What have you done to your P5 today?

[Blue Pro5]

Sounds like a lot of tedious work. Well done

 

[Blue Pro5]

I started the suspension upgrade today beginning with gutting the rear interior panels.

 

[Blue Pro5]

Got into the front end first, replaced the LCA on the driver side.

I pulled off the rotors and had them turned at the brake shop, then grabbed some new pads.

Finally got the stock front struts out and installed the AST/Megan Racing setup before I ran out of time.

 

[Blue Pro5]

Rockin’ that Hot Rod stance for now

Rear struts will get changed out tomorrow, hopefully.

 

[Will56]

I just picked up a msp rear sway bar, new front and rear sb end links, new awr bushings for the rear and moog for the front and a complete Megan racing rear control arm set( both trailing arms and forward and rearward control arms) that I’ll be installing soon. The Megan racing set I picked up for 280$. It was a deal I couldn’t pass up!

 

[Blue Pro5]

I just picked up a msp rear sway bar, new front and rear sb end links, new awr bushings for the rear and moog for the front and a complete Megan racing rear control arm set( both trailing arms and forward and rearward control arms) that I’ll be installing soon. The Megan racing set I picked up for 280$. It was a deal I couldn’t pass up!

Oh that’s nice! I’ve heard it makes quite a difference.

 

[katapaltes]

I just picked up a msp rear sway bar, new front and rear sb end links, new awr bushings for the rear and moog for the front and a complete Megan racing rear control arm set( both trailing arms and forward and rearward control arms) that I’ll be installing soon. The Megan racing set I picked up for 280$. It was a deal I couldn’t pass up!

Will, @Blue Pro5 , anyone.. Do you have any advice for loosening the bolts holding the front sway bar bushings? I've tried everything I can think of, including coming in from the engine bay above. I even bought a lonnng 14/15mm box wrench just for this project, but I can't move those bolts. I hit them with PB Blaster and let them sit, even though there's really no rust to speak of on the bolts because it's a Texas car. I think I've been under the car three or four times by now and I've basically given up on them.

 

[Will56]

Oh that’s nice! I’ve heard it makes quite a difference.

I’m hoping so, I’ll be grabbing some kyb gr2 struts( since that’s the only thing out there for our cars now), some sort of lowering spring, front control arms and wheel bearings all around soon as well. I don’t want to lower it a ton so it’ll either be the racing beat ones or the tein high techs. I’m looking forward to driving it once I get the suspension all done.

 

[Will56]

Will, @Blue Pro5 , anyone.. Do you have any advice for loosening the bolts holding the front sway bar bushings? I've tried everything I can think of, including coming in from the engine bay above. I even bought a lonnng 14/15mm box wrench just for this project, but I can't move those bolts. I hit them with PB Blaster and let them sit, even though there's really no rust to speak of on the bolts because it's a Texas car. I think I've been under the car three or four times by now and I've basically given up on them.

Man I’m sorry you are having such trouble. I have yet to try and tackle mine but I’ll be doing some motor work soon and I figured while I’m in the engine bay and the intake will be out I’ll try and get to them. They do seem like a pain. I wish these cars were as easy to work on as the mx-5s but oh well. I’ll let you know how it goes. I hope you can get yours

 

[Blue Pro5]

Will, @Blue Pro5 , anyone.. Do you have any advice for loosening the bolts holding the front sway bar bushings? I've tried everything I can think of, including coming in from the engine bay above. I even bought a lonnng 14/15mm box wrench just for this project, but I can't move those bolts. I hit them with PB Blaster and let them sit, even though there's really no rust to speak of on the bolts because it's a Texas car. I think I've been under the car three or four times by now and I've basically given up on them.

I haven’t tackled that job yet. I’m here in California hoping the bolts aren’t seized too.

 

[Blue Pro5]

 

[Blue Pro5]

Things were going well until I tore the boot around the rear passenger side brake piston.

The new pads have a sharp clip holding the shim to the back of the pad, and the boot snagged on it as I was closing the caliper.

Oops.

 

[katapaltes]

I’m hoping so, I’ll be grabbing some kyb gr2 struts( since that’s the only thing out there for our cars now), some sort of lowering spring, front control arms and wheel bearings all around soon as well. I don’t want to lower it a ton so it’ll either be the racing beat ones or the tein high techs. I’m looking forward to driving it once I get the suspension all done.

