Car is FINALLY lowered

[jbiird317]

After saving up for this since about april, i finally got the tein s-techs and tokico HP blue struts and went to work this past saturday on getting them installed. It took a little longer than expected, but the process went fairly smooth. I cut the bump stops slightly so that it rode a little smoother... the only problem that i had was with the front swaybar end links hitting the tie-rod ends...so if you have a 99-00 (only some 2000s) you may have to go out and buy longer endlinks to avoid this problem... i drove about 500 miles with the new setup (including some fun back-woods PA roads) and i love it...here are some pics

[chaosProtege]

looks sweet, make sure you get it aligned. i cant wait to lower mine.

[GHOSTWHISPER]

Looks great man

[Roywhitep5]

http://www.funnypictures.dk/data/media/1/177.jpg

[ChopstickHero]

can't see shit... plus there's a bird in the way... lol

[nate0123]

the image in your sig looks a lot lower... didn't realize it was chopped

[protege02]

i got something for u tomorrow. i hope i like it. the rear looks a little high, or is that because ur car is sitting on an incline?

[jbiird317]

alright will get daytime pics tomorrow...its already been aligned and drives awesome...and yeah the sig pic is photochopped plus the car is on an incline, leaning towards the drivers side so it looks a lot lower than it really is

[99 Pro]

Looks good. I have the exact same springs and struts sitting at my house waiting to be put on my 99 Protege. Post up a straight side shot tomorrow if you get a chance.

[jbiird317]

ok here are some better daytime pics...let me know what u guys think

http://my.prostreetonline.com/album/pic.asp?u=jbiird317&p=low3.jpg
http://my.prostreetonline.com/album/pic.asp?u=jbiird317&p=low1.jpg
http://my.prostreetonline.com/album/pic.asp?u=jbiird317&p=low2.jpg

[nate0123]

the ass is a bit high for my taste... wonder if it's the tokicos that won't let it settle as much

[Rob.]

After saving up for this since about april, i finally got the tein s-techs and tokico HP blue struts and went to work this past saturday on getting them installed. It took a little longer than expected, but the process went fairly smooth. I cut the bump stops slightly so that it rode a little smoother... the only problem that i had was with the front swaybar end links hitting the tie-rod ends...so if you have a 99-00 (only some 2000s) you may have to go out and buy longer endlinks to avoid this problem... i drove about 500 miles with the new setup (including some fun back-woods PA roads) and i love it...here are some pics


they sent you the wrong struts. you have struts for the 01-up models. the mounting tab on the strut is supposed to be welded on a little lower for the 99-00 models. that's why you had to get longer endlinks. i had problems with struts before i and i figured out why by comparing the 2 . 99-00 is differnet than 01-03. just my 2cents. looks nice though.

[DiS]

looks great dude! Cant wait for next meet, whenever that is to check your ride out again, hehe!!! (thumb) keep it up!

[jbiird317]

looks great dude! Cant wait for next meet, whenever that is to check your ride out again, hehe!!! (thumb) keep it up!

haha thanks man, i def cant wait to show it off again at the next meet (hopefully i can make some money and move on to my next mod by then lol)

and Nate--the ass on mine looks just as high as yours in ur sig, but its definately the tokicos that make it higher cuz theyre stiffer than stock

Rob--Tokico doesnt make struts for the 99-00, they sell these as fitting the 99 and up proteges even tho its not true...

[nate0123]

no way, I got less than 1 finger all the way around

[jbiird317]

mine is more like a finger and a half all around...not that big of a difference in my eyes

[NegatiZE]

Looks good.

You all have to remember that whether or not the rear is higher, the body line of the Protege from the rear quarter panel all the way to the front of the car goes down towards the front, making it look raked forward.

[RenzoMSP]

no way, I got less than 1 finger all the way around
Some how this sounds perverted.
Anyway ur car look good.

[NegatiZE]

http://www.knology.net/~negatize/images/body.jpg

[DiS]

http://www.knology.net/~negatize/images/body.jpg
(rofl) fast&furious junkies!

[NegatiZE]

it makes it fastar!

[jbiird317]

Looks good.

You all have to remember that whether or not the rear is higher, the body line of the Protege from the rear quarter panel all the way to the front of the car goes down towards the front, making it look raked forward.

thanks man...yeah i kind of like how it flows towards the front, gives it a more aggressive stance i think

btw, ive had the car lowered for a week now, and so far i really like the tein/HP setup and would reccomend it to anyone whos planning on lowering their car

[novAKs47]

Looks good! Now I really can't wait to get mine lowered. Hopefully it'll be lowered this weekend, depending on when my stuff arrives. Anyways, looks great, especially with those wheels.

[Falango]

I got myself some S-Techs about 6 weeks ago. They look great and handle awesome. When I see other Proteges and P5s around at stock height, reminds me of an SUV, lol.

