Suspension setup for a nooB

[vaMP5er]

I have an automatic 2002 Protege 5. It's a regular automatic, not a sport shift. My knowledge of suspension parts is limited so I need a little help. From talking with some members and reading past posts I've decided to go with the following:

MSP Springs: $50 from a forum member
Tokico HP Struts: $340 shipped on ebay
AWR 21.5 Rear Sway: $220 from AWR's web site

So I have two questions. Is this a good setup fro a p5? I don't want to go very low. I don't want it to look modified (Dad, the guy making the car payments, said not to mod the car, so it needs to look stock). I'm going for performance, not show. Secondly, when I total the above prices I get $610. Will I have any other costs, such as alignment or anything? (not including installation, a friend and I will be doing this)

 

[proman]

ths msp springs will not lower your car too much at all. you will have to get an allignment after the spring install and that should be all the only thing you're missing from your total cost. definitley should be a nice upgrade.

 

[Pretzellogic]

I have that same setup, but with a tokico prokit instead of the msp springs. I love it.

I would reccomend going with the 19mm bar, though. My 21mm can get rude at times.

 

[viVid]

I second the recommendation for the 19mm... much better for a daily driver. That is what I have, and I sometimes have trouble getting decent traction out of driveways because it is so stiff. I have the MSP springs as well and love them... still on the OEM struts tho

 

[vaMP5er]

I second the recommendation for the 19mm... much better for a daily driver. That is what I have, and I sometimes have trouble getting decent traction out of driveways because it is so stiff. I have the MSP springs as well and love them... still on the OEM struts tho

Doyou have any problem with the MSP Springs and the OEM struts?

 

[viVid]

No problems... I have had them on for about a year now.

Doyou have any problem with the MSP Springs and the OEM struts?

 

[dmitrik4]

i 3rd the recommendation for the 19. the 21.5 is better for autoX...if you're not doing that, the 19 is a better option.

you could also save yourself some $$ and get a 20mm MSP bar.

 

[FC3s Boy]

yea i would go with the 19mm bar

 

[2k3 PrO RiDa]

Does anyone have the adjustable 19mm bar?? I was thinking about buying the 21.5 because i thought i heard somewhere that the 19 mm bar will rub on other parts of the suspension if you have rims or you're lowered or something like that.

 

[viVid]

I have the fully adjustable 19mm with MSP Springs and 215/40-17's and have had no problems. I've had it adjusted all over the place too...

Does anyone have the adjustable 19mm bar?? I was thinking about buying the 21.5 because i thought i heard somewhere that the 19 mm bar will rub on other parts of the suspension if you have rims or you're lowered or something like that.

 

[Mad Hatter]

sorry to T/J, but will the larger bars(specifically the 21.5) cause any type of wear, or problems down the road? I mainly want it for auto-x, but this is also my daily driver.

Also, are these bars solid?

 

[MIT]

i 3rd the recommendation for the 19. the 21.5 is better for autoX...if you're not doing that, the 19 is a better option.

you could also save yourself some $$ and get a 20mm MSP bar.

Isn't it the MSP 20mm rear sway bar cannot fit into P5? I heard ppl saying that it requires the subframe. That's why i am thinking AWR 21.5mm. If MSP 20mm can fit into P5 without any additional hardware, I want to get the MSP 20mm too.

 

[Mike R]

The two position adj 19mm has problems. The fully adj. 19mm doesn't.
The 21.5mm doesn't cause any extra wear on anything. I have had it on my daily driver for 23K.

To use the 20mm MSP/MP3 bar, you need the subframe OR the AWR mounts. They are like 20 bucks.

 

[Mad Hatter]

The two position adj 19mm has problems. The fully adj. 19mm doesn't.
The 21.5mm doesn't cause any extra wear on anything. I have had it on my daily driver for 23K.

To use the 20mm MSP/MP3 bar, you need the subframe OR the AWR mounts. They are like 20 bucks.

Are these bars all solid?

 

[garretts77]

Are these bars all solid?

I believe they are hollow, but I am not sure...

I have the MSP bar on a P5. you need the AWR brackets or an MSP subframe. I made a how to in the how-to section. I found out too that I needed the AWR endlinks too (or at least the MSP endlinks) since the P5 ones were too short...

 

[Mike R]

I know that the 21.5mm is hollow. The MP3/MSP is probably solid, most stock bars are. I don't remember if the 19mm is or not...

 

[rustychops41]

I believe they are hollow, but I am not sure...

The 19mm is hollow, but not very hollow. I found this out because I had to torch mine off just behind the "stiff setting" tabs so it wouldn't hit the rear lateral links, despite my trying every possible mounting method (I.E. upside down, rightside up, with standoffs, without, below laterals, above, on and on, so I got out the band saw!). It's almost solid, and is much heavier than the stock 15.9mm(DX,LX)/16.0mm(ES,P5) bar.

 

[vaMP5er]

OK guys, I need a verdict. I have a p5 that I will not be autoXing. I may every now and them but nothing serious. This is my daily driver. I have ordered the MSP springs, and am looking into getting new struts. So which bar is the best? Judging from the posts so far, its between the 19mm adj bar from AWR or the 20mm MSP bar with AWR links.

 

[Mike R]

Get the 19mm. Can tighten it up for racing, loosen it for daily driving. Though I run the 21.5mm really tight all the time. And the struts are usually set 3f/4r.

Katya4me has MSP struts and the 19mm. It handles pretty damn good, not as much rotation as my car but still good.

 

[viVid]

You'll be much happier with the fully adjustable 19mm... IMHO.