Mazdaspeed Sway Bar Kit install questions

[damaster]

I have the Mazdaspeed sway bar kit (kit part #: 0000-8M-C15). A few questions:

1) How difficult is it to install? I ask because I'm wondering if I should do it myself or take it to a shop.

2) On the Protege FAQ it says: "note the mounts on the stock struts will have to be reenforced". I have Tokico HPs installed, do I have to re-enforce the mounts and what exactly does that involve?

3) After installing the sway bar kit, do I need to get a wheel alignment done?

Thanks

 

[Dpwhitehead1]

I have the Mazdaspeed sway bar kit (kit part #: 0000-8M-C15). A few questions:

1) How difficult is it to install? I ask because I'm wondering if I should do it myself or take it to a shop.

2) On the Protege FAQ it says: "note the mounts on the stock struts will have to be reenforced". I have Tokico HPs installed, do I have to re-enforce the mounts and what exactly does that involve?

3) After installing the sway bar kit, do I need to get a wheel alignment done?

Thanks

which sway bar? front or rear?
the rear is a piece of cake..the front..not so much.

#2-no idea what that means,...

#3- don't believe so, shouldn't have any reason to.

 

[aMaff]

The HP's are the same struts that came on the MSP, so no re inforcement needed.

The rear is cake, the front bar...not so cake. Actually, it's a pretty involved process that includes lowering the front crossmember, and somehow wiggling the stock bar out of there, then magically wiggling the new one in. If you actually remove the crossmember completely, I believe you have to separate the steering rack from the steering column, cuz it's bolted to the subframe.

And you shouldn't need an alignment after sways.

 

[damaster]

which sway bar? front or rear?
the rear is a piece of cake..the front..not so much.

#2-no idea what that means,...

#3- don't believe so, shouldn't have any reason to.

1) front and rear + rear crossmember. i bought the entire kit.

thanks

 

[damaster]

k, so I should probably get the whole thing installed at a shop... I could do the rear myself but since the front ain't so easy, i might as well get everything done at a shop.

thanks for all the info!

 

[Dpwhitehead1]

1) front and rear + rear crossmember. i bought the entire kit.

thanks

ok, rear is simple. the front..bulls***.

you have to take out your whole subframe in the front, here's the thread. how-to. pictures and all
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123630086

make sure you have a FULL day/weekend, or some buddies to help you out. you have to unhook all that s***, plus the rear MM, have something prop the motor up, unhook the cross members, and some other s***. check it out. good luck. i hated mine.

 

[damaster]

So I got the kit installed at a local shop that specializes in modifications. The mechanic that worked on my car was pretty good, really knew his stuff, but he didn't seem to care about "saving" my wheel alignment. He moved the subframe a lot and probably didn't mark my rear crossmember bolts when swapping it with the new one. Needless to say, my alignment is whack, and my car is driving pretty bad. When my left front wheel is going straight, my right front is trying to go to the right...

When I get the 4-wheel alignment done, should it now be done to specs of the Mazdaspeed Protege since I have the sways from the MSP (and my car is lowered with Eibach Pros)?

PS: the shop did the whole job in a little under 3 hours. So, if you don't have a whole day or more to do it yourself, I highly recommend taking it to a good shop. I generally do s*** on my own, so I generally wouldn't suggest this, but in this case I'll make the exception especially after seeing how much work the front sway bar swap is...

 

[TheMAN]

you ALWAYS have to get an alignment done if you're installing the kit since you're swapping the rear crossmember, you'll have to unbolt the lateral links from the original and bolt them onto the new one... furthermore, since you have to drop the front crossmember, putting it back on will mean the position will have shifted slightly

point is, you can't save a few bucks doing this mod, sorry

 

[damaster]

you ALWAYS have to get an alignment done if you're installing the kit since you're swapping the rear crossmember, you'll have to unbolt the lateral links from the original and bolt them onto the new one... furthermore, since you have to drop the front crossmember, putting it back on will mean the position will have shifted slightly

point is, you can't save a few bucks doing this mod, sorry

I agree, and I'm getting one today cuz my car is driving messed up.

Question is: should the new alignment be done to spec of the Mazdaspeed or to spec of the ES? Or does that not even matter?

 

[stdntDrvr]

doesn't matter...the msp has more camber so you can hug corners better...but it's all up to you.

 

[convulziokyle]

Does anyone know of any "How to" threads on installing a RB front sway bar or sould I just get a professional to do it?

 

[JoshP5]

Here's the procedure, courtesy of b& kansei:

here are the basics:
- remove lower crossbrace
- remove exhaust midpipe
- remove both shifter rods
- remove steering linkage
- remove both front lower control arms
- remove front wheels
- remove front endlinks, if they are seized just unbolt the strut mounts and lower it that way
- remove front crossmember (yeah, the mega piece of steel that is probably the strongest part of the entire chassis)

No how-to. I'd go to a pro.

 

[D-rock240]

Yep, having my friend with 10 years exp as a mechanic do it when he has a free day. I'll let him deal with installing the front sway (laugh)