installed tokico hp kit

[HurricaneP5]

hey all. i installed a tokico hp kit that i bought from pg a while back. i had a shop install it because i have no space (i'm an apartment dweller now, ugh). from what i read this kit was supposed to lower the car anywhere from 3/4" to 1". well the rear of my car is sitting low as crap, and i'm wondering why. my passenger side tire is tucking, with the car sitting still. i bought a set of rx-8 wheels (18") and i've been running them for some time (215/35 tires). any idea's why it's sitting so low? this thing rubs bad, i'm assuming on the inner fender. i checked into a few places rolling the fenders and I guess I'm gonna have to soon. seems like a huge drop to me, way more than 1". idea's/suggestions???

 

[JReichle1]

Did you get the proper springs for the p5? I got coilovers from a p5 and the rear on my car sits high. The springs are different lengths for the sedan and the hatch...

 

[njaremka]

wow, that does look low. i have the HP kit also, but its from a looong time ago and installed on a sedan. did you measure your ride heigh prior to the install? have you measured your ride heigh post install? did the shop forget to install the bump stops on that side? i would suspect something got messed inthe install, but who knows.

find a level spot, and go out and measure your ride height at all four corners - make sure to measure from the fender to the wheel center. (this method eliminates the variences of wheel sizing) if one corner is much higher than another, i would suspect something is either wrong with the installation, or something is wrong with the springs kit.

 

[HurricaneP5]

Did you get the proper springs for the p5? I got coilovers from a p5 and the rear on my car sits high. The springs are different lengths for the sedan and the hatch...

hmmm good question. i bought the kit new and didn't really know there was a difference. need to check my order.

 

[njaremka]

Did you get the proper springs for the p5? I got coilovers from a p5 and the rear on my car sits high. The springs are different lengths for the sedan and the hatch...

actually, according to the mazda parts manual, the pro5 and ES sedan share the same rear springs. and the HP kit is only one kit between the sedan and pro5. ALSO, if this were true, both sides inthe rear would be at different heights, not just the passenger side.

 

[hornsfan10609]

Damn thats a clean red P5, I love the RX-8s on there. Pull off the side molding next.

 

[wildo]

ALSO, if this were true, both sides inthe rear would be at different heights, not just the passenger side.

+1. Should have never pulled away from the shop like that. Take it back and tell them to fix it... Something is messed up! Even if they forgot the bump stops, the car wouldn't be sitting on the bump stops in a resting state. They definitely jacked it up somehow.

 

[JReichle1]

actually, according to the mazda parts manual, the pro5 and ES sedan share the same rear springs. and the HP kit is only one kit between the sedan and pro5. ALSO, if this were true, both sides inthe rear would be at different heights, not just the passenger side.

I got this info from protegeFAQ.net. It said the springrate is the same but length differs between models.

I might be wrong, but this is my experience with using p5 coilovers on my sedan. If you look on tein's website they have different part numbers for the sedan and the hatch.

 

[njaremka]

I got this info from protegeFAQ.net. It said the springrate is the same but length differs between models.

I might be wrong, but this is my experience with using p5 coilovers on my sedan. If you look on tein's website they have different part numbers for the sedan and the hatch.

there are MANY inconsistancies in the protege FAQ, and i wouldn't doubt that to be one of them. (most of the information is good, but some of it is totally wrong and edwin is too much of a wanker to admit he's ever wrong, so....)

what tein lists has to do with their applications, not OEM. i have the OEM 2001-2002 Protege / Protege5 part manual in front of me, and the pro5 and ES have the exact same rear spring part numbers listed.

now, the mazdaspeed protege is a totally different story...

 

[JReichle1]

Got it...

 

[Matt V]

Your passenger rear looks lower than the drivers side.

Looks like they might've installed the springs on the wrong axle?

 

[njaremka]

Your passenger rear looks lower than the drivers side.

Looks like they might've installed the springs on the wrong axle?

i dont think thats possible with protege springs, but you never know!

 

[Matt V]

Hmm, maybe not but if that's not it I'm not sure what it would be. Either way, I'd take it back to the shop that installed it.

 

[njaremka]

since i have the kit installed, i want to see ride heights before i make any more suggestions.

 

[HurricaneP5]

wow, that does look low. i have the HP kit also, but its from a looong time ago and installed on a sedan. did you measure your ride heigh prior to the install? have you measured your ride heigh post install? did the shop forget to install the bump stops on that side? i would suspect something got messed inthe install, but who knows.

find a level spot, and go out and measure your ride height at all four corners - make sure to measure from the fender to the wheel center. (this method eliminates the variences of wheel sizing) if one corner is much higher than another, i would suspect something is either wrong with the installation, or something is wrong with the springs kit.

i'll try to measure when i get home this afternoon!

 

[HurricaneP5]

Got a tape measure finally. Front measures 12.7" from the bottom lip of the fender to the center of the wheel. Rears both measure 11.8-11.9". ideas/suggestions?

 

[Matt V]

Measure from the fender to the ground on each corner, that will be a more accurate measure of distance and will be easier to predict whats wrong.

 

[obiwan177]

Maybe they put the accidentally put the front springs on the back and the back on the front?

 

[njaremka]

Got a tape measure finally. Front measures 12.7" from the bottom lip of the fender to the center of the wheel. Rears both measure 11.8-11.9". ideas/suggestions?

something isnt right with the rear - you are almost a full inch lower in the rear than i am.

Measure from the fender to the ground on each corner, that will be a more accurate measure of distance and will be easier to predict whats wrong.

actually, measuring from the fender to the wheel center is the "Proper" way to measure ride height, since it eliminates tire and wheels from the equation.

 

[Matt V]

I think they got the springs reversed.