Tokico HP Handling Kit Installed

[njaremka]

well, i installed the Tokico HP dampers and springs this past saturday.

Hardest part of the install? friggin sway-bar end links. other than that, piece of cake.

Impressions? hard to say, but overall impressed. car sits a little lower, but haven't measured drop yet. supposed to be about an inch or so. even so, its very noticeable. i got the fronts done, and the wife came out and said "is it supposed to lower?" got the rears done, and the car finally looks like its supposed to. getting in and out of the car, its definitely lower. i almost fell into it when going in to work. handling feels a bit sharper, but i put my summer tires back on the car, too. dive and squat are reduced.

overall, i think it made the car fun again. of course, after 100k miles on the stock struts, it doesn't take much.

i'll post ride height changes and a couple of pictures in the next day or so. winter decided to come back for a few days, just in time for spring.

 

[Hughes412]

What all came in the kit and were did you get it? I'm looking for both swaybars and I also need some struts.

 

[njaremka]

well, i got it close-out from here:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123626923

kit came with struts and springs only, then i added end-links, front strut bearings, and rear strut mounts from onlinemazdaparts.com

if i didn't get the struts from the close-out, i would have bought them from here:
http://www.xshocks.com/

 

[Hughes412]

I'm really looking for the sway bars. I want to up grade. I know AWR makes one for the rear but I want both.

 

[njaremka]

for front and rear sway bar kits, i think there's only the mazaspeed kit, or there's these:
http://www.apexr1.com/inswbarkimp5.html

 

[njaremka]

well, i took some crappy pictures this morning, since my car is so dirty from this winter resurgance.

I also measured the drop. Measurements taken fromt he wheel well lip to the center of the wheel:

Before:
Front - 14"
Rear - 14"

After:
Front - 13"
Rear - 12.5"

 

[Hughes412]

for front and rear sway bar kits, i think there's only the mazaspeed kit, or there's these:
http://www.apexr1.com/inswbarkimp5.html

I'm gona call them, the kit says P5, I wonder if it will fit the sedan. I think the rear bar is differant.

njaremka, your car looks nice. That's a good drop.

 

[njaremka]

according to my parts manual, the rear sway bar on the ES is the same as the pro5. however, the LX / DX rear bar is a little smaller, and the mazdaspeed bar is a little bigger. You should have no problems with that kit, even though it says pro5.

thanks on the compliments. i have tried to be careful with any upgrades, since the car is my daily driver. I have also tried to wait untill i need to replace anything before i do an upgrade so that i'm not throwing money away. i now have 98,750 miles on the car, and it still leaves me grinning whenever i take it out.

 

[Hughes412]

WOW, 98k. I just turned 41k last month. Well I guess I should get a few more miles out of this one then. I'm kind of doing the same. I'm not upgrading the stuts and swaybars until I need new struts. But I think that's now!

 

[proman]

drop looks good

 

[njaremka]

WOW, 98k. I just turned 41k last month. Well I guess I should get a few more miles out of this one then. I'm kind of doing the same. I'm not upgrading the stuts and swaybars until I need new struts. But I think that's now!

yeah, i think i waited too long to replace the struts. they were probably ready back in the 60,000 mile range. my end links were totally shot. i couldn't pull out of my driveway with out them clunking.

 

[bazooka joe]

did the rear bar come with new end links, or did you have to use the stockers?

 

[njaremka]

i still have stock sway bars, but i ordered new stock end links to replace the old ones.

 

[dialup]

well, i got it close-out from here:
http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123626923

kit came with struts and springs only, then i added end-links, front strut bearings, and rear strut mounts from onlinemazdaparts.com

if i didn't get the struts from the close-out, i would have bought them from here:
http://www.xshocks.com/

How is the ride quality compared to stock: slightly moderately or extremely stiffer? Is it bouncy at all? How are the roads in your area?

 

[njaremka]

How is the ride quality compared to stock: slightly moderately or extremely stiffer? Is it bouncy at all? How are the roads in your area?

now that i've been driving on them for about a week, they are starting to settle into themselves. that, or i'm starting to get used to the springs and struts. really starting to love the set-up.

the roads around here really suck, and i have to watch out for potholes on certain roads, and avoid other roads altogether. other than that, no complaints, yet.

 

[awsmp5]

i've been looking into thast set for a long time to but decided i'd do it after my dampers go too

 

[awsmp5]

oh looks real good by the way!

 

[njaremka]

Thanks!

Its been a few weeks now, and i'm liking them more and more.

 

[mikeski]

i just bought this setup and im stoked to get it in!! did you get a front swaybar also?? im thinking of going with the CP racing one.

 

[Hughes412]

i just bought this setup and im stoked to get it in!! did you get a front swaybar also?? im thinking of going with the CP racing one.

You found a front swaybar? Please link. Make sure it don't weigh 50lbs. I'm looking for both.