Hey everyone. I will be replacing my shocks sometime this month, but I'm not sure which shock will work best for me.

I don't drive "aggressive" or "auto-x/drift" maybe once in awhile I'll kick the back end out in a U-turn. Because of work, there are times when I have to drive on roads that I wouldn't even take a truck on. So durability is important to me.

The car came with S. Tech springs, and I like the lowered look, so I plan on keeping these springs. I have been looking at the MS shocks and Koni Yellow Sports.

I only found one member using MS shocks w/S. Tech springs. But it seems he crashed his car a year or so ago. Really trying to find more info on how this set up holds up.

I read a lot about the koni's w/ S. Tech/H. Tech and it seems like a good set up. But adjustable shocks are not important to me at all. And the Ms ones are cheaper. So if I can save a little cash and still get a decent ride that will last that would be great.

I plan on using:
-S.Tech Springs
-EVO-R endlinks
-Stock Swaybars
-Stock Wheels
-______ Shocks?

Thanks For any input.
-Shawn

 

I use H. Tech and Koni Yellows....I'm happy with the set up.

I don't know much about the Mazdaspeed shocks, I imagine they'd do well for your intended use.


From the info. that I've read, those who use MS shocks seem pretty satisfied. Look around and absorb what you find.

 

I had MS shocks that I bought slightly used from a local with S techs and they were okay but honestly I felt no difference over the stock Tokicos and they eventually blew and I replaced them with used stock shocks. Then those blew and I replaced them with KYB gas adjusts ( high pressure mono tube shocks, I have a thread about them) and I really like the KYB's thus far for daily duty.

I helped grungepup install his Koni yellows and they ride great but are a pain to adjust and the Koni's will make your car lower so if you drive on rough roads I would be worried about doing damage. There is plenty of info out there about the Koni's.

You can Get Tokico D-Specs, and Tokico HP (blues) as well.

 

if durability is ur concern, get KYB gas-A-just like 9krpmrx8 said and use aftermarket springs on it.

or get Blistein HD.

simply because with aftermarket springs, stock shocks will die really fast. it's not designed for it.

KYB Gas-A-Just has lifetime warranty, so u can go whatever f-king roads you want, it's blown? replace it for free.

Koni is good, a local here has it. but it does not have the extension cord so if u want to adjust it you HAVE TO remove it to adjust it ... I have no idea why Koni even bother.

Don't know about Tokico D-Spec.

 

Koni yellows have a lifetime too. I am curious like op, I will need new struts soon too

 

If you decide on KYB's give www.sparkplugs.com a call or visit their site and they can hook you up.

 

I appreciate the late enthusiasm guys, but I already have my shocks.

After reading... reading... and some more reading, I changed my mind about Koni and I went with Tokico D-Spec from BHR with the adjuster cables for the rear. I figured If I was going to go with adjustable shocks I might as well get some I can adjust while it's still on the car (I'm super lazy). I also wasn't sure how some shocks would hold up with S. Tech Springs, they came with the car, and I like the look so I do not intend on going with a different spring.

This would also allow me to quickly set them to the softest setting when I have to go on some real shitty roads.

I haven't installed them yet, still waiting on the Evo-R end links to come in from RR (On back order).

I'm hoping with new shocks/endlinks/,inner/outer tierods I'll be good for awhile. My car is doing a lot of wondering at hwy speeds, almost like a dead spot in the center for steering, there is also a very light "clunk" sound when you move the steering wheel back and forth with the car off. I inspected the tie rods, no tears but they look real old and dry rotted so I will be changing that along with everything else soon I hope.

-Shawn

 

The EVO-R endlinks are crap IMO, I never understood the hype and I have known of a couple of people to have problems with them (one set is for sale now). IMO, you should get whiteline or the ones Goodwin sells.

The D Specs are good, we did have a local member who received a set and had sagging issues in the rear though and I think getting them replaced proved to be a pain in the *** but you are smart to have gotten them from BHR because Charles will take care of you if any issues arise.

 

I have some autoexe endlinks and from what I understand the evo-r ones are the same. I like mine. I like my current set way more than the agency power ones I had.
Just be sure to check them seasonally, I heard they could come a bit loose. I haven't had any problems.

 

The only 2 adjustable endlinks I knew of was AP and Evo-R, I read a couple of members thought the Evo-Rs were not noisy compared to the AP so I went with them. What kind of problems are people having with the EVO-Rs?

Yeah, I like dealing with Charles, very friendly and helpful.

Thanks for the heads up Chad.

 

A couple of people have had problems with them when too low, with them hitting and binding. PM WTBrotary, he has Koni yellows and S techs and could not get them to work right without hitting and from thepics he sent me they were installed right so I'm not sure what was going on. Not to mention the service from EVO-R is laughable at best. Ask bumblebeerx8 about his EVO-R endlinks, he had some problems with them breaking as well IIRC.

I have a full set of whiteline end-links at the house that are for Hoss-05's car and they are awesome. The rears are on already and work great with the Hotchkis bar and he is dropped on Stance Coilovers as of right now. I just need to install the fronts.

