Body Roll Remedy for CX-5: Sway bars, front strut bar, etc

:
Mazda CX5 Touring
I've seen a few threads about sway bars and front struts. The body roll in my 2015 CX-5 has gotten the best of me and I'd like to flatten it out. (I like hitting the gas in corners:) Anyway, if I have someone install a rear sway bar and a front upper strut bar, do you think that will significantly reduce body roll? I'm trying to avoid the front sway bar installation as I've read it is really difficult which means more expense for me. Will this cause an issue with balance/handling that could be dangerous?
 
Don't bother with the front strut bar, that's a waste of money. Your car is already structurally rigid so that bar isnt going to do anything. My suggestions is to get front and rear sway bars first. Then look into camber plates for the front axle. Next look into a limited slip differential. Then, get some coilovers or some bilstein dampers.
 
Don't bother with the front strut bar, that's a waste of money. Your car is already structurally rigid so that bar isnt going to do anything. My suggestions is to get front and rear sway bars first. Then look into camber plates for the front axle. Next look into a limited slip differential. Then, get some coilovers or some bilstein dampers.

What makes you think there is an LSD available for this drivetrain?
 
I've seen a few threads about sway bars and front struts. The body roll in my 2015 CX-5 has gotten the best of me and I'd like to flatten it out. (I like hitting the gas in corners:) Anyway, if I have someone install a rear sway bar and a front upper strut bar, do you think that will significantly reduce body roll? I'm trying to avoid the front sway bar installation as I've read it is really difficult which means more expense for me. Will this cause an issue with balance/handling that could be dangerous?

I think going with sway bars would be the most budget friendly option. JBR sells front and rear sway bars for the CX-5. Going with just a rear sway bar would be fine if you keep it a reasonable setting.

A more expensive but probably better option is to lower your CX-5. This comes at the expense of ride comfort though.
 
I highly recommend the rear anti-sway bar. I had a 2004 Subaru Forester XT whose suspension couldn't begin to keep up with that first year turbo monster engine and the way I drove it. The bar made the ridiculous amount of body roll improve all the way to tolerable. The only downside was that it tore the mounting tabs loose, so I had to get them re-welded! Later I added the front bar, which really flattened things out.
 
Thanks so much for all the great advice. I'll have them install both the front and rear sway bars to start. Sounds like that will result in the most notable difference and I can keep adding additional parts as needed. GJ-Molestor thanks for sharing the information on additional parts I can install, that helps a lot~

shadonoz, sorry it tore your mounting tabs loose! (boom04) I'll take that chance though, need this body roll to vanish.
 
I've seen a few threads about sway bars and front struts. The body roll in my 2015 CX-5 has gotten the best of me and I'd like to flatten it out. (I like hitting the gas in corners:) Anyway, if I have someone install a rear sway bar and a front upper strut bar, do you think that will significantly reduce body roll? I'm trying to avoid the front sway bar installation as I've read it is really difficult which means more expense for me. Will this cause an issue with balance/handling that could be dangerous?

You need to ping - Chris (moderator @ this forum). Chris does/did/doing some crazy modifications on his CX-5 which even an engineer @ Mazda may not dare. I am actually surprised he has not chipped in yet. Mods are his favorite.
 
shadonoz, sorry it tore your mounting tabs loose! (boom04) I'll take that chance though, need this body roll to vanish.

It was no big deal to fix, so fear not. It was well worth it. I'm sure you'll be pleased. And it noticeably improved the overall ride.

Everything is designed to be just good enough to do its job. When you change one component, there are often unintended consequences.
 
What makes you think there is an LSD available for this drivetrain?

They are out there, or you can have one custom made. I think they are for the FWD model only however, but worth every penny if you like to drive fast.

Installing camber plates (cheap) and tweaking your front negative camber is probably the most effective way to dramatically improve handling, but the stock open differential will become let down by that point. My recommendation is to get front and rear sways as well.

