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- 2001 Mazda MP3
awesome write up... and seems like it would be a good idea to do the catback install at the same time to avoid cutting it when taking the stock one out.. hmmm
Installed MS Coilovers, MS rear camber links, Hotchkis Anti-Roll bars
- Thread starter Rotus8
- Start date
R
Red08Speed3
Nice Setup
I got a 10 length of 3/8 hard wood dowel and drilled a 1/16 hole in the end. I then hammered the allen wrench into the hole making a ball-point allen wrench with a 12 reach. To use this tool, you have to remove the plastic caps at the top of the rear wheel wells that house the rear seat belt reels.....
I went to make this tool today, but first I stuck my hand through the opening for the jack (on the left) and to access the tail lights (on the right) to see what I could feel. It seemed pretty easy to get to the tops of the shocks (I have thin arms). A small tool would fit and here's room to turn it.
So I made one. I used brass 1/2" hex stock (hex so I can feel the position), drilled through the center with a #50 drill, and pressed a short piece of 2mm hex key into it. I broke the hex key off some junky multi-tool in the back of my toolbox. Finished, the handle is 5/16" high and the hex key sticks out 11/32". It could be a bit longer but not much shorter.
It works well. I can adjust the rebound just by removing the jack/taillight cover and reaching inside.
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- 2010 Mazda CX-9 GT Dolphin Gray
So Rotus after a couple of years
Do you find the new suspension offers a more comfortable ride when compared to the stock set-up? I want to pull the trigger but I'm still not sure it will offer that much improvement with regard to comfort and control.
Do you find the new suspension offers a more comfortable ride when compared to the stock set-up? I want to pull the trigger but I'm still not sure it will offer that much improvement with regard to comfort and control.
It's less comfortable and offers much more control.
The suspension doesn't move much at low speeds. My commute recently changed from 20 miles of twisty back roads to mostly crowded freeway driving. At 20-40 mph on a rough California concrete slab freeway it's awful. I feel like one of those bobble-head dolls. The bumps are gradual enough and the speeds low so the suspension does not move at all.
OTOH, once you get to speed on bumpy back roads, so you are hitting the bumps faster, the suspension works. The faster you go the better it works. And it's always great on smooth roads.
The handling is greatly improved... no more wallowy feeling and less leaning in corners.
If you drive a lot of bad pavement in traffic I would recommend going with Koni FSD and a set of thicker sway bars. That won't lower the car but the shocks will fix most of the wallowing due to insufficient stock damping and the sway bars will have the car cornering flatter.
The suspension doesn't move much at low speeds. My commute recently changed from 20 miles of twisty back roads to mostly crowded freeway driving. At 20-40 mph on a rough California concrete slab freeway it's awful. I feel like one of those bobble-head dolls. The bumps are gradual enough and the speeds low so the suspension does not move at all.
OTOH, once you get to speed on bumpy back roads, so you are hitting the bumps faster, the suspension works. The faster you go the better it works. And it's always great on smooth roads.
The handling is greatly improved... no more wallowy feeling and less leaning in corners.
If you drive a lot of bad pavement in traffic I would recommend going with Koni FSD and a set of thicker sway bars. That won't lower the car but the shocks will fix most of the wallowing due to insufficient stock damping and the sway bars will have the car cornering flatter.
I've heard the recommended settings from Mazda are a bit stiff. Have you tried dialing back the compression a bit?
Digging up this thread from the dead, I have just had a failure of the left front strut on my car. The attachment tab on the shock where the ARB link attaches broke off. I disassembled the strut and found that the body of the shock is also fractured where the tab was welded on. I have to replace the entire coilover setup. (argh)
This problem may be a component compatibility problem. The Hotchkiss ARB is quite stiff plus I added AWR links which I think may be a bit too long. This combination may have overstressed the mounting point. I am analyzing the geometry so my new setup won't have this problem again.
This problem may be a component compatibility problem. The Hotchkiss ARB is quite stiff plus I added AWR links which I think may be a bit too long. This combination may have overstressed the mounting point. I am analyzing the geometry so my new setup won't have this problem again.
Here is another update on this setup. After more than 40,000 miles and almost three years, the brackets holding the rear Hotchkiss ARB to the frame have broken. The right one broke into two pieces.
I have been hearing a rattling from the back for some time, and it is clear that the welds on the bracket broke a while ago, and finally the bracket body fractured from flexing. The other bracket is also fractured at the welds.
Anyway, I contacted Hotchkiss and they sent me a new upgraded set of brackets. Not only are they made of thicker metal, the design is different and looks like it should last. Plus the welds look to have much better penetration.
I installed them this afternoon, I'll take a test drive tomorrow. Props to Hotchkiss for great customer service!
I have been hearing a rattling from the back for some time, and it is clear that the welds on the bracket broke a while ago, and finally the bracket body fractured from flexing. The other bracket is also fractured at the welds.
