Suspension Question regarding Springs for P5?

[Chicken SOup]

Well i live in NYC and i know i want to lower my P5....however since the roads here in the Big Apple are a bit rough..I went ahead and put a deposit on the Tokico HP's that ARD is selling, but I'm still searching for a spring that will give a moderate drop without providing the usual harsh ride. What do you guys reccomend...
Eibach...
Tein...
H&R....
If you guys know their respective spring rates that would be awesome...once again ..Thanks fellow mazda enthusiasts

 

[SloPro5]

I installed the Tein springs on my 02 about 6 months ago and I love them.

 

[drumsbeloud]

i've got eibach's and love them...and i was looking for the same qualities that you are.

 

[Chicken SOup]

THnks for the input.anyone else?

 

[iON Performance]

Chicken SOup - considering your requirements are in parallel with our design requirements for our Sport Spec Springs, these will fit your application quite well. ->

http://www.msprotege.com/vbb225/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35243

There's several members with P5's that run our Sport Spec, there's nothing but praises for the ride quality and handling characteristics.

 

[Chicken SOup]

Can anyone here inform me on the quality of Ion's Sport Tec springs for the P5

 

[iON Performance]

Chicken SOup - a fellow member by the name of haig has our sport spec springs on his P5, his comments are several posts down in the following thread ->

http://www.msprotege.com/vbb225/showthread.php?threadid=25678&perpage=15&pagenumber=2

Several other members with MSP's have our MSP Sport Spec springs installed as well.

 

[Chicken SOup]

Hey thx Ion Perf. But im still curious as to what ur springs offer over Eibach and the other commonly used springs.
What are ur Spring rates in comparison to the others?
Im just curious cuz i want to do my Homework b4 any purchase thnx

 

[iON Performance]

Chicken SOup - spring rates are much more progressive providing a better ride both @ cruising speeds as well as when you get into the corners.

We've used Eibachs and H&R's before, and from our motorsport experience, we've designed something that's ment to provide very agressive handling characteristics while also providing a supple and surefooted ride.

 

[thegreatwhay]

Every Advantage has an equal Disadvantage.
Sport and Racey cannot necessarily have a wonderful ride. If this was the case, every car on the road would Handle like a Sports car and cruise like a Caddy.
I am a User of H&R for springs alone and JIC for coilovers. Eibach's spring rates have deteriorated over the years other than custom designed Spring rates for track cars. Working with Porsche over the years, H&R are much more consistent with levels all the way around. I know nothing on ION, so I cannot comment.
Good luck. Regardless, unless you are Road racing this car, you will be happy across the board.

 

[Captain KRM P5]

www.racingbeat.com

 

[Mad Ryan]

Chicken SOup - spring rates are much more progressive providing a better ride both @ cruising speeds as well as when you get into the corners.

We've used Eibachs and H&R's before, and from our motorsport experience, we've designed something that's ment to provide very agressive handling characteristics while also providing a supple and surefooted ride.

Progressive springs are s***. Sorry, thats all there is to it. There is no physical way possible to tailor damping rates to match progressive springs. The laws of physics don't bend for bunk science. If all your doing is adding springs I'd go with a good linear spring. All your springs do is hold up your car.

If you want different ride characteristics than you have to change your compression damping curve. This involves either 1) changing the valving (the "shape" of the curve) or 2) changing the amount of oil flowing through the valving (The "height" of the curve)

What happens with progressive springs is that your rebound valving is only "right" for one point in the springs compression. Everywhere else you're either under damped or over damped. If you want a more complete explanation see my last reply in this thread here.

 

[Mad Ryan]

Well i live in NYC and i know i want to lower my P5....however since the roads here in the Big Apple are a bit rough..I went ahead and put a deposit on the Tokico HP's that ARD is selling, but I'm still searching for a spring that will give a moderate drop without providing the usual harsh ride. What do you guys reccomend...
Eibach...
Tein...
H&R....
If you guys know their respective spring rates that would be awesome...once again ..Thanks fellow mazda enthusiasts

I'd call ARD and see about what they think. The spring rate shouldn't change from brand to brand as they are manufacturing their springs based upon the weight of the car, not what kind of damper you run. Like I have said many times to many people, all your springs do is hold up your car. Pick a reputable brand and go with them. It's the damping in your struts that has to be tailored to your springs, not the other way around.

Hope that helps.

BTW...

I'm not trying to flame anyone or single anyone out with any of my posts, either past or present. I'm just trying to keep people from spending their hard earned $$$ without knowing all the facts.

 

[thegreatwhay]

Preach it Ryan...The choir is singing.

 

[Mad Ryan]

GAWD I'M A FREAKIN KNOW-IT-ALL!

Actually It's not cool to see people pushing their own product with less than completely accurate info on a forum such as this. It gets me goin... besides, what else is there to do at 7:20 (Pacific) in the morning while my coffee is brewing.

 

[iON Performance]

Mad Ryan - springs DO NOT simply hold your car up. Spring rates vary according to material used (ie: spring constants, elasticity etc) as well as coiling circumferences, ramping rates etc are all a factor.

The fronts are linear rates, providing a "pivot point" for the vehicle. The rears are progressive to allow rates to ramp up according to specific cornering loads.

Dampeners & springs act together as 1 unit to provide an outcome specificly to alter the handling charactersitics of the vehicle chassis dynamics.

 

[Chicken SOup]

Wow...I appreciate all of ur responses....but unfortunately when a person is bombarded with info it just tends to confuse ...LOL LOL
Well any either comments, i think many of us could benefit from a thread such as this one
Thanks pls keep them coming

 

[Mad Ryan]

Mad Ryan - springs DO NOT simply hold your car up. Spring rates vary according to material used (ie: spring constants, elasticity etc) as well as coiling circumferences, ramping rates etc are all a factor.

The fronts are linear rates, providing a "pivot point" for the vehicle. The rears are progressive to allow rates to ramp up according to specific cornering loads.

Dampeners & springs act together as 1 unit to provide an outcome specificly to alter the handling charactersitics of the vehicle chassis dynamics.

I realize that spring rates vary depending on many different variables but my point is that having a single spring with a variable rate is bad because it makes tuning your valving impossible. If you want your rear suspension action to "ramp up" under load then you design the linkage or the valving to do it, not the spring. Maybe car guys do it differently but I haven't found a real race shock maker (Penske or Ohlins, etc.) nor a really good tuner (Traxxion or Lindeman) that will use progressive springs.

 

[Chicken SOup]

Can anyone else contribute to this thread?
Many of you have Eibach H&R SPrint Etc.,,
lets hear ur reviews

 

[Mad Ryan]

Can anyone else contribute to this thread?
Many of you have Eibach H&R SPrint Etc.,,
lets hear ur reviews

Good call