OEM Struts same as Aftermarket Tokico Blues?

[Dave R]

I've bent my passenger side rear factory Tokico in my 03 MSP. I'm in desperate need of a new one, and can't find a replacement around here unless I go to the dealership, but they want over $400 for the single OEM strut!

I've looked into it, and would like confirmation on whether or not an aftermarket Tokico Blue HB strut is the same as the OEM Mazdaspeed strut? From what I've read the mazdaspeed strut is a Tokico Blue that is valved differently?

What kind of problems am I going to run into, or what am I going to notice if I replace mine with a Tokico from somewhere like protegegarage.com?

 

[slavrenz]

how on earth do you bend a strut?

 

[bgibb68]

you can buy all 4 new hp struts for less than 400....if those are orig struts still you will benefit greatly from all new ones....plus you really don't want just one new strut on your car

 

[Dave R]

how on earth do you bend a strut?

hit some black ice and put the back end into the curb. thanks.

has no body swapped and aftermarket tokico in for a oem one?
i really need to know if im going to run into trouble doing this.

 

[magnumP5]

They are not the same. IIRC, the MSP struts are valved differently (stiffer?) and the spring perches are in different locations. If you replace the struts with the aftermarket HPs the rear-end will sag. They are best paired with aftermarket springs. The spring perch on the stock MSP struts are lower - this is why a lot of aftermarket springs not made specifically for the MSP give it a very "raked" look.

 

[Dave R]

That's exactly what I needed to know before ordering a new one. I'm fine with the one being valved differently, but not with the perches being different too.

 

[MSP2003.5_Nick]

I wish you ****** up a front one becasue i have 2 front tokico blues in the back room haha. Sold the rears to a guy in another protege who blew the struts. For some reason the stock rear struts the love to blow.

 

[special--k]

i bent mine too. im driving it tho. Its bananned now. My camber is off by about 3 degrees no matter how hard i try to straighten it up. Its hard to even see the bend. I was looking it to Illuminas, but i have no cash. Its crazy that i can almost get 4 illuminas for the same price the garage wanted for 1 OEM...

any ways. good luck.