[jbiird317]

I got myself some S-Techs about 6 weeks ago. They look great and handle awesome. When I see other Proteges and P5s around at stock height, reminds me of an SUV, lol.

haha yeah im glad i got rid of the rock climber look lol...wheel gap is bad, very very bad

[protege02]

racingbeat springs and tokico gas shock. it's not as low as u guys, but it still looks good. i have 205/40/17 tire size now, so a 215/45/17 will close that gap a little.

[Falango]

Ya the wheel gap went from my whole fist, to one finger all the way around. At first,t he back does seem to stick up alot, but once it settles, it looks alot better.

[99 Pro]

Very old thread I know....I apologize.

If anyone knows what are the part numbers for the endlinks can you please post em up. I have a 1999 Protege that will be lowered on Tokico HP's and Teins (spring time install), so I guess I will need the longer endlinks for the front and the stock ones for the rear. Might as well buy these all now, cause everyone says they are a B to get off.

[NegatiZE]

LC62-34-170B
More info:
http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3972

[99 Pro]

LC62-34-170B
More info:
http://www.clubprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3972

Thanks dude. I gotta just put this stuff in already.....I have had them sitting here for like 8 months.

Do you happen to know the part number for the 1999 Protege rear endlinks?

[NegatiZE]

According to my catalog, it is:
B26R-28-170

[jbiird317]

i think i said this before in this thread, but definately buy the endlinks online, you will save at least $50 than if you'd buy them at the dealer

[InFeXIoN]

looks good man, i have the eibach/hp setup and love it. But recently i had a the nut that holds the top endlink to the strut tab back itself off and then im guessing from hitting bumps bend the thread and now its all screwed up so it clunks and shit. But i bought a new endlink today and am going to fix it.

[99 Pro]

i think i said this before in this thread, but definately buy the endlinks online, you will save at least $50 than if you'd buy them at the dealer

Anyone suggest a place to buy the endlinks on-line? Also can I just buy both the front and rear endlinks from a 00+? Or does my 1999 Protege need longer front end links (00+) and the shorter rear (99)?

[NegatiZE]

Mazdastuff.com, Mazdamotorsports.com sells them.

[99 Pro]

This is the price I got from Mazdastuff. Does it seem fair?

LC62-34-170B End link $19.63 each (2x) $39.26
B26R-28-170 End link $23.88 each (2x) $47.76
Shipping by UPS Expedited to Canada $50.00
Total $137.02

[NegatiZE]

It seems fair to me.

[jbiird317]

seems fair, i spent $95 at the dealer for just the front set...

[99 Pro]

I was going to buy the endlinks from Mazdastuff, but when you convert it to CDN money and then factor in the border charge, it was basically the same for me to buy it from my Mazda dealer. So I picked up the longer front endlinks and shorter rear ones today. I am all set-up to go now.....just gotta install them actually (hahaha).

Any tips or pointers for us when we decide to do this from my fellow 1999 Protege owners? Inside tips or past experinces or whatnot? My friend (who has lowered about 10 cars in the past) has air tools and all that good stuff in his shop already. Are you 1999 guys getting any clunks or anything? Is that washer trick thing something I should worry about?

[TampaSport20]

make sure and get a 6 point socket on the endlink bolts to break them loose, then use a box wrench and a #5 hex key to take them off...I would buy new HARDER nuts too while I was at it and use anti seize on them...those endlinks can be a bitch

Also go ahead and loosen the top nut on the strut assembly while it is still bolted in the strut tower

[jbiird317]

the endlinks are definately a bitch, i did one by myself and it took waay to long so i recruited some help for the other 3 and it went much faster with the two of us pulling in opposite directions...

also, with the rear strut mounts, there is a rubber seat for the spring, be sure that this is alligned properly before reassembling, if the spring and the seat dont match up perfectly the spring will slip off over time and blow that strut mount (tougher to do than it sounds b/c of the difference in size of the stock and lowering springs)

[truplayax14]

i just put on my tokico hps, eibach pro kit and AWR adjustable front swaybar endlinks.... i will post pics if u want

[truplayax14]

the endlinks are definately a bitch, i did one by myself and it took waay to long so i recruited some help for the other 3 and it went much faster with the two of us pulling in opposite directions...

also, with the rear strut mounts, there is a rubber seat for the spring, be sure that this is alligned properly before reassembling, if the spring and the seat dont match up perfectly the spring will slip off over time and blow that strut mount (tougher to do than it sounds b/c of the difference in size of the stock and lowering springs)


yes, the endlinks are a bitch....

[nate0123]

I had to cut mine off in the rear - didn't bother to remove the endlinks at all in the front because the whole assembly can be rotated out of the wheel well with the endlink still attached

[99 Pro]

i just put on my tokico hps, eibach pro kit and AWR adjustable front swaybar endlinks.... i will post pics if u want

Sure, post em up!

[99 Pro]

I had to cut mine off in the rear - didn't bother to remove the endlinks at all in the front because the whole assembly can be rotated out of the wheel well with the endlink still attached

I am doing struts and springs though, so everything will have to come out.

[nate0123]

oh (werd) ;)