Anyway, I contacted Hotchkiss and they sent me a new upgraded set of brackets. Not only are they made of thicker metal, the design is different and looks like it should last. Plus the welds look to have much better penetration.
I installed them this afternoon, I'll take a test drive tomorrow. Props to Hotchkiss for great customer service!
Hi Rotus, Did you replaced your front shock? How did you fix the front end links issues? Did you go back with stock end links or AWR's? I am thinking of getting Kw V1 or V2 and the Hotchkiss front and rear sways. Mine is a DD so I am leaning towards V1. Just curious, once you pick your settings on the coilovers, how often do you readjust them? Greg
I took out the Mazdaspeed (Kw made) complete kit and replaced with a new kit from BC Racing. When I installed them, I shortened the front AWR links about 1-1/4" by cutting and re-welding. They seem to be fine. As for adjustment of the shocks, I found with the Mazdaspeed ones, as well as the BC Racing, they get stiffer as they break in over the first few thousand miles. I re-adjusted the Mazdaspeed ones a couple of times, and I have tweeked the BC Racing ones once, and will do it again soon. Each adjustment was in the softer direction.
As for the rears, I am about to change out the AWR links in the back for the stock ones, at least as an experiment. I still get a rattling from the rear, even after replacing the bar bushings & mounts. I think the joints have gotten loose. If it still rattles, I am going to have to really tear into the rear suspension 'cause there is something not right about that noise.
Thanks Rotus. I think I will stay with the stock end links.
Any thoughts on the BC and MS coil you care to share? I don't want to lower the car anymore than I have to. My driveway will not allow anything over an inch lowering or I will scrap the front lip. The MS and KW lower the car the least. I was told that the BC can be adjusted to stock ride height. Is that true? Greg
both BC and MS, and I presume the KW, can have the ride height set anywhere from stock down. I set mine about 1" below stock. Expect to scrape the front lip anyway, there are lots of driveways, dips, parking lot thingies etc. I think most MS3s get the spoiler scraped up eventually even at stock height. But I agree setting it so at least your own driveway can be navigated is good practice.
Thank you Rotus. You've been most helpful.
I've had some issues since I installed my MS ccoilovers-
last winter I started hearing a clunk from the rear. It turns out that the right lower shock bushing had developed some play (put a finger on it and have an assistant pull up and push down on the fender- if you feel play it's bad). I found that KW has had problems with them on other platforms. I got an updated set from KW. They're a different design and clearly are stronger. They're about $20 each and you need a press to install them. p/n 6521 0383
Then a few weeks ago the right front strut mount broke. The top metal cup tore in half and the strut was free to move back and forth about 10mm. Fortunately I was close to home and the failure was not catastrophic, so I could limp in. I think that the pounding (I live on a rough road) softened the rubber, which allowed some play and the metal eventually fatigued. Running less rebound damping in an attempt to get a smoother ride may have contributed. The holes in the metal cups don't help- they're square. Can you say "stress riser"? The parts are the same as MZ3 parts, and I got replacements for about $31 each from onlinemazdaparts.
I'd noticed a few weeks before the failure that the mounts were allowing a noticeable amount of play- I could see the top of the strut move about 5mm when I pushed down on the fender. So I was considering replacing them anyhow, and when I did I replaced both. I'd recommend checking them if you have stiffer aftermarket suspension.
As far as settings, I did try less compression- I started out with -2 compression and rebound from the recommended settings, following Rotus8's recommendations. I've gone back to recommended as the suspension has broken in, and I added another click of rebound recently as it was getting too bouncy.
last winter I started hearing a clunk from the rear. It turns out that the right lower shock bushing had developed some play (put a finger on it and have an assistant pull up and push down on the fender- if you feel play it's bad). I found that KW has had problems with them on other platforms. I got an updated set from KW. They're a different design and clearly are stronger. They're about $20 each and you need a press to install them. p/n 6521 0383
Then a few weeks ago the right front strut mount broke. The top metal cup tore in half and the strut was free to move back and forth about 10mm. Fortunately I was close to home and the failure was not catastrophic, so I could limp in. I think that the pounding (I live on a rough road) softened the rubber, which allowed some play and the metal eventually fatigued. Running less rebound damping in an attempt to get a smoother ride may have contributed. The holes in the metal cups don't help- they're square. Can you say "stress riser"? The parts are the same as MZ3 parts, and I got replacements for about $31 each from onlinemazdaparts.
I'd noticed a few weeks before the failure that the mounts were allowing a noticeable amount of play- I could see the top of the strut move about 5mm when I pushed down on the fender. So I was considering replacing them anyhow, and when I did I replaced both. I'd recommend checking them if you have stiffer aftermarket suspension.
As far as settings, I did try less compression- I started out with -2 compression and rebound from the recommended settings, following Rotus8's recommendations. I've gone back to recommended as the suspension has broken in, and I added another click of rebound recently as it was getting too bouncy.
