Shocks Starting to go out

[Tanginamo425]

Well its about time I replace my shocks on my car. I was wondering what you guys have or suggest doing? Just looking for opinions. Right now I'm looking at some Illuminas, and adding some Ground Controls with them... any others?

 

[SNike05]

You have custom koni yellow that a shop on the forum makes. There is also a rare JDM setup from Mazdaspeed that Tockico and Eibach designed, TheMan can get for you. Then you have the blue and illumnas from Tockico thats it.

If you want full coilover than you have many options.

 

[njaremka]

i would go illumina's and teins - the ground controls are a track oriented set-up, and make a lot of noise for street use

 

[CulRidr]

^I will agree, they are a little too stiff for regular use, however I must admit I do like them for fun driving. I must interject and say that they aren't noisy unless you don't do semi-regular maintenance (ie: grease them every few months). Speaking of which, I'm due.
For a slightly lower price, I'd just stick with the HPs (blue Tokicos) and whatever springs you feel suit you best...Teins are great, Racing Beat were designed for the car, and no one has ever complained about the Eibach kits

 

[njaremka]

whatever you do, just know that any aftermarket struts are not going to mesh well with your stock rear springs.

 

[CulRidr]

^If he has an MP3 (hence the section he posted in), replacing stock HPs with new HPs should be JUST fine...Would there be a problem with Illuminas?

 

[exNeon]

im in the same boat of looking at getting my struts replaced.
will likely just get an illumina set with matching springs.

 

[njaremka]

^If he has an MP3 (hence the section he posted in), replacing stock HPs with new HPs should be JUST fine...Would there be a problem with Illuminas?

the "stock" struts are NOT hp's - they are mazda re-designed "hp's" (for lack of a better term) the rear spring perch is different on the stock struts, and the rear spring is shorter that would be expected because of this. by changing out just the struts, the rear will sit too low.

 

[SilentSno]

Do you have a price range?

The illuminas are great for the money. Adjustible, but work with stock springs.

But full coilovers are the preferred way to go. K-Sports are a good way to go for the $$, but they still are a bit pricey than just new struts and coilovers.

Tein full coilovers are another option, but again are more expensive.

 

[CulRidr]

I stand corrected. I knew the springs were "re-tuned", but I didn't know about the struts...good to know for the future, even though like I said I do have aftermarket "springs"...

the "stock" struts are NOT hp's - they are mazda re-designed "hp's" (for lack of a better term) the rear spring perch is different on the stock struts, and the rear spring is shorter that would be expected because of this. by changing out just the struts, the rear will sit too low.

 

[Tanginamo425]

I was looking at the HPs, not bad, but I wanted something adjustable. But seeing that I am currently Strapped for cash right now, I was just going to get the Tokico HPs, with Skunk2, eibach or Stech Springs. But, kinda curious if anyone got those. However If I got some extra cash, looking to get the illuminas with ____, Not sure what yet. Something adjustable, so GCs or skunk2s. Still, I've heard some mix reviews on the KSports. I've ridden in an RSX with them and I like them, but for a protege, I already read the post about it. So I guess i'm still up in the air right now. Not looking to buy until next month.

 

[SNike05]

Don't get the Skunk2 coils you will regret it. They are very noisy. You can search it up on the forum many complaints.

 

[Tanginamo425]

Ya I checked the out earlier today, I'm actually going to go with the GCs if i have the money for them. For sure though I'm actually going to get the illuminas soon.

 

[Luni]

Just installed Illuminas with Eibach Pro-Kit springs on my buddies 01 MP3 and it rides awesome. It seems like a pretty good combo for the street. On 5 its pretty damn stiff, on 1 its a lil softer than stock. 3 seems a pretty good balance. And if you want a bit of oversteer, dial the fronts to 3 and the rears to 5 and it will induce oversteer for some fun.

All in all I give the setup a good recommendation.

 

[MP3Performance]

Just installed Illuminas with Eibach Pro-Kit springs on my buddies 01 MP3 and it rides awesome. It seems like a pretty good combo for the street. On 5 its pretty damn stiff, on 1 its a lil softer than stock. 3 seems a pretty good balance. And if you want a bit of oversteer, dial the fronts to 3 and the rears to 5 and it will induce oversteer for some fun.

All in all I give the setup a good recommendation.

Good to know because thats the setup I plan to use soon. (yes) How is the ride height and stance? Is there any trouble with potholes or rubbing? I'm hoping it will lower the front a little compared to the rear to get a better stance. How long did it take to install?

 

[Luni]

Ill pop off a few pictures for you so you can see ride height and stance.

Hes rollin stock MP3 wheels.

Potholes are fine on the 3 setting, on 5 road moguls and potholes own you, but I havent bottomed out on it since the install (I drive the car quite a bit, generally once a day or so).

No rubbing, no clearance issues, the rear and front both seem to sit good, its definately lower, it seemed to increase the response of the steering wheel (more direct input from the road it seems) and the overall feel of the car is more crisp and direct.

Install took us a few hours. Do yourself a favor and pb blast the hell out of your sway bar endlinks where the attach to the strut mount point. The fronts are especially a PITA to get off, we had to use a torch and vicegrips on one of his, it was SIEZED.

Do yourself another favor and get a buddy to help you, Its almost impossible to get that center nut over the strut mount tightened without help. I found I couldnt get it tightened down all the way unless I actually held something on the center bar that the spring goes around (get yourself a bicycle tube or something you can wrap around there and hit with a pair of vice grips to hold it in place while your buddy tightens that bolt. Whatever you protect the metal with needs to be thick enough to keep the vice grips from biting into the metal, else your warranty on the tokicos is no good.

Clearance on the rears is somewhat an issue but you can get to the knuckle to strut bolts on the bottom without removing the brakes.

Apparently on the front struts there is a "wrong" way to mount the strut mount top, so pay attention to how it comes off and how you put it on, otherwise your alignment shop may not be able to get the camber out of that side.

And again, pb blast your sway bar endlinks the night before you plan on doing this, and again 10 minutes before you plan on removing them.

Oh one more thing, it may seem that you have to, but you dont need to remove the battery holddown, or the strut brace in the front.

Thats about all I can think of, if you have specific questions let me know, otherwise it was a pretty straghtforward install.

Oh, another piece of advice, get some antisieze compound for your swaybar endlinks and apply it. It makes putting them on easier and also makes for easier removal next time they have to come off.

 

[GIJana]

Just out of curiosity what is the warranty on the tokicos?

 

[Luni]

I believe its limited lifetime actually.

 

[blueballmp3]

hp's

I replaced my struts with hp's just about everyone told me they were the same struts the car came with. There not, im sitting lower all the way around thanks to 1in and 1/4 drop but the rear end has to much movement and has actually bottomed out with the new struts and springs! keep in ,and the old struts were so bad I had cupping on the tires, now I cant cant have rear passengers!