Something to think about....

[70]

Ok, I was board at work, and I decided to figure out if the MP3 actually sits lower than the regular Protege. Before you read the rest, I bet most of you will say yes.

But, here is some interesting info:

The wheel diameters for each tire size is as follows:
195/55R15 is 23.45"
195/50R16 is 23.68"
205/45R17 is 24.26"

Now, the Protege MP3 is lowered 5 mm or .2". According to the Mazda web-site, the overall height of the MP3 is also .2". shoter than the stock Protege.

But, if the wheel diameter is .81" more on our tires over the 15" tires, doesn't that cancel out the .2" drop??

There is a .58" difference between the 17" and 16", once again, doesn't that cancel out the .2" drop??

Wheel diameter effects both the accuracy of the speedo, and the ride height of the car.

The MP3s overall height isn't really any shorter than the stock Protege, and if anything is just slightly taller. Pretty funny.

 

[initialRES]

Hmm interesting. You know, had I read this over the weekend we could have found out for sure. My friend has a 2000 protege ES and MP3girly has the MP3. We could have measured. Oh well...

 

[mp3girly]

Talking about Jason, Res-san? I don't have a problem with going and measuring the difference.

[ 01-22-2002: Message edited by: mp3girly ]

 

[initialRES]

Go measure! lets settle this once and for all

 

[OceanPark]

Good question, I had compared my MP3 to my friend’s ES and a Protege5. I found the MP3 is slightly taller, but I wasn’t too sure though. Since I cannot assure that the ground is flat. Oh well….

 

[trobbins]

You said the Diameter of the wheel/tire. So you must use 1/2 of the diameter difference because the car mounts in the center of the wheel not at the top.


Tim

 

[MalkavianMP3]

The car is actually lower than any of the other protege models. the springs in the MP3 have a .875" drop over the stock springs. it's great to be working at a Mazda Dealership!

 

[70]

Originally posted by Malkavian:
<STRONG>The car is actually lower than any of the other protege models. the springs in the MP3 have a .875" drop over the stock springs. it's great to be working at a Mazda Dealership!</STRONG>

No, they don't. The springs Racing Beat sells are different than the ones put in the MP3. This info is from Racing Beat. And the Mazda web-site says the car is only 5 mm lower than the stock Protege. You'll also notice that the percentage of stiffening is different, between Racing Beat and the MP3.

Mazda didn't use the exact spring dimensions that Racing Beat sent them, they used the same rates and raised the car a little. Mazda also used their own stock spring supplier, not who Racing Beat uses.

The springs Racing Beat sells are the ones that were originally in the MP3 before production.

And, even with measuring from the center of the wheel, there is still more than .2" difference.

 

[NYCZMP3]

HOLD ON!!!!!!!!!!!!
U people are tring to say that we dont have RACING BEAT Springs on our cars???is this true???...if so i'll befinatley be gettin the h&r's....

 

[70]

Ok, to answer your question, are they Racing beat springs?? Yes...and no...

Yes they are becuase Racing Beat is the one who came up with the spring rates and the design. No, becuase Racing Beat didn't physically make them in their small 20 person shop in California. Racing Beat uses a company to make their springs.

Mazda took Racing beat's specs to their OEM spring supplier. mazda told that spring maker, to make them, only not as low as Racing Beat orignally designed, but using the same spring rates, proportionately, to achieve the same handling.

Just about every company that sells "performance springs" doesn't make their own springs.

Last time I heard, Nuespeed uses H&R to make their springs. It's like this for most sellers. They come up with specs (sometimes they don't even do that), and have a spring maker do the rest. Seller stamps their name on it, and there you go.

Relax, the springs are Racing Beat.