 

Can you tel me where you ordered the parts? I tried ordering the shocks/springs today from mazdaparts but it will not let me login no matter how many times a make an account

 

dunno what to say - i'm coming from a 100% stock suspension system (well stock for the GT model)

My real question hasnt really been answered though - how "necessary" are the MS Sway bars if I were to have every other piece of the MS suspension? Reason I ask is because I'm itching to get a Racing Beat Flywheel and ACT Street/Strip clutch.

If the specs say only 18% stiffer then the stock, I would say that doenst really justify the extra 500 dollars if all the REAL gains are to be had in the shocks/springs/tower braces which I will already have. I guess if anyone already has the full mazdaspeed suspension system, how much MORE of a difference would the MS sways make?

 

I would get the front sway bar and not worry about the rear.........hmm be sure to post how stiff the ride feels with the MS setup.....my Koni and Tein's are hard as hell no matter how I adjust them =(

 

I've got the Mazdaspeed springs and Racing Beat swaybars with Koni Yellow shocks. The car is a lot stiffer. Unfortunately, it isn't any faster at autocross than I was on stock shocks, springs and rear sway. The RB front sway can do a lot to improve the handling of the stock suspension.

I think I'm going back to the OEM front and Rear swaybars. I think I'm giving up too much grip with the big bars (on Street tires.) I'll see if the new shocks and springs alone can keep up in the transitions and try to get more lateral grip with the stock bars. My thinking may be flawed, but my experience is that big swaybars aren't doing much to help now that I've improved the shocks.

 

The sways will do much more for your handling than the strut tower bars will. If you're spending the money, go there first. Your car already has a front strut tower bar- why did you order the MS bar of unknown benefit if you're not sure an 18% stiffer sway is worth it?

Don't get just a front bar unless you like understeer.

The MS springs are really stiff. So are the RB swaybars. Putting them together doesn't promise good handling, since the balance isn't there.