Getting 1 99 pro with junk suspension. What to get?

[gt3_dk]

Hey everyone!!

Well lucky for me my dad is getting a new car soon enough and he's gonna give me his 1999 pro LX touring edition. The only downside is that the suspension is totally messed up. We don't know everything that's wrong with it but apparently the stabilizers (all 4) are completely destroyed and the fron right shock is eff'ed up too...

Since I don't have my license yet (getting it in September) I still have a lot of time to fix that up and buy the parts. I have big plans and a pretty good buget for this car (considering my age...) so I don't want to get stock OEM crap. I was looking into getting 4 performance shocks, like the kind you can instantly adjust the stiffness settings or whatever. Can anyone recommend me something they've had a good experience with or taht really looks like a good buy? If I change the shocks do I have to change the springs also? Mine are fine but I wanna wait later to buy some lowering springs after I get at least some mags (and possibly a body kit.)

Even though I doubt I have all the money I need to do everything I wanted to do with this car I at least need to fix stabilizers and change the shocks because the car feels and handles like uber-shit and every time I go over a bump I'm seriously scared one of the wheels are gonna fall off. (The front right wheel doesn't even come off the ground when I jack up the car!!! (screwy) )
Also, is there such thing as good stabilizer rods or do they all do the same crap and aren't worth investing in?

Thanks for anyones help ur (bow) if you help me get this going good...


EDIT: ACtually I have no clue what I need or want or what part does what in a suspension. Basically, I just want the suspension to be a little stiffer than stock at a modest price (if possible...) If my lack of proper vocabulary is confusing the hell outta you guys Just tell me and I'll ask my dad exactly what his friend at the garage told him (if he remebers...)

[gt3_dk]

I'm really looking into the Tokico HP struts. The regular performance ones seem good to me but the Illumna's have also caught my attention. But since the adjusting knob seems to be at the complete top of the unit this is pretty unaccessible for me right now.... (smash)

SHould I bother with the illumnas or just get the normal struts? (ALso, is it possible to adjust these without completely lifting the car really high off the groud? Best I can do are 4 candles and I doubt that's high enough to adjust the shocks.)

Do I need new springs after I get these or will it do just fine with the stock springs? I'm wondering just incase my stock springs are longer than the struts at the top and that this might be bad for some reason.... (is it???)

If anyone has any other struts to recommend I (hear ya) so I just want to consider other options maybe because I haven't seen other ones while searching the web.

PS: I did a forum search but I didn't find what I was looking for.

EDIT: Looking around the internet I've noticed that anyone who installed those struts with stock srpings had a ride height increase... (?!?!) However this was on a Miata site so I'd like to know if this is true on Protege cars also.

[FunkyBuddha]

HP struts will remain stock height w/ stock springs. its the springs that make your car ride high or low, not the struts.

I didn't know we had 4 stabilizer bars. I thought stabilizers were swaybars?

Swaybars - Anthony Woodford Racing (AWR) makes a rear one in 19 or 21mm size. Racing Beat makes a front and rear bar. AWR also makes stabilizer rods (endlinks) that are adjustable for front and rear. I would recommend the ENDLINKS if you choose to upgrade the stabilizers.

get the Illuminas. they are worth it. If you want quick adjustability, hte Mazdaspeed adjustable struts have the knobs near the bottom of the strut. No you don't need to lift the car to adjust struts..only coilovers. You cannot adjust height w/ struts.

[gt3_dk]

Thanks dude! Well now by the looks of it it seems all 4 of my endlinks are busted. (I thought it was the swaybar but if it's the endlinks that connect to the struts, then that's what's broken.)

Well even though I heard many times the Illumnas are great it'll cost me over or around $1000 (canadian) just for the struts+tax+installation which is way too over the top for me right now but the HPs fit my current budget.

If you want you can also check this thread (I double posted lol) and answer my most recent questions in there --> right here man (http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114894)

Well ya... thanks again!

[NegatiZE]

Two swaybars; front and rear.
Four endlinks; two per each swaybar on each side.