 

Would you do me a favor and take a measurement before and after the install of the D-Spec and post? I would like to know how much it drops (if any). I know many people say they experience a slight drop, but yet to see any before and after numbers.

 

It definitely drops, check out HoustonRX8's pics in the forgestar thread, he is on D Specs and progress springs (hardly any drop compared to others) and also slvrstreak's auto RX-8 (not his supercharged 6 speed) is also on D specs as well. There are plenty of pics of Dspecs..................

 

I guess I just wanted to see the measured difference since most people install the springs and shocks at the same time

 

It wouldn't do you any good honestly. In my experience even stock RX-8's can vary in height. It's actually pretty strange. We did some measurements one day at my house on a number of stock Rx-8's and rx-8's with the same suspension setups (S techs and stock shocks) and the height differences empty were different by as much as 3/4". For example, if you read my H tech to S tech comparison thread you will see that grungepup was significantly lower than me with his H techs and we were both on stock shocks at the time.

 

I did see that H tech car, damn if that car wasn't lower than any S-Tech/Koni car I ever saw. That was weird. My dillema is I would like to go lower and don't need coilovers. I need shocks and I have a good deal on D-specs locally, so I am considering both this and the (Konis which I know my car will drop considerably), but I will pay almost double to get new Konis. Sorry OP, didn't mean to thread jack. Good choice on the D-specs post up pics when you get it all together.

 

Yeah and his car is not an anomaly either, another local (grungepups fiance actually) has S techs on her 07' GT and her car is considerably lower than mine running on stock shocks, it's kind of annoying actually. It has a lot to do with shocks, the shocks on the 07's look different (labels and a white collar) so maybe they are a different spec Tokico than the earlier models. We have speculated about that.

 

I haven't had any problems. It could also be the sways they were running, spring/shock/coilover combo with height, many different factors as to their failings.
I have the autoexe bars + ends and have been very happy so far.
and I am pretty low.

 

I've had Evo-Rs on my car for several years and have had zero problems. And that's on a very low car with coilovers. However, I also run high spring rates and perhaps experience less body roll than somebody with aftermarket springs, which are pretty soft. Also, I've only run them with OEM and Whiteline bars. A soft spring/stiff bar combo would put a lot more force through the endlinks than my setup does.

 

Well, they are ON! :D

I got a surprise visit and me and a friend started installing the D-Specs at 11pm. Finished up around 1:30am. End-links still haven't come in so the busted up ones had to stay on.

Sorry this was very "all of a sudden" so I never measured the height change, honestly it looks higher even though we preloaded the springs. I'll check it out more tomorrow.

I can't believe I waited this long to get these shocks on they are FANTASTIC! I have them set on the softest setting and WOW extremely impressed! The car feels totally different. Only the driver front had any type of life left in it. The other 3 were basically dead, you can push them down with your finger.

I'm off the next 2 days so I get to play around with them and set them where I want them, and get a alignment tomorrow.

Special thanks to this forum and it's members. It helped a lot more than I want to admit.


-Shawn

 

do not use the front Evo R endlinks, they are not setup as LH/RH threads which = fail for an adjustable endlink because you have to take one side off to make any adjustment and it is a total PITA

it really PO'd me that I bought them based on all the recommendations on this forum, which only proves that many people here have no clue

finally decided to get rid of that headache and saw that Racing Beat now sells a set for a reasonable price and ordered them, so I'll be happy to finally get rid of the Evo R endlink headache

http://www.racingbeat.com/RX8/Sway-Bars/54202.html

 

Awesome, can't wait to hear your impressions when you get to push it a little harder. My shocks are worn out as well. The right front makes a noise when it unloads at low speed now, (not sure if that's the shock) but the car has been feeling more skiddish lately and jarring me around more. Not sure if you had the same feel with your old stockers.

 

I really like my D-Specs. It turns the car into a comfortable highway cruiser (even moreso than stock) , yet takes all of 5 minutes to turn it into a decent canyon carver when desired.

 

Oh snap, didn't know that. What do you recommend for the rear? Might cancel my order now and go with a different one. To be honest I'm more than frustrated at this point with this business deal for the EVO-R's, it's been 3 months since I ordered them.

Yeah, me too! I'm about to go rip up an abandoned parking lot! My stockers felt very "bouncy". I sometimes get poping noises when I get on driveways, but I'm pretty sure thats my blown endlinks.

I hear ya, even on the softest setting the car feels more stable around curves and over bumps. simply can not wait to have it all finished.

I'm extremely happy I decided to use this extra 1K on suspension instead of engine performance. I still have a little money left from it too.


Here are some of the threads that helped me, in case someone else runs into this thread.

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...hlight=preload
https://www.rx8club.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87244
http://www.hi-impact.org/ryang/modif...ock_front.html
http://www.hi-impact.org/ryang/modif...hock_rear.html


-Shawn

 

This is just heresay, but I have read a lot of people on here are happy dealing with this guy.

http://www.good-win-racing.com/Mazda...uspension.html