I just had the MS Struts and Springs installed (no swaybars) and I must say it is awesome. This is the way the car should be from the factory. The ride isn't as hard as I was expecting and the stability and handling seems much improved. I do have a question though.

When taking corners fast (but not faster then before the MS upgrade) I get the feeling that the rear end is sliding even if it isn't. It is hard to explain, before there was lots of body roll but it seemed balanced front to rear. Now the car is staying flatter, but it feels like the rear is sliding even if it really isn't. I was wondering if upgrading swaybars would help? The tires are stock size Toyo Proxies from Les Schwab.

 

just wondering, you don't have the mazdaspeed shocks?

 

I do have the shocks and the springs. I read numerous threads on here about going with both at the same time. I was thinking that I have never really driven a RWD sportscar with a suspension setup before so maybe I am just not used to the dynamics yet.

 

strut=shock body+spring perch... close enough.

 

The change in spring rate is:

Stock Sport -> Mazdaspeed
Front:
156 lb/ft -> 280 lb/ft ~ 80% increase
Rear:
113 lb/ft -> 190 lb/ft ~ 70% increase

I always thought that relatively stiffer springs in the front meant more understeer, so it seems strange to me that your car is oversteering more. Maybe the shock dampening is different? Hopefully someone can clarify.

I am really interested in this issue because I currently have the Racing Beat sway bars installed with the stock shocks/springs, and I experience slight understeer. I am looking to get the Mazdaspeed shocks/springs, but after hours of rummaging through this forum I still haven't seen anyone with RB sways/MS shocks-springs setup that has given his account of the handling balance. Is there anyone out there can that can share?!?!??

 

I had MS springs on my Koni's with the RB bars for a short while (1 day) and took them off. What I experience was a crazy loose condition when pushing the car on the twisties. It was odd. On corners the stock springs handled fine I was getting a DSC light. Since I know the roads well I disabled the DSC and found the rear end was floating around like a 1st gen. My conclusion was the springs, shocks, and bars are matched and the stiffer springs were incompatible with the the rest of my set up. I put the RB springs back on and all was well again. From my experience with RB sways there is some understeer with stock springs. RB springs are vritually nuetral and MS springs = oversteer.

 

I just thought I would give a quick update. I'm noticing little tire squeaks making sharp low speed turns that I never noticed before. I think the softer suspension had a little more give in it that helped the tires bite better in that situation. I defintely feel that stickier tires are in order.

About the loose feeling in the back, I was driving around today and never really felt that again. I also don't feel like I need stiffer sway bars. I think I made the right choice by going with the stiffer springs to help fight body roll rather then swaybars. I may do them in the future, but I am very happy now. I'm not getting near the leaning in corners that I had before. Just to clarify I never actually noticed more oversteer, I just felt like there could be some. It is possible that I am just feeling the car rotate more without the body lean.

Anyway the MazdaSpeed struts and springs are awesome, you do have to watch those driveway / parking lot entrances though.

 

Thanks for the clarification!

 

Reinyn,
I have the MS springs/shocks sitting in the garage awaiting fitting. I also do not have the MS sway bars because the diameter increase over stock is Quite small.

Please give us an appraisal of ride quality and an indication of what amount of drop you have front to back. Any photos?

Regards Rexi

 

You know my friend has the same set up with the MS swaybars and after market wheels and tires and he still gets side ways with no effort... Only thing I can think of is high grip wheels. Like some Toyo's Yoko's of Falkin's

 

Besides the slight understeer at the limit how do you like the RB swaybars? Does it help body roll quite a bit? The 8 feels pretty planted in the corners but just like my last car a M3 sedan it just felt a bit squishy around the slalom cones at autocross and tight transitions, not tight like the S2000. I'm hoping a good set of swaybars can cure that before I jump into springs/shocks or coilovers.

 

So besides the koni yellow/single adjustables would you say that RB springs, swaybars and MS shocks are the way to go? I know the RB swaybars are pretty cheap but i'm not sure about the springs. I'd like to spend under 800 bucks for springs/shocks/swaybars.

 

you guys got to understand the 8 suspension system. Look at where the shock is mounted. The front shock is connected to lower control arm around the middle, but the back is connected at the spindle. That's mean at the front you are not getting the full 280 lb/ft spring rate at the wheel, it may only be 180-190, but the rear you are getting the full 190 lb/ft, the reasult is oversteer.
you could always put more camber or toe in the fix the problem, but the best way is buy a thicker front sway bar.