I think going with sway bars would be the most budget friendly option. JBR sells front and rear sway bars for the CX-5. Going with just a rear sway bar would be fine if you keep it a reasonable setting.

A more expensive but probably better option is to lower your CX-5. This comes at the expense of ride comfort though.

Not necessarily, some suspension like bilstein will ride nice. The ride will be stiffer but still will not punish you and be bearable on the street.
 
Not necessarily, some suspension like bilstein will ride nice. The ride will be stiffer but still will not punish you and be bearable on the street.
I stand by my statement that lowering a CX-5 will come at the expense of ride comfort. I don't see any options available right now for lowering the CX-5 without a ride comfort penalty. The Koni FSD will arguably increase ride comfort, but those are for stock springs, not lowering springs. Bilstein doesn't even make anything for a 2016+ CX-5.

Edit: I double checked, actually Bilstein doesn't make anything for any model year CX-5.
 
Ride is rough on Cs springs. You need good roads for that. Luckily, where I live it's not to bad.
I have the CS rear sway bar installed, at the stiffest setting(there are two) and I can turn really fast. Many times, I have to reposition myself in the seat, after a turn.
Basically, it feels like a gokart. My previous car, was a 08' VW Rabbit on H&R Sport springs(1.5/1.6" drop) and this car feels much sportier.
 
I stand by my statement that lowering a CX-5 will come at the expense of ride comfort. I don't see any options available right now for lowering the CX-5 without a ride comfort penalty. The Koni FSD will arguably increase ride comfort, but those are for stock springs, not lowering springs. Bilstein doesn't even make anything for a 2016+ CX-5.

Edit: I double checked, actually Bilstein doesn't make anything for any model year CX-5.
You're correct about lowering springs. I've got H&R sports on mine with stock shocks and adjustable camber hardware front and rear. The ride is noticeably stiffer than stock, but I put up with it because the car feels more "planted" in turns and doesn't look so dorky up on its "tippy toes". The other thing about this setup is that you really have to have a way to adjust for camber at both ends or you will end up with inner tire shoulder wear.
As for GJ-Molester's comment about Bilsteins (and just about everything else!) get used to it. He shoots from the hip (as with his fantasy comment about the availability of a LSD for the CX-5 above) and can rarely back up any of his claims. I've blocked him on my forum feed so I'm not bothered with his inane commentary.
 
Over at the BMW forum, the general consensus was that Bilstein dampers were far superior over any sort of Koni product. It may be that bilstein is made in the same country as a BMW, but bilstein makes dampers for many cars, including other Mazda's and everyone says that it's not only the best strut in terms of ride to handling balance (which Mazda spends lots and lots of time perfecting with their chassis) mixed with a strut that is extremely long lasting especially compared to the not so good OEM dampers we have in our cars. Seeing that bilstein doesn't make coilovers specifically for the CX-5, this is what I would recommend:

https://www.bcracingpower.com/product/2012-2016-mazda-cx-5-br-series-coilovers-n-24-br

Bc racing makes some great suspension, and it's fully adjustable which means that the limits are very high if they are tuned by someone who knows what they are doing based on your needs for suspension dampening.

I would recommend any coilovers really, particularly Japanese ones.

Lowering springs are mostly garbage because sporty springs much be properly paired to a stiffer more sporty strut so that the ride and handling is optimal. Lowering springs on a strut designed for a normal size spring will not give you the ride and handling balance you are looking for.

If you want to invest in lowering springs, don't. That money is best spent on camber plates or sway bars.
 
You're correct about lowering springs. I've got H&R sports on mine with stock shocks and adjustable camber hardware front and rear. The ride is noticeably stiffer than stock, but I put up with it because the car feels more "planted" in turns and doesn't look so dorky up on its "tippy toes". The other thing about this setup is that you really have to have a way to adjust for camber at both ends or you will end up with inner tire shoulder wear.
As for GJ-Molester's comment about Bilsteins (and just about everything else!) get used to it. He shoots from the hip (as with his fantasy comment about the availability of a LSD for the CX-5 above) and can rarely back up any of his claims. I've blocked him on my forum feed so I'm not bothered with his inane commentary.

