Upgrade suspension for MS3,need help/advice

[stanley_cup]

i want to upgrade my suspension on 08 MS3. I really like the ms3 coil overs. But, i was cosidering getting performance shocks and got stuck. Which manufacturers make shocks for our cars? love to go with MS3 springs, camber with some really good shocks.

i am open to the ms3 coil overs but they are expensive.

I DO NOT WAN TO GO TOOO LOW mon. Yeah, mon that is why i like the ms3 springs. PLEASE all suggestions welcomed. thanks

 

[Craighjr]

I have heard that the stock springs are underrated for the shocks. Some lowering springs and camber links supposedly do a great job on the car to stiffin it up.

In other words for the cheaper price of springs or springs and camber links you may be quite happy on stock shocks.

 

[Mid_Life_Crisis]

i want to upgrade my suspension on 08 MS3. I really like the ms3 coil overs. But, i was cosidering getting performance shocks and got stuck. Which manufacturers make shocks for our cars? love to go with MS3 springs, camber with some really good shocks.

i am open to the ms3 coil overs but they are expensive.

I DO NOT WAN TO GO TOOO LOW mon. Yeah, mon that is why i like the ms3 springs. PLEASE all suggestions welcomed. thanks

From what you say, I would look hard at the Cobb springs. They drop the car about an inch. Just enough to be noticeable but not enough to become a clearance headache. The spring rates are increased a bit over stock, supposedly enough to match up to the stock shocks better (Craighjr is quoting Cobb's site - they believe the stock dampers are fine) without getting too harsh a ride. I intend to get these at some point. I already have their rear sway bar (adjustable - on the mild setting matches up nicely with the stock front bar) but after reading about what it takes to swap the front bar, mine is staying in.

Almost forgot. Cobb tested the alignment after putting in their springs and decided that no mods were needed to get the alignment within spec, so you can save the money on camber bars.

 

[D_Roc7822]

im @ the same place you are right now.. I dont know if I wanna go with a pair of springs or go all out and get the Tein SS coilover system. Id either go with Tein S techs for springs or Eibach Sportlines for springs. Cause I want the car slammed!!! The price is really the only thing im looking at.

 

[subparpunk03]

If you go coilover, its worth it to spend the extra money so you can easily adjust it. Speed3shon and I were talking about this this morning. You don't want to have to take your whole suspension setup apart to adjust things.

If you want more of a "set it and forget it" style, just go with the cobb springs and sways, or tein, or H&R... its entirely up to you. Personally I would go cobb or H&R over tein, too low makes the car a pain in the butt in many situations and won't help handling all that much more.

If you decide you want even more, you can even replace the stock shocks and struts down the road and retain your performance springs. I've thought long and hard about doing the koni adjustables + cobb springs. The koni adjustables are nice b/c you can set 'em soft for daily driving, then crank 'em up to way-stiff for track days. But for now, the stock shocks should be just fine for me.

Just my $0.02

 

[stanley_cup]

Thanks for input

I am leaning towards the MS3 springs and camber links but I am scared that the shocks will not hold out for long and that I will be bouncing up and down. Can any one confirm this or deny it??

I spoke to Cobb about their springs and they said I may want to align car after spring install. And that the drop is an inch or more. My understanding about the MS3 springs is that the drop is less than an inch. Can anyone confirm this??

The coil overs are so EXPENSIVE but I cant find good performance shocks in the after market world. Again, any one no of any good after market shocks??

thanks

 

[User Name]

stanley_cup, I know that there are Bilsteins available for the MS3, but by they cost an arm and a leg as well. By the time you've got the front and rear shocks, and a set of springs, you're approaching coilover prices anyway.

There doesn't seem to be an affordable middle ground, you either get Cobb springs with stock shocks, or you get MS or H&R coilovers. I'd like to think KYB or Tokico would come out with an affordable AGX or Illumina option, but the car is still just a 3 in most peoples minds.