 

I really like the RB sway bars. It helps tremendously with the roll, eliminating most of the body roll and making you feel very planted in the corners. Ride comfort is virtually unchanged. The best bang for the buck in handling performance IMO. Now I feel that the Dunlop tires, while having decent grip, are the weakest point of this car's handling. The sway bars increase the handling potential of the car, but the tires start slipping earlier than those limits.

Also I feel I need springs and (maybe) shocks to control the squat and dive, because even though turning without any throttle/brakes feels great, turning while braking/accelerating feels like it can be improved.

I have read in this forum that firm springs/shocks & soft sway bar combo (a la mazdaspeed) is the best way to go since the springs/shocks not only effectively control the roll but also the squat and dive at the same time. My priorities are ride comfort, then performance, since I'm driving mostly street, so I'm probably going with the RB springs, since it's usually the shocks and springs that hurt ride comfort. But I hear nothing but praise for the Mazdaspeed setup having great performance along with a surprisingly smooth ride, which is why I am curious about the RB sway/MS struts combo.

 

In two weeks im probably going to add the MS springs&shocks to my setup of RB sways endlinks and greddy rear strut tower bar.

I'll post on how it goes.

As for the bars I have on now.

First thing I put on was the greddy rear strut tower bar. Definetly a great buy, tightened up the back noticibly, made the rear take bumps in the road more evenly and feel more planted in corners, less body roll. Wheel hop on takeoff was greatly taken care of with this mod.

Then I added the swaybars and as a daily mode of transportation its really getting to be a chore to drive.

When just driving around the town(with the RB sways added), the car feels much more solid going over bumps. TO explain this: My impression of the stock suspension was that there was body roll taking corners at moderate speed and above, and when going over parallel road bumps like railroad tracks the front of the car would take it just fine, it would hit and recoil evenly, but when the rear wheels went over the bumps, the tail seems to shoot up in the air and skitter when it came down. Its like both wheels went up with the bump, but when they came down one or the other hit the ground before the other one and started a harmonic bouncing where the rear end just felt really light and unstable, basically a lot of *** hop. If it was accelerating while going over said bumps I would get DSC lights on and loss of traction.

The rear strut bar tightened this feeling up, but only in the rear. If your just planning on trying to mod to get rid of the *** hop, I suggest you stop after the rear strut tower bar, it really cures about 90% of the *** hop problem. And at about $133 its a great buy!

But with the swaybars on both the front and the rear it really feels solid now. When I hit the same bumps around town that would send the rear into a frenzy the rear goes quickly and easily over these bumps and is back to traction in no time. Even some holes in the road that used to jar the car when I went over them only feel like moderate bumps. Downside now is that I feel bumps in the road that I never felt before, its not bad, its just more feedback than stock setup. Its like everything was equalized, big bumps dont feel as big, and small bumps you couldn't feel are definetly on the radar now.

Body roll is greatly reduced, it really is astonishing on how fast you can take corners now and still feel in control, even on stock springs&struts.

Steering response is very precise now, I turn the wheel slightly and the car goes there.

The car really feels VERY sporty now, a solid ride that turns and takes corners well.

Downside to this, is that the steering is so precise now that you really have to pay attention to the road, potholes and tire grooves really send the car into its own path. Its to the point where I'm afraid to drive this car when I'm tired or slightly drunk.

Oh, and wheelhop now.... nonexistant. You can actually do burnouts and quick starts without looking, sounding, and feeling like a dumbass

Long story short: When you feel like having a very sporty car (compared to stock), it really will feel like a whole new beast and you will feel invincible while driving.

When you just feel like getting from A to B, espically while impaired or distracted, whether it be work issues, trying to fix makeup in the mirror (for the ladies), put CDs in while driving, having lots of distracting passangers, being drunk or really tired. It really takes A LOT more concentration to make sure you don't do something stupid like curb check or move into other lanes on the road(thankfully I have never experienced either of these).

 

Anybody install the MS strut/spring and NOT get any drop? My dealer just installed mine and said that they checked the install twice and there is no change in ride height. Any ideas?