MazdaSpeed Vs Cobb Stage 2 Suspension Kits

[Czar Quanovan]

If I remember correctly regarding the Hotchkis and COBB RSB, the stiffest setting on the COBB is equal to the softer setting on the Hotchkis. I decided to go with the Hotchkis and I am currently running the softer setting. I'll wait to go to the stiffer setting until I get the front bar installed...just my two cents

 

[ericrapp]

I was just thinking about my springs actually. The Cobb that are currently on the car. I have coilovers in the kitchen but that is another story. What i was thinking was, the rear springs have finally settled after about ten thousand miles. The car is level again.
I have the Hotckis sways and the rear is set on the stiffer setting. I have had it aligned and it fell within specs with these parts in place.
These have not caused the struts to fail but they are on the edge of being overburdened. The car sets very well now in the turns. If you are looking to get some rotation out of the car install JUST the rear sway bar. The rear will come around nicely if you like that stuff. In my humbled opinion, the tires were the best upgrade to performance driving. A little wider and alot stickier. If you are autocrossing the front could use more negative camber in front and the rears are fine within stock specs with my car and the. I hope i have not confused the issue. I do not belong to SCCA so i do not know the class regulations but the sticky tires and bars and just springs have improved my car considerably in turning and braking. Does that help?

 

[hanzo040107]

I was just thinking about my springs actually. The Cobb that are currently on the car. I have coilovers in the kitchen but that is another story. What i was thinking was, the rear springs have finally settled after about ten thousand miles. The car is level again.
I have the Hotckis sways and the rear is set on the stiffer setting. I have had it aligned and it fell within specs with these parts in place.
These have not caused the struts to fail but they are on the edge of being overburdened. The car sets very well now in the turns. If you are looking to get some rotation out of the car install JUST the rear sway bar. The rear will come around nicely if you like that stuff. In my humbled opinion, the tires were the best upgrade to performance driving. A little wider and alot stickier. If you are autocrossing the front could use more negative camber in front and the rears are fine within stock specs with my car and the. I hope i have not confused the issue. I do not belong to SCCA so i do not know the class regulations but the sticky tires and bars and just springs have improved my car considerably in turning and braking. Does that help?

I'm still on stock suspension but have the GT Spec mid chassis brace & rear lower brace too. I installed just the rear Hotchkis (stiffer setting) on my car too. I think last time I ran my rear tire pressures were too low, I read online to keep the rear tires at a higher pressure than the front or run less sticky tires on the rear to combat understeer. The rear sway is supposed to help too. Don't really wanna mess with my camber, unless I get on of those do-it-yourself camber adjust things. Gonna try the tire pressure thing for now but might consider getting some springs & hope my camber doesn't get too messed up. I hear good things about the springs. I've never tried springs, I usually go full coilovers. Thanks for the info though.

 

[ericrapp]

I wanted to mention that i installed the rear sway bar before springs and the front bar.
The rear bar was easy enough to do by myself. I drove it for about a month on the Nittos at stock pressure in rear or 32lbs. While into the turning i could lift the throttle abit and load the front which brought the back end out nicely this was never over 60 mph though! Nowadays i get a lot of low speed push in slow turns. The higher speed stuff is very neutral. I recently bought another set of tires and need another alignment so i have not pushed her too hard lately. Are you running stock tires/size? I once considered running a 235/40 in front only. The Cobb are a supposed 1" inch drop and they suggest no alignment or adjustable camber arms needed but the fronts are not quite stiff enough as i still get a little nose dip under heavy breaking. But as i mentioned they do set fairly quickly. There are some autocrossers here that will have some good advice i bet. Good luck dialing her in, you need to represent us MazdaSpeeders!

 

[mz32quick]

Where are you guys purchasing your MS Coils from?

 

[hanzo040107]

I'm running 225/40 W rated Lexani L3500 tires on lighter 18x7.5 rims. I got the Lexani tires cheap so I can't complain, gotta get better tires later though. The Cobb springs do sound sweet because of the no alignment or camber adjust needed & of course they're stiffer. Drop is not a biggie for me, had enough dropped cars. Its kinda a hassle cause you scrap everything or can't drive into certain areas cause you just wont clear. Hoping to do better on the next couple events, gotta beat some STIs & EVOs. Gotta represent for Mazda & show the competition you don't need AWD in order to kick some A.

 

[fred114]

Thanks for the responses guys, I think that when the funds are available I'm going to go with with the MazdaSpeed springs/shocks and Cobb ARBs (slightly cheaper than the Hotchkis set from what I could find).

I have noticed you refer to these as the Mazdaspeed springs/shocks a couple of times. Not sure, but thought I would point it out just in case. Be sure you are talking about the MS coilovers and not the Mazdaspeed sport springs and struts. The Mazdaspeed sport springs and struts are made for the 3, not the Speed 3. Just thought I would throw that out there.

 

[Design]

I've always gone with Bilsteins on my other cars(including my Wrangler). I wish that they made a set factory tuned for the MS3.

You mean the HD's? I thought they did already.

I'm looking at the H&R kit which I think runs Bilstein Sports.