Thanks for sharing info on the needed for camber adjustments when lowering the CX-5. That info should help people who are going to lower their CX-5s.
 
Thanks for sharing info on the needed for camber adjustments when lowering the CX-5. That info should help people who are going to lower their CX-5s.

You'd think, but over the years I've seen a awful lot of owners here lower their CX-5s without taking this extra step and claim that their cars were within alignment spec after lowering which may be technically correct, but being on the outer limits of acceptable camber will not lead to acceptable tire wear. I learned that the hard way!
 
Very soon, I will have to replace my front tires and I will have to install those camber bolts as well. I had some very soft tires(320 rated). Though, I did not have any weird wear on those tires. They were at the edge, of the acceptable green area.
 
I've seen a few threads about sway bars and front struts. The body roll in my 2015 CX-5 has gotten the best of me and I'd like to flatten it out. (I like hitting the gas in corners:) Anyway, if I have someone install a rear sway bar and a front upper strut bar, do you think that will significantly reduce body roll? I'm trying to avoid the front sway bar installation as I've read it is really difficult which means more expense for me. Will this cause an issue with balance/handling that could be dangerous?

Stiffer springs and shocks are BY FAR the best option for what you want. They will limit brake dive and acceleration squat, too. Stiffer springs do NOT make the ride harsher/rougher. High speed compression damping does that, so you need to ask a lot about the new shocks' damping.

Stabilizer bars are at best a tuning aid and at worst a band-aid that limits your suspension's compliance and travel. If you must, change them ONLY in matched pairs. Changing only the rear will give you increased oversteer (tail hanging out) and instability, if you change it enough to affect body roll. Bad Idea.

Mazda installs a rear LSD in Oz and New Zealand. I'm sure you could have one shipped here and installed. Your guess as to the cost.
 
Last edited:
I find it amusing that a Mazda fan wants to "reduce roll" in their vehicle.

I find this amusing because #1, the CX5 is already pretty "flat" for a vehicle with 8.5" of ground clearance. #2, the Miata is roll city, and is still the most raced car, and Mazda's claim to fame (aside from a few brief years where they had a decent rotary).

Anyway, you're not going to kill roll in a CX5 without either 1) Lowering it (shoulda bought a wagon/hatch...) or 2) making it so stiff it's terrible to go anywhere in. People can talk about valving and timing and high-speed this and that, but I've never been in a car that managed to limit roll without adding harshness to the ride. Not the M3, not the 370Z, not the Z06, nothing. The ONLY exception was the ZR1 I tracked, with the MRC suspension, but installing MRC in a Mazda would probably cost more than the car is worth once you factor in fabbing/tuning/etc.
 
Stiffer springs and shocks are BY FAR the best option for what you want. They will limit brake dive and acceleration squat, too. Stiffer springs do NOT make the ride harsher/rougher. High speed compression damping does that, so you need to ask a lot about the new shocks' damping.

Stabilizer bars are at best a tuning aid and at worst a band-aid that limits your suspension's compliance and travel. If you must, change them ONLY in matched pairs. Changing only the rear will give you increased oversteer (tail hanging out) and instability, if you change it enough to affect body roll. Bad Idea.

Mazda installs a rear LSD in Oz and New Zealand. I'm sure you could have one shipped here and installed. Your guess as to the cost.

I disagree. There is no way stiffer springs dont change ride comfort, and you need to properly match lowering springs to a more aggressively strut for it to work, so what you said doesnt work...

Its true that a rear sway bar will cause oversteer, but thats simply not an issue with a stable vehicle like Mazdas. I am an experienced driver, and based on my findings from all my time driving I would happily rather control oversteer VS. understeer. Rear axle drifting is very easy to control VS. Full on understeer, and ultimately you have more control over the vehicles angle via throttle and steering input VS. Understeer, where you have to let go of the throttle and pray you dont smack a curb.

