Mazdaspeed shocks and springs only - how good is this setup?
 

Anybody with only the Mazdaspeed shocks and springs? Please let me know how the ride feels. How much better is this compared to the stock setup, especially in the body roll segment? Any issues with the ground clearance?

I do not want to get the braces because the rear one messes up the usuability of the trunk space.

Thanks in advance!

I can only offer info on the ride height, which is better than stock. I'm 13.5" from fender to center of wheel on the rears, and 14.5" on the fronts. I have 245/40's on the stock rims. I would highly recommend the lower stabilizer bars and the upper shock tower braces. At least the front one if you don't want the rear one. I just drove the car at Portland International Raceway and it handled like a dream at high speed. Almost no body roll at all.

:D

I have the MS springs, shocks and sway bars. The ride quality for me is fine, its stiff, but not to bad. The RB springs I think have a slightly better ride, but I think my handles better at the limits. What ever you do, don't get just the MS springs, the springs rates won't work with the stok shocks, you have to have the MS shocks as well.

The sway bars make a big difference, you can go without them at first, but if you really want the car to handle I would get them as well.

It seems that aftermarket springs including Mazdaspeed seem to make the rear suspension a little more noisey in the rear. The solution to this or what ever you choose is to install the Mazda6 spring caps that were used to cure the noise problems in the 6's front suspension. They are little plastic pieces that go around the top and bottom of the spring.

got to Mazda6tech.com and look for the issue on noisy suspension on their board. You find the part I'm talking about. All the dealers carry them.

Looks like you don't have the tower braces. Am I right on this? Please tell me more. How is the body roll with just the Mazdaspeed springs, shocks and sways? Have you driven the the car without the sways? Thanks.

I am afraid of messing up the balance of the car if I get only the front tower brace. If it is too stiff in the front as compared to the rear won't it cause more oversteer? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Also, do you have any issues with bad roads, bumps or curbs? Thanks.

I don't have the underbraces or the MS front or rear tower bars, no real issue. my only complaint is that the MS sways don't come with new bushings, they reuse the stock rubber ones, which are ok, but I'd like some urethane replacements. I have some energy suspension replacements for the front of the car, but not the rear bar.

My advice after installing both the full Racing Beat Kit (on a friends car) and the Full Mazdaspeed kit is if your going to seriously auto-x or track the car, the MS is a better choice, if not than get the Racing Beat kit. The ride quality of the RB kit is slightly better and it handles well. Its not that you couldn't auto-x or track the RB setup, but the MS will handle slightly better at the limits.

Are you going to Sevenstock? I am in Long beach and my suspension consists of only the Mazdaspeed springs/shocks and new wheels/tires. I can take you for a ride if you are going to be at Sevenstock or perhaps some other time if you just want to check it out.

I think this setup works well as a street/track compromise as I have done both. Works great.

I am planning to go there on Saturday. Please let me know if you will be around. Thanks for the offer. Much appreciated.

id be interested to check it out too. ill be there on sat as well.

denward

I will be there and cruising in with the rest of the OC/LA guys from Cerritos that morning so we should all be parked together.

This is my car. -

http://www.murix.com/albums/RX-8/ima...109.JPG_fl.jpg

http://www.murix.com/albums/RX-8/ima...111.JPG_fl.jpg

What kind of rims and tires combo do you have?? Looks like it has a different offset (or wider width?) compared to the OEM rims as it got pushed out of the corners somewhat.

The rear strut bar won't make much difference either way. The car is already plenty stiff there. The front bar doesn't offer any advantage over stock, except that it has a stopper that reinforces the brake master cylinder and offers a slight improvement in feel under hard braking.

The car handles great with the Mazdaspeed shocks and springs but is still very "streetable". You will also want the MS rear anti-roll bar ONLY if you want the best possible handling and performance from this setup. If you like that "showroom floor understeer" then buy the stiffer front bar too.

Steven

The rims are Enkei RP01's 18x8.5 with a +35mm offset, the most you can fit in there. I measured. It is at the limit. I wanted that. No rubbing though. The tires are Kumho Ecsta MX 245/40/18.

>You will also want the MS rear anti-roll bar ONLY if you want the best possible ........

Since they're non adjustable, would installing the rear anti-roll bar only cause too much oversteer, especially in track driving condition?

Has anyone tried running the Mazdaspeed springs with adjustable Koni shocks? I searched and found one mention of it saying the Koni's did not work well with the Mazdaspeed springs. Not much more info.

are you wondering about ride height or just handling? I also have the MS rear stut bar. I don't feel a difference but I can say the car creeked for the rearwhen turning hard and now it does not

beside compring the MS shock and springs to the RB's. Have anyone done any comparision between the MS vs the Tein Steck with basic damper kit.

Just the handling, any reason Mazdaspeed springs and Koni shocks will not work well together?

hate to resurect an old thread but just to let you know, im going with konis and vagtland springs which are about as stiff as the MS ones. ill let you know how it goes.

denward

anyway, i just ordered mine MS spring and shock.
will let you guys know how they feel like.

How much for this setup?

No.

Steven

I wouldn't recommend installing the rear swaybar only, most of us running Stock class are using a stiffer front bar only. If you have understeer with the MS spring/bar combo it's from other issues. That said, the MS bars aren't much stiffer than OE. I see a lot of people complaining about the factory stock RX-8 understeering, my experience is the opposite. Mostly an issue of improper alignment, improper tire pressures, and overly-mad driving skillz.

from what ive seen,
konis cost about $540-600 (call phil at DPE. by far the cheapest)
vagtland springs cost about $190-350

the springs are pretty expensive but worth it IMO. the rep said they are about 80% stiffer then stock and are an even 1 inch drop all around which is about perfect for what i need. i was looking into tien s techs for a while but decided against them b/c i dont like the idea of slamming the front of the car almost 2 inches and not even an inch in the back. thats just asking to mess up suspension geometry. right now im hoping that the springs and shocks will be enouph to eliminate most of the roll. id rather do that and have a smaller sways then thick sways and softer springs.

id still like to know why people are saying that the mazdaspeed springs dont work with the koni shocks. i hope i chose a good combo. :fingersx:

denward

I can't speak to how well the MS springs would work with the koni's, but they were designed to match the MS shocks, which is why I went that way.

If your going Koni, I would get the RB springs, as they worked together on developing the proper shock stiffness.

Not saying the Koni won't work with other setups, these are just the best combo's I know work well.