Sway bars

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Protege5 Smoke

Member

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2002 Mazda Protege5

• Jul 24, 2014

• #1

I'm looking to replace the sway bars on my 02 P5 but so far I've only been able to come across one option, a set (front and rear) made by Progress. Haven't heard of them before so I was wondering if they're any good. If anyone knows of different products, I'm all ears.

Also getting OEM replacements for my front link bars, should I do the same for the rear or go beefier? I'm open to any suggestions.

Ps. Already bought the front links because the rubber seals were torn and the joint exposed. Decided to swap my sway bars afterwards.

 

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Brian_K

Member

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Protege5

• Jul 24, 2014

• #2

as far as i know, progress only makes rear swaybars for the protege. they are a reputable company. You might also want to look into getting some racingbeat swaybars off a mazdaspeed protege, if you get both front and rear you'll end up with a very neutral handling car. thicker endlinks would be a good choice as well as some polyurethane swaybar bushings.

 

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Protege5 Smoke

Member

:

2002 Mazda Protege5

• Jul 24, 2014

• #3

http://autoplicity.com/products/502...o1&network=g&gclid=CM3U37qv378CFSMV7AodKGsAJQ

Not sure if the link works, but that's what I found. The pic makes it look like a set, reading back in the specs it's just the rear.

I was going to get the MSP sway bars from a mechanic friend of mine but he didn't have them anymore. Don't want to pay dealer prices for OEM replacements.

 

Hank3

Asian Persuasion <><

Contributor

:

2010 Mazda5 GT

• Jul 25, 2014

• #4

Been rocking a Progress RSB for about a year now. No issues. I switched to Tokico Blues so I was able to retain the useage of the OEM endlinks.

 

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mp5la

Member

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2002 Mazda Protege 5

• Jul 25, 2014

• #5

Don't bother with a front bar. The factory front swaybar on these cars is already huge (it's the reason they tend to understeer in stock form). I've got an AWR rear swaybar with their links and so far I've been satisfied with it. Changing out the front swaybar is a horrible job, so take that into consideration as well. It's almost like they built the entire car around that front bar.

 

Hank3

Asian Persuasion <><

Contributor

:

2010 Mazda5 GT

• Jul 25, 2014

• #6

mp5la said:

It's almost like they built the entire car around that front bar.

Click to expand...

LOL...true dat.

Maybe it's a lot of, if not all, modern day Mazdas because when I had the MS3, I felt this way as well.

 

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denim

SSAudio.com

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2003 Protege5 5-speed / 2005 RX-8 Skinka

• Jul 25, 2014

• #7

mp5la said:

Don't bother with a front bar. The factory front swaybar on these cars is already huge (it's the reason they tend to understeer in stock form). I've got an AWR rear swaybar with their links and so far I've been satisfied with it. Changing out the front swaybar is a horrible job, so take that into consideration as well. It's almost like they built the entire car around that front bar.

Click to expand...

I have the same rear sway, and the end links went bad fairly quick. Going to try to swap in OEM end links tomorrow.

 

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Protege5 Smoke

Member

:

2002 Mazda Protege5

• Jul 25, 2014

• #8

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll go ahead and buy the Progress bar, unless I can find a MSP set. Also came across someone on the forums saying how much they loved their Moog rear endlinks, think I'll look into those too.

 

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denim

SSAudio.com

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2003 Protege5 5-speed / 2005 RX-8 Skinka

• Jul 28, 2014

• #9

This past weekend, I had the car up in the air finally. It was not the end-links that went bad. It was the bushings for the AWR sway bar, and the length of the sway bar. It was impacting the control arms in the rear.

 

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mp5la

Member

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2002 Mazda Protege 5

• Jul 28, 2014

• #10

Interesting. What symptoms were you having?