Silver Build

[scoobs]

Installed: CS Shocks/Struts, CS Exhaust, CS Front Sway Bar, Rear 10mm track+spacers and... CS Short Shift Kit! I'll write more soon, but initial thoughts: Shocks/struts are excellent. A must-have. These paired with the H&Rs give a supremely comfortable and balanced drive - at least if not MORE comfortable than the Racing Beat springs with stock shocks. Exhaust. I notice immediately improved throttle response across the range. Haven't had any chance to push it though, due to inclement weather. Front Sway Bar. The car is FLAT in turns. Short Shift Kit. Very nice feel - I would estimate shifting effort is increased by ~30%. The throw begins from the same spot up front (1,3,5) but the row backwards (from 1-2 and 3-4) is WAY shorter, ending at close to where neutral used to be. You definitely have to retrain yourself to believe you're already in 2nd. Very nice piece!

I hate you lol I have no clue what spring to buy this summer because of your reviews. H&R alone Harsh ride and too low, RB alone great ride but too high, H&R with CorkSport damper great ride..... do you find it still too low? I'm thinking of going with Eibach with Corksport damper.... Seriously, I have no clue till I put in my order

 

[inspekt]

Yeah! The springs situation on this car is weird, mostly because I think the USDM stock dampers are just way too soft and not very well tuned.

Here is what I think: If you are going with the CS adjustables, you can't go wrong. It's all down to how you want the car to look. Eibach is a flatter, front barely higher than rear look. The H&R is barely lower but the nose is slightly lower than the rear, which is a look that personally appeals to me. I'm not having clearance issues at all. Even lowered on H&Rs, the bottom of the body is still just as high as our Protege5 at it's stock height. The 2's body just isn't that low even on H&Rs. The main problem I was having with the H&Rs on stock shocks was the disconnected and bouncy ride on the stock shocks, and scraping the chin all the time because the shocks just let the car move up and down too much. - and there was a ton of construction going on around here up until December, which is now all finished ^_^.

With the new CS adjustables, I haven't scraped the chin once on anything. I think that's because the body is so much better controlled by the new shocks. The Racing Beats will be higher, and will give you a softer ride that makes you feel less of the road imperfections. The H&Rs do this with the CS shocks: You feel more of the deviations and other things going on in the road, but the shocks do an incredible job of making it a completely comfortable ride with nothing even remotely jarring. It feels like a really great factory sport suspension. The bump absorption is way better than the stock shocks could ever do. Night and Day difference.

 

[inspekt]

Update!

Finally the crap-a-thon known as Pacific NW winter took a break for a few days, so I took some photos of the new setup.

CS Adjustable shocks with H&Rs:

A few detail views of the rears with 10mm Track+ spacers. It really gets the stance right!

A shot with the CS Exhaust:

The OEM Cargo Net. This thing is great. It opens like an envelope at the top and basically hugs whatever you put in it and keeps things from moving around in the trunk. I wasn't sure how much I'd use it, but I pretty much use it every day for random things that I don't want falling over or rolling around in the car. The net attaches to the two T-anchors that they have you screw in place of some pop screws that were helping secure the side panels in the trunk, near the floor (see pic). The top clips attach to the anchor rails up near the top of the seat back. Pretty handy. Took about 5 minutes to install.

 

[PassivAggressor]

Looks great man! Are you running extended lugs with the spacers?

 

[inspekt]

No, I'm actually not running extended lugs, they are the H&R trak+ spacers. They basically mount to the hub, and then the wheel attaches to the studs built in to the spacer using your normal lugnuts. It's a pretty ingenious design. It emulates the idea of a longer stud, but the load is more properly distributed onto the hub via the body of the spacer.

 

[716-mazda2]

Looking good

 

[eyeballs]

Looks great! I'm not really a fan of spacers but those h&r pieces are intriguing. I also cant help but think how much better my car would look on those springs....though if I'm going to be loosing ground clearance I'm going to need some more serious spring rates. Hopefully by the time I get around to upgrading the dampers I'll have a good springset option. Or just go with coilovers.

 

[scoobs]

Well, great review and love the pics of the H&R + CS dampers. Still haven't made up my mind yet but I have a lot of time to think about it.

 

[inspekt]

Thanks for the nice comments everyone!

 

[CRG Racer24]

I'm gonna be honest on one thing, the wheels aren't for me. I just don't like those personally, but obviously you do so that's what counts. But other than that little tid-bit, your car pulls it off nice.. the vibe it has as a whole. I think this made me wanna put my privacy cover (if I can find it) back on, and get me a cargo net!

 

[inspekt]

Wheel choice is a tough thing. There are a lot out there I love, but wouldn't want to personally own/drive on. But the shoes make the outfit, and if you don't love your own shoes, who's gonna!?(rockon)

 

[ngd298]

Wheel choice is a tough thing. There are a lot out there I love, but wouldn't want to personally own/drive on. But the shoes make the outfit, and if you don't love your own shoes, who's gonna!?(rockon)

Those wheels...(yes)

 

[ScorpioGTX1]

If you don't mind me asking, how much did it cost to install the shocks and springs? I've been considering doing it this summer, but I'm a little worried about how much it will cost me to put it in.

Also, where did you get the cargo net from? Just your dealer, or is there a place you can buy it online?

 

[inspekt]

Scorpio, I sent you a PM also. The cargo net I bought from the dealer, they sent me one of those $15 off coupons around the holidays, so it ended up being $35. That seems about the right price for the net. $50 is a bit much.

 

[Font Motorsports]

Diggin' the cargo net.

 

[eyeballs]

Yea there is nothin' sexier than a well placed cargo net. I've got to control myself whever I open her trunk or I just loose it.

 

[inspekt]

Yea there is nothin' sexier than a well placed cargo net. I've got to control myself whever I open her trunk or I just loose it.

LMAO (cabpatch)

 

[Lanetech34]

Any updates to your 2?

 

[inspekt]

Nothing new right now. I just ordered the same Optilux Hella yellow fog bulbs and Philips Xtremes that Mykflo went with. I'll post impressions of those once they're in. Mostly, I'm waiting to see what drops this summer. I also am holding off on an HID/projector retrofit until later in the year. First, I want to see if any good projector-based headlights become available this summer from an aftermarket maker. I just don't have the car down-time to be able to do the whole retrofit thing. Buying an existing headlight setup is much more compatible with my typical schedule...

 

[scoobs]

Hi bud, I started my own build thread I'm getting some parts tomorrow, including Corksport springs.

So anything new?