Racing Beat sway bars and springs

[fateexceeds]

Does anyone have the Racing Beat front and rear sway bars? How do they compare to other brands, such as Progress or AWR? Also, do they really make a noticeable difference (are they worth the money)? How about the springs?

More importantly: the Racing Beat website says that you shouldn't use their sway bars with the stock struts because it could cause damage to the struts (the flange that the end link connects to is much smaller than the one on the Tokico HPs). Is this true? Has anyone had success running the Racing Beat sway bars with the stock struts?

[JoshP5]

Does anyone have the Racing Beat front and rear sway bars? How do they compare to other brands, such as Progress or AWR? Also, do they really make a noticeable difference (are they worth the money)? How about the springs?

RB has been in the tuning business for decades--they offer some of the highest quality parts available for your Mazda. Even Mazda went to them for tuning input on the Mazdaspeed and MP3 Protege models. Their sway bars will make a night-and-day difference in cornering and transient response. Read some impressions here (http://www.imazda.com/forums/showthread.php?t=454).

I have a set of RB springs and Tokico HP struts in my closet awaiting installation--I'll post a review after I get them on. Since I'll be in Korea for the next 3 weeks, you'll have to be patient.



More importantly: the Racing Beat website says that you shouldn't use their sway bars with the stock struts because it could cause damage to the struts (the flange that the end link connects to is much smaller than the one on the Tokico HPs). Is this true? Has anyone had success running the Racing Beat sway bars with the stock struts?

This is true. People have broken the stock tabs. You should upgrade to aftermarket struts for this reason and to effectively damp higher-rate aftermarket springs.

[fateexceeds]

RB has been in the tuning business for decades--they offer some of the highest quality parts available for your Mazda. Even Mazda went to them for tuning input on the Mazdaspeed and MP3 Protege models. Their sway bars will make a night-and-day difference in cornering and transient response. Read some impressions here (http://www.imazda.com/forums/showthread.php?t=454).

I have a set of RB springs and Tokico HP struts in my closet awaiting installation--I'll post a review after I get them on. Since I'll be in Korea for the next 3 weeks, you'll have to be patient.



This is true. People have broken the stock tabs. You should upgrade to aftermarket struts for this reason and to effectively damp higher-rate aftermarket springs.

thanks so much for the info. I look forward to reading your review when you return from Korea.

[rustychops41]

thanks so much for the info. I look forward to reading your review when you return from Korea.
What he said times 100. It transforms the car. They all shoulda been built this way. BTW, I did run a similar (Tony's 19mm) rear bar on my 02 DX with stock struts/tabs, and it did work, for about two months. Then boom, just driving down the freeway, tore the thing clean off. If you still aint convinced, read the posts of some of the guys whov'e "gone cheap" on eBay for the springs/struts packages.

[Mr.Ames]

i have rb springs with tokico struts and it rides and corners so much better. i still have to get the rear sway bar tho, so i cant really say anything about that

[JoshP5]

Pics?

[Action Jackson]

On the topic of reinforced connection points.

The Racing Beat/Mazdaspeed Swaybar kit comes with a new rear crossmember with beefier mounting points for the swaybar bushings.

There have been members who simply bolted on a rear Racing Beat swaybar with the stock crossmember and some have been lucky with no problems. Others have had those weak mounts tear off.

[rustychops41]

There have been members who simply bolted on a rear Racing Beat swaybar with the stock crossmember and some have been lucky with no problems.

I too have heard/seen such posts. How anyone got those larger horseshoe brackets onto thier stock rear x-member is beyond me. One user got the "clunk-fix" instead of the new x-member, which probably works sweet, but it's actually much more expensive (the new x-member is only about $70).
One caveat I forgot to mention earlier; I did the springs/struts first, and then the bars/x-member a few weeks later (before the alignment), and the swaybars seemed to have increased the ride harshness to an even larger degree than the springs/struts did. It kinda took some of the "independent" out of the independent suspension, in the rear especially. It's not uncommon to hike the inside rear way off the ground going into driveways, and also some spinning of the inside front tire when leaving driveways has happened. Given the complexity of the front SB installation, if I did it all over again, I might pass on the swaybars next time. I'm an old fart though.

[Mr.Ames]

Pics?

I'll take some after I get new rims. I'm running my winter tires in the back cuz my 17's were so bent up that they were rubbing against the struts. So it looks kinda retarded with 16's on the back right now...(peep)

[Mr.Ames]

Pics (http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?p=3228802#post3228802)