If you are an experienced or confident driver, oversteer without a doubt is what you want. The idea with the rear LSD is a really good suggestion, and I highly recommend that.

But for $500 modifications, youre best off buying front/rear sway bars and some camber plates rather than lowering springs.

I find it amusing that a Mazda fan wants to "reduce roll" in their vehicle.

I find this amusing because #1, the CX5 is already pretty "flat" for a vehicle with 8.5" of ground clearance. #2, the Miata is roll city, and is still the most raced car, and Mazda's claim to fame (aside from a few brief years where they had a decent rotary).

Anyway, you're not going to kill roll in a CX5 without either 1) Lowering it (shoulda bought a wagon/hatch...) or 2) making it so stiff it's terrible to go anywhere in. People can talk about valving and timing and high-speed this and that, but I've never been in a car that managed to limit roll without adding harshness to the ride. Not the M3, not the 370Z, not the Z06, nothing. The ONLY exception was the ZR1 I tracked, with the MRC suspension, but installing MRC in a Mazda would probably cost more than the car is worth once you factor in fabbing/tuning/etc.

Mazda uses a form of body roll mainly on purpose to give the driver a sense how how hard they are pushing the vehicle. Its also partly because they have not advanced their chassis design to a point where the chassis itself can soak up bumps without the need of soft suspension, so body roll is minimal (etc Volkswagen or Acura) Personally, Ive pushed my Mazda 6 sedan hard enough to see lots of body roll (although it was still very composed and controlled) so I can only imagine how much worse the roll is on the higher-up crossover... it does not corner flat despite the fact that its such a stable and fun to drive quickly.

Aftermarket suspension absolutely does not mean that you are going to suffer from a stiff or uncomfortable ride. Bilstein struts are not available for the CX-5 unfortunately, but they offer an excellent blend of street comfort and performance. when you strike the correct balance with a suspension suited to the chassis in your vehicle you will not have a car that rides stiff. The same goes for coilovers such as BC racing. They are fully adjustable, meaning that if you take them to a competent shop who can precisely adjust ride height, damping etc the coilovers might as well just start to ride BETTER than the OEM shocks youve had before.

Funny how you mentioned that the suspension in your ZR1 is too expensive to fit into a Mazda, but were talking about a Chevrolet here... the irony...
 
Last edited:
I find it amusing that a Mazda fan wants to "reduce roll" in their vehicle.

I find this amusing because #1, the CX5 is already pretty "flat" for a vehicle with 8.5" of ground clearance. #2, the Miata is roll city, and is still the most raced car, and Mazda's claim to fame (aside from a few brief years where they had a decent rotary).

Anyway, you're not going to kill roll in a CX5 without either 1) Lowering it (shoulda bought a wagon/hatch...) or 2) making it so stiff it's terrible to go anywhere in. People can talk about valving and timing and high-speed this and that, but I've never been in a car that managed to limit roll without adding harshness to the ride. Not the M3, not the 370Z, not the Z06, nothing. The ONLY exception was the ZR1 I tracked, with the MRC suspension, but installing MRC in a Mazda would probably cost more than the car is worth once you factor in fabbing/tuning/etc.



Would not want a Mazda 3 because of wrong wheel drive and less interior volume. I'm happy with my AWD, interior space, and cornering ability that is pretty much limited by the grip of my tires at this stage. Someone mentioned over steer as if it's a bad thing; I'd prefer controllable/at will over steer than be stuck with "hold my hand" understeer and plowing. But I suppose it depends on how involved you are/want to be in the driving experience.
Also.. most raced Miatas are not stock. I'm sure you know that Mazda sells OEM performance parts for track cars as well. s*** I'd go as far to say its hard to even find a stock Miata around here.
 
Last edited:
Back