Improving Handling.

[goldstar]

ALright everybody. This summer i'm planning on improving my handlingon my car. I have a 2002 protege es. I have new tires, so thats nothing to worry about. But what do you guys suggest in terms of sway bars and springs? Keep in mind I have no clue how to do mechanical stuff on my car, and i also still have a warrenty on my car so i'm not sure if anything would void it. But if you guys could just give me some advice on a beginners setup that would improve handling that would be great. Thanks in advance.

If you're concerned about voiding your warranty, install MSP springs, struts and stabilizer bars. Since the factory sells these items as an approved accessory upgrade, installing them should not affect your warranty in terms of suspension components. The MSP (Racing Beat) springs provide ~ 3/4" drop. I went this route on my DX and the improvement in handling is phenomenal.

 

[Thug541]

gee if you think those are good tires, I can only imagine the look on your face if you got some Azenis or even Eagle F1s or Toyo T1S-es

if you think the dealer got you some nice tires, then you're in for a disappointment, I can assure you they found the first cheapest set of tires they could and threw them on there to get you out the door,

I'm sure they go great with the cheap snake oil they sold you as well

Hmm, i guess i haven't experienced good tires yet, coming from a 1992 toyota corolla. Well, maybe i should push my rim purchase sooner to get good tires....hmmm.

Or maybe i could do rims and suspension in a summer??? might be poor for school tho lol.

 

[protege02]

racingbeat springs(racingextreme.com for like 195 shipped), stabilizer bars(mazdastuff.com for 360 w/o shipping plus this includes front and rear bars and everything else you need with the bars), tokico hp shocks(ebay.com there is a guy who sells the front and rears separately for like 166.25 with shipping and insurance), and racingbeat strut bar(i got it off ebay for 30 but check the for sale forum) is a pretty good suspension set up. we have the same car except i dont have a side marker. if u need pics i should be able to post some new pics up sometime next week, im not at home right now.

 

[Pretzellogic]

Your setup will be an amazing difference from stock. As far as a good all-around tire, I reccomend the Toyo Proxes 4. I've had nothing but luck with them.

 

[KpaBap]

I would get T1S-es over the 4s, they have prodigious amounts of grip in the dry and are simply amazing in the wet. No reason NOT to. Well price might be an issue...

 

[Thug541]

Hmm, i have the stock mazda rims right now, should i save up to buy just new rims or tires? or can i find a good tire to go over my current rims?

 

[KpaBap]

if it was me I'd get some lightweight 15x7s and call it a day, but yeah I'd keep the stockers and get some 205s on there

 

[Thug541]

Hm, bringing this back from the dead. Now can any of you guys give me some good arguments why i should pick either the 19mm or 21.5mm sway bar? Also, are the eibach/HP setup gonna offer better pefromance vs. mazdaspeed setup? Thanks in advnace

 

[FunkyBuddha]

If you're concerned about voiding your warranty, install MSP springs, struts and stabilizer bars. Since the factory sells these items as an approved accessory upgrade, installing them should not affect your warranty in terms of suspension components. The MSP (Racing Beat) springs provide ~ 3/4" drop. I went this route on my DX and the improvement in handling is phenomenal.

Umm..maybe it's just our mazda dealers..but they won't support my racing beat rear sway bar and brackets etc... I think any change will just void it.

 

[protege02]

Hm, bringing this back from the dead. Now can any of you guys give me some good arguments why i should pick either the 19mm or 21.5mm sway bar? Also, are the eibach/HP setup gonna offer better pefromance vs. mazdaspeed setup? Thanks in advnace

what kinda drop you want. less than a inch get racingbeat or more than a inch eibach. also, if you are getting wheels i think eibach/hp wll look better , but if your staying stock the racingbeat/hp and stock wheels look coo to me. i have the racingbeat/hp setup. i like it alot. i had racingbeat stabilizer bars installed, im getting awr 21.5 rear sway bar and possible corksport strut bar. i loved the racingbeat bars, but i want the awr 21.5.

 

[Blarghman]

protege02, does your rear sit lower than your front? Some people have said with racingbeat springs your ass sags, and i was wondering how it was with the HPs.

 

[Roywhitep5]

Tokico HPs
Eibach Prokit (Tein's are good, but slightly less than the Eibachs for handling)
Upgraded rear sway bar (either Racing Beat or AWR)

werd

 

[protege02]

protege02, does your rear sit lower than your front? Some people have said with racingbeat springs your ass sags, and i was wondering how it was with the HPs.

it doesn't sag that much here are some pics. i love the hps and the springs together. i had the factory stabilizer sway bars, but i sold them and now am looking to get awr 21.5 rear sway bar(highly recommend getting a rear sway bar). i will take more pics tomorrow because i dont think these will help out much, but they are better than nothing.