Just as a data point, I'm in the process of removing the four KYB GR2 struts from my car after only six years - and very little driving during that time due to working from home. When going over small divots in the road, the car shakes/strikes pretty hard and doesn't keep its footing turning through some intersections where there's a dip in the road. I've read that KYBs stiffen up over time and that "KYB" stands for "Keep your Bilsteins." They're attractively priced and even have a rebate offered on Rock Auto right now, but it might be worth a look to read up on their long-term performance. Rock Auto has Gabriel, Monroe, and Sachs available for our cars.

I recently replaced my rears with OEM (Tokico) as they were only ~$80 apiece. (The "old" KYB struts didn't seem worn out when I informally tested them off the vehicle - and they shouldn't have, as they had less than 10k miles on them.) I replaced the strut mounts and rubber spring seats at the same time. I haven't lowered the vehicle, so I didn't have any worries about blowing out the new struts. Can KYB struts tolerate being lowered? Not all struts can, and I've read they'll die more quickly when lowered as a result.

My rear end seems calmer with the new struts, but again, I did replace the strut mounts and rubber spring seats (which I didn't do previously) along with the struts, so take that for what it's worth.

I still need to redo the front end. I have new front strut mounts but haven't yet bought new struts, so I may replace only the mount on one side as a test to see if that helps.

 

[Will56]

Just as a data point, I'm in the process of removing the four KYB GR2 struts from my car after only six years - and very little driving during that time due to working from home. When going over small divots in the road, the car shakes/strikes pretty hard and doesn't keep its footing turning through some intersections where there's a dip in the road. I've read that KYBs stiffen up over time and that "KYB" stands for "Keep your Bilsteins." They're attractively priced and even have a rebate offered on Rock Auto right now, but it might be worth a look to read up on their long-term performance. Rock Auto has Gabriel, Monroe, and Sachs available for our cars.

I recently replaced my rears with OEM (Tokico) as they were only ~$80 apiece. (The "old" KYB struts didn't seem worn out when I informally tested them off the vehicle - and they shouldn't have, as they had less than 10k miles on them.) I replaced the strut mounts and rubber spring seats at the same time. I haven't lowered the vehicle, so I didn't have any worries about blowing out the new struts. Can KYB struts tolerate being lowered? Not all struts can, and I've read they'll die more quickly when lowered as a result.

My rear end seems calmer with the new struts, but again, I did replace the strut mounts and rubber spring seats (which I didn't do previously) along with the struts, so take that for what it's worth.

I still need to redo the front end. I have new front strut mounts but haven't yet bought new struts, so I may replace only the mount on one side as a test to see if that helps.

Where did you buy the tokicos? I have yet to be able to find some.I would love to find some tokico blues or illuminas but I can’t seem to find them and from what I’ve read they don’t make them anymore. I’ve had good luck with kyb on other vehicles and they are the only struts racing beat sells for our cars so they must be the best option we have now. I don’t want coilovers. I’ll only be purchasing springs that lower the car 1”-1.5” so the struts should be fine.

 

[katapaltes]

Where did you buy the tokicos? I have yet to be able to find some.I would love to find some tokico blues or illuminas but I can’t seem to find them and from what I’ve read they don’t make them anymore. I’ve had good luck with kyb on other vehicles and they are the only struts racing beat sells for our cars so they must be the best option we have now. I don’t want coilovers. I’ll only be purchasing springs that lower the car 1”-1.5” so the struts should be fine.

What I recently got for the rear of my car were regular, black Mazda OEM shocks that were made by Tokico. They weren't Tokico Blues, but it did make me happy to see "Tokico" stamped into the steel. You might still be able to find some Mazda OEM blue (likely-Tokico) struts that were made for the Mazdaspeed or MP3. I posted my assumptions about that here:

What have you done to your P5 today?

I see. I think I was getting the KYBs mixed up with Monroe. I will take a look at the Monroes. I do hope that the Monroes hold up as well as the OEM struts have. I'm pretty hard on my car and the OEM struts are still good at 180k (unless someone replaced them with new OEM ones, which seems...

mazdas247.com

The Tasca and Mazda dealer pages below say they will fit a "regular" Protege/Protege5, but you'd have to research the heck out of that before paying $213 apiece. I imagine that the main question would be whether the sway bar end link mount is in the right place. I know the sway bar end links themselves can be different lengths between the three Protege suspension setups, but maybe the sway bar *mount points* on the struts are identical. Or if the sway bar end link mount points on the blue struts actually are in a different place than on our cars, I guess you would swap out the struts, end links, and sway bar all at once to get those blues. But that would be a lot!

@pcb may still have four blues on his parts car, iirc - if he still has his parts car!