 

[udontknowjack]

stanley_cup, I know that there are Bilsteins available for the MS3, but by they cost an arm and a leg as well. By the time you've got the front and rear shocks, and a set of springs, you're approaching coilover prices anyway.

There doesn't seem to be an affordable middle ground, you either get Cobb springs with stock shocks, or you get MS or H&R coilovers. I'd like to think KYB or Tokico would come out with an affordable AGX or Illumina option, but the car is still just a 3 in most peoples minds.

(iagree)

thats the set-up i went with...bilstein shocks custom valved/ms springs....cost just about the same if i go coilover....but i like to just slap my bilstein shocks on and forget about it....dont want to brother adjustin the coilover.....

 

[stanley_cup]

whats the part number on bilstien??

yeah, I heard about the bilstien but went to their website and it came up empty for 2008 ms3??? Does any one have the part number?

if i get coil overs, i do not need springs right???

 

[Double Dspeed]

no coilovers replace your struts and springs and personally i perfer coilovers i just wish i could get more info on the tein ss, or bilstien pss9's

 

[User Name]

AWR Racing sells the MS3 valved Bilsteins, I think they list their own part number and not Bilsteins though.

 

[udontknowjack]

AWR Racing sells the MS3 valved Bilsteins, I think they list their own part number and not Bilsteins though.

u are correct.!! http://www.awrracing.com/pages/store.html
call tony at awr...he will take care of you if thats the route u want to go

 

[stanley_cup]

sooooooooo expensive

Those bilstein ouch, very expensive. Look nice and sure they perform well but by the time you add the springs and labor I think I would be better off with coil overs

Look what I found: H&R Coilovers for Mazdaspeed 3 H&R [29197-6] $1,124.95

Engineered for street and occasional track use, H&R Coil-Overs feature a fully-threaded shock body (not an imitation sleeve-over) that allows you to precisely dial in height adjustment to achieve optimum weight transfer, or simply get the aggressive look you've been looking for. Featuring H&R's exclusive dynamic damper technology, each shock is engineered to work in harmony with a progressive-rate spring, together creating a finely-tuned suspension system.

The H&R Coilovers for the Mazdaspeed 3 provide height adjustment from 1.2 - 2.5 inches in the front and 0.75 - 2.0 inches in the rear.

You can adjust height but not dampening rate. I really cant see myself adjusting the damp rate. What a hassle. The height must be easier. Cant decide. I love choices

 

[Dozed]

love to go with MS3 springs, camber with some really good shocks.

Bilstein shocks are really good. You will not be disappointed.

 

[haberdashery]

as d_roc said, i want to go super low like sportlines too, but should i pair up some sway bars or aftermarket struts to improve the handling even more?

 

[MS3Chik]

im having the same ?...i want to get the MS springs and camber plates and also the hotchiks sway bar set..is it a noticable difference..how is the drop??

 

[derspi]

stanley_cup, I know that there are Bilsteins available for the MS3, but by they cost an arm and a leg as well. By the time you've got the front and rear shocks, and a set of springs, you're approaching coilover prices anyway.

I don't know if this applies to any of the other H&R Street series coilovers but on my previous car ('99 Honda Civic Si), I had a set of the Street coilovers (same description, non-adjustable for damping, only height adjustable). The peculiar thing was that the shop I bought the coilovers from explicitly told me that H&R actually used Bilstein heavy duty shocks that have been re-valved and shortened paired up with a custom H&R spring on the Civic Si kit. It would be interesting to know if this is the norm for all of H&R's Street series coilovers.

FYI: The H&R Street coilovers on the Civic performed exceptionally well IMO - they rode very well and improved the handling significantly. Almost a perfect setup for a daily street driven car. I would not hesitate to get another set of these coilovers and they really are one of the top choices that I'm considering for the MS3.

 

[Craighjr]

im having the same ?...i want to get the MS springs and camber plates and also the hotchiks sway bar set..is it a noticable difference..how is the drop??

There were some Hotchiks sway bars that were hitting every immovable object around them. Watch out they may cause alot of head aches on the front end.