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Technically, all you need is springs, however you should replace the shocks on a car that old while you are in there. Check that. You also need adjustable end links or your sway bars will bind.
I would not trust any car parts from eBay unless they are brand name.
1.2" of drop looks good and is very noticeable. I would not want to drop it more than that, as it affects handling. My car is lowered an inch in this photo:
Yes. The OEM end links are fixed length and are made for the factory ride height. Lowering the car puts the links and the sway bars in a state of permanent bind. I have White Lines adjustable links on my car and don't much like them. I would go Racing Beat if I were you.
Yes. The OEM end links are fixed length and are made for the factory ride height. Lowering the car puts the links and the sway bars in a state of permanent bind. I have White Lines adjustable links on my car and don't much like them. I would go Racing Beat if I were you.
...1.2" of drop looks good and is very noticeable. I would not want to drop it more than that, as it affects handling...
^- this is also good to keep from grinding on speed bumps and poorly sloped driveways! I am at the point where I personally like my drop and I can clear speed bumps if I take them easy.
If you want the car to handle well (which is largely the point of the RX-8), you need the sway bars, and you need them to be set correctly. Mazda did an excellent job of designing this suspension, and deleting things just to lower the car or save a little money is a bit foolish in my opinion. At the very least, you need the front bar (some guys remove the rear for the track), but be aware that removing the rear bar will add understeer to the handling (probably fine for the street too).
Excellent instructions for replacing suspension components can be downloaded from this page on Racing Beat's web site.
Good luck.
Last edited by Steve Dallas; Mar 3, 2015 at 10:08 AM.
If you want the car to handle well (which is largely the point of the RX-8), you need the sway bars, and you need them to be set correctly. Mazda did an excellent job of designing this suspension, and deleting things just to lower the car or save a little money is a bit foolish in my opinion. At the very least, you need the front bar (some guys remove the rear for the track), but be aware that removing the rear bar will add understeer to the handling (probably fine for the street too).
Excellent instructions for replacing suspension components can be downloaded from this page on Racing Beat's web site.
Good luck.
Thank you for the link.. I meant like I don't need to replace the sway bars - I can keep them as long as I get adjustable end links and the mazdaspeed coilovers haha I was not planning on taking them off, I know they are better for handling and want to keep my car that way. The handling is one of the things I love the most.
Yes. The stock sway bars are fine. I track my car about 10 times per year and find it to be very neutral with the stock bars on the tracks I frequent. Some guys either remove the rear bar or add a heavier front bar and keep the stock rear bar to take out some oversteer, but that is really a matter of personal preference and/or varies from car to car.
So if lowering springs are used all end links need to be changed or just fronts? Is it absolutely necessary to change sway bars?
Sorry not trying to Jack your thread, you just saved me from starting one.
None of the springs I have looked at tell you to change your endlinks or your suspension will bind.
Probably something they should tell you upfront.