2001-2003 Mazda Strut - Driver's Side (LH) BN7H-28-900A | TascaParts.com

2001-2003 Mazda part # BN7H-28-900A - Strut - Driver's Side (LH)

www.tascaparts.com

Mazda Protege 5 Damper(l), rear. Chassis, driveline - BN7H-28-900A | Jim Ellis Mazda, Marietta GA

Damper(l), rear. Chassis, driveline, mechanisms, suspension. Mazda Protege 5. Genuine Mazda Part - BN7H-28-900A (BN7H-28-900, BN7H28900, BN7H28900A). Ships from Jim Ellis Mazda, Marietta GA

parts.jimellismazdamarietta.com

BN7H-28-900A - Strut - 2001-2003 Mazda | MazdaSwag

Genuine Mazda OEM factory Part #BN7H-28-900AStrut 2001-2003 Mazda. Mazda Swag is your choice for Discount Mazda OEM factory parts and accessories. We are a factory Mazda dealer with Mazda OEM parts and Mazda accessories at discounted wholesale prices for your CX-5, CX-9, 2, 3, 5, 6 and more.

www.mazdaswag.com

Here is a pic of my recent Tokico black strut purchase:

 

[Diamond_Dave]

When going over small divots in the road, the car shakes/strikes pretty hard and doesn't keep its footing turning through some intersections where there's a dip in the road. I've read that KYBs stiffen up over time and that "KYB" stands for "Keep your Bilsteins." They're attractively priced and even have a rebate offered on Rock Auto right now, but it might be worth a look to read up on their long-term performance.

Yeah, the KYB GR2 "gas adjust" have been terrible since we were using them in the 80's on our VW's. We used to call them pogo sticks. Buy Bilsteins whenever possible - buy once, cry once.

The question I have is when will we reach a point where basic coilover kits have a baseline quality/performance that is above OEM and the cost is ~$1200? It seems like there are so many coilover companies - godspeed, BECAUSE, yellowspeed, etc but the coilover quality is not good. Am I missing a solution that is sub-$1200 and decent quality?

 

[Blue Pro5]

Yeah, the KYB GR2 "gas adjust" have been terrible since we were using them in the 80's on our VW's. We used to call them pogo sticks. Buy Bilsteins whenever possible - buy once, cry once.

The question I have is when will we reach a point where basic coilover kits have a baseline quality/performance that is above OEM and the cost is ~$1200? It seems like there are so many coilover companies - godspeed, BECAUSE, yellowspeed, etc but the coilover quality is not good. Am I missing a solution that is sub-$1200 and decent quality?

Great question. I was hoping to find something adjustable for less than $1600-$2000 besides the base model BC Racing setup which actually had some reputable pedigree. I guess we'll have to keep on waiting.

 

[Blue Pro5]

Decided to try the $5 caliper rebuild kit on my rear passenger side brake caliper after tearing the piston boot foolishly.

Wasn’t overly difficult to be honest. After using the adjustment screw to it’s maximum adjustment, I blew compressed air through the port for the banjo bolt and popped the piston out.

The piston was in decent shape besides the corrosion on the exposed edges. No scarring or blemishes inside the caliper either.

I only used the square cut o-ring for the piston and the dust boot from the kit. After installing it I limped it two blocks down the road to my friendly neighborhood mechanic to bleed the lines with a vacuum.

He said “you rebuilt that caliper? It looks good, no leaks. But don’t do that again!”

 

[LankyKiwi]

Will, @Blue Pro5 , anyone.. Do you have any advice for loosening the bolts holding the front sway bar bushings? I've tried everything I can think of, including coming in from the engine bay above. I even bought a lonnng 14/15mm box wrench just for this project, but I can't move those bolts. I hit them with PB Blaster and let them sit, even though there's really no rust to speak of on the bolts because it's a Texas car. I think I've been under the car three or four times by now and I've basically given up on them.

A 14mm ratcheting spanner accessing through the wheel arch might do the trick, it's tight and a PITA. Get a bit if heat in there if you can (without setting the car on fire!) there might be some old loctite on there.

From memory one bolt needs to come out, the other bolt just needs loosening as the bracket is slotted and it'll slide out

 

[Blue Pro5]

The new wider wheel setup rubs in the back. Bummer.

I couldn’t see myself spending $200+ to have someone roll the fenders, so I bought a cheap $45 fender roller and tried it myself. My thought was that even if it only lasted through four fenders, I’d still be ahead of the game.

I have a heat gun already, so it was game on. Tough to see it, but this pic shows the starting point with the horizontal lip sticking into the wheel space over 1/2”