how to setup mazdaspeed coil-over kit on my ms3

[cghms3]

before I put the mazdaspeed coil-over kit on, I ran my car at "slightly" over the speed limit,
the car felt very stable. I had my mechanic install the coil-overs, and left it at the factory
settings. I took the car on the same back road, and again pushed it "slightly" over the
speed limit - the car was a handful to control. The car is much better when driving on tight
mountain roads, but it is very nervous at high speed. too much rebound? Too much
compression? or too much of both? thanks for any input you could provide for me. The car
has been corner - weighted too.

mazdaspeed cai, mazdaspeed coilovers, mazdaspeed cbe, cobb tuning shift linkage, SURE
rear engine mount

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

before I put the mazdaspeed coil-over kit on, I ran my car at "slightly" over the speed limit,
the car felt very stable. I had my mechanic install the coil-overs, and left it at the factory
settings. I took the car on the same back road, and again pushed it "slightly" over the
speed limit - the car was a handful to control. The car is much better when driving on tight
mountain roads, but it is very nervous at high speed. too much rebound? Too much
compression? or too much of both? thanks for any input you could provide for me. The car
has been corner - weighted too.

mazdaspeed cai, mazdaspeed coilovers, mazdaspeed cbe, cobb tuning shift linkage, SURE
rear engine mount

I doubt the coilovers set at factory specs would make your car feel that way as many companies set them to their recommended settings for each car before they leave the factory.

You could just be too high off the ground in the front and your car is catching air under the front of the car and pushing it up causing the front wheels to be light or.....

You do not have tires with stiff sidewalls and or just bad tires that seem to "float" at high speed.

 

[cghms3]

Same tires as before I put the coil-overs on, the factory Bridgestone Potenzas RE50's.readjust my air presurre from
34front, 34 rear to 34front and 36 rear, to (hopefully) decrease understeer, however slight the change (if any).
You brought up the point that the front end might be lifting, however, the car is lowered about 1.5". You may be
right that the mechanics did not setup the compression/rebound to factory specs. The car is'nt harsh driving on
city streets and freeways. Should they start over at full soft, then go up from there? I do take up mountain roads
and the rural long straights and open it up. Oh, anther clue - before I had the coil-overs on, at "higher" speeds,
the car would squat down with the wind pushing down, and it felt very stable. And again, after the coil-overs were
put on, the car did not squat, which may mean too much compression? and rebound is off too. thanks. cghms3

 

[H3br3w_Ham3r]

Same tires as before I put the coil-overs on, the factory Bridgestone Potenzas RE50's.readjust my air presurre from
34front, 34 rear to 34front and 36 rear, to (hopefully) decrease understeer, however slight the change (if any).
You brought up the point that the front end might be lifting, however, the car is lowered about 1.5". You may be
right that the mechanics did not setup the compression/rebound to factory specs. The car is'nt harsh driving on
city streets and freeways. Should they start over at full soft, then go up from there? I do take up mountain roads
and the rural long straights and open it up. Oh, anther clue - before I had the coil-overs on, at "higher" speeds,
the car would squat down with the wind pushing down, and it felt very stable. And again, after the coil-overs were
put on, the car did not squat, which may mean too much compression? and rebound is off too. thanks. cghms3

Perhaps you are just more planted to the road now and you feel more through the wheel?

Or they never fixed your alignment and that is all out of whack. I know you need rear camber plates to adjust in the rear.

 

[cghms3]

camber links

hi - I did have the mazdaspeed camber links installed. - maybe they set the coilovers
too stiff on rebound and compression? should I go full soft and go up gradually from there?
I had a shop that works on race and street cars do the alignment and also had the car
corner-weighted.

 

[spdjnke]

with them set as low as you have them, they will be "stiff" cuz there isn't going to be much available travel left....I would recommend that you readjust the settting to full soft and try each setting from there till you find that "perfect" one for what you need.

 

[cghms3]

agreed - thanks!