Stock Springs with new Koni Sports or ???

Tannercortes

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2009 Mazda 5
First of all, love this forum. I just read through the rear tire inner wear thread that has been going for over 5 years loaded with great info from solid folks.

My daily driver is a 2009 M5 with 114K miles and blown struts. I ordered a set of adjustable Koni Sport Struts and Shocks.
I wanted some advice in whether I should replace my stock coil springs or upgrade to something better.

If I go with stock spring/height should I upgrade to newer 2012+ as I've heard they are stiffer?

Or get a set of lowering springs like H&R or ?? if I go lowering springs will I need some kind of camber adjustment solution? Will I regret this? Lol.

Thanks in advance
Tanner Cortes @Corona,CA
 
If you want to lower it, get 4 new springs

If you want stock height, keep your stock springs

Sounds simple to me
 
If you want to lower it, get 4 new springs

If you want stock height, keep your stock springs

Sounds simple to me


I'm glad it sounds simple to you but it's not for me.

I'm basically asking for advice to help me decide. Admittedly I'm pretty much noob when it comes to car stuff but am determined to tackle this job myself.

I need some help figuring best solution/parts needed to manage camber if I do order a set of lowering springs.
I see H&R springs are available for 2009, but I think I want the Eibach Pro Kit springs and can't seem to find exact fit. I only find them for 2012, or Mazda 3.
 
Suspenion will break you bank account. It is not something you install and you will be happy forever with it. Each component will do its own job.

My SLK went from H&R springs only, then H&R springs + Bilstein stocks. 2 years later went with full racing coilover with camber adjustment. Air suspension was on my shopping list, so I can lift my car up and down anytime, but it robs too much of my trunk space and I forgot about it.

My wife's Mazda 5 went straight from blown setup to TEIN SA coilover. Perfect? nope, I find it too bouncy and now looking for something better.

If you go with Koni sport only, you will find your car handle a bit better with less bouncing feel over bumps, but springs and shocks are not matching, you will eventually want some stiffer springs.
 
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Suspenion will break you bank account. It is not something you something install and you will happy forever with it. Each component will do its own job.

My SLK went from H&R springs only, then H&R springs + Bilstein stocks. 2 years later went with full racing coilover with camber adjustment. Air suspension was on my shopping list, so I can lift my car up and down anytime, but it robs too much of my trunk space and stopped it.

My wife's Mazda 5 went straight from blown setup to TEIN SA coilover. Perfect? nope, it is too bouncy and now looking for something better.

If you go with Koni sport only, you will find your car handle a bit better with less bouncing feel, but springs and shocks are not matching, you will eventually want some stiffer springs.



I really like the 5 a lot. I've been driving it with blown shocks for over 2 months but it still kind of handles pretty nice around corners, as long as you enter gently and roll the gas on through the turn.
I don't think I want it full blown super low, but I do want a decent set of springs for the Koni and have a little tighter package.

I'm looking into B&G Suspension S2 Sport Springs. Some kind of adjustable camber arms I guess.
Thanks for the words.
 
if I were you, try the Koni first and then find yourself a set of Eibach. I had H&R on my old BMW E36 and Mercedes W202, they are too harsh for daily driving. Koni + Eibach should be great if your city roads are bad. Do alignment once if the angles are poor, then you do the arms, sway bars and all the bushing.
 
I really want the Eibach and will keep trying to source them.

if I were you, try the Koni first and then find yourself a set of Eibach. I had H&R on my old BMW E36 and Mercedes W202, they are too harsh for daily driving. Koni + Eibach should be great if your city roads are bad. Do alignment once if the angles are poor, then you do the arms, sway bars and all the bushing.
 
I'd honestly roll with the Konis and some H&R springs, then adjust damping to your liking. It'll be stiffer than stock, but then again the stock suspension is a bit floppy. Or you can buy my BC Coilovers. :)
 
you won't need adjustable camber arms in most cases. Make sure you will do a proper alignment afterward. If you are going to install big wheels and need specific angle for track, then I would do the camber arms.

The coilover on my SLK has camber adjustment, it was tuned when installed initially and did not touch it afterward. That was handy when your wheels are rubbing the fender or curb your wheel badly and the frame is slightly off.
 
thanks for the H&R will I need adjustable camber arms?

Doubtful for the amount that the H&R will lower you. I was set lower than the H&R drop, and I needed to lean back out about a full degree before getting back to -1.5 degrees of camber in the rear.
 
ok. thanks so much Asian_xl and Phunky.Buddha. turns out they don't make Eibach springs specifically for the 5. I called Eibach directly. I ordered a set of H&Rs. I'm going to keep the stock wheels for now.
 
I'll be the odd one out and recommend you get adjustable rear camber arms since the first gens are notorious for accelerated rear tire wear. Also, H&R kit drops the car low enough (over ~1.5"?) but this is subjective. IMO, anything over -1" over OE spec is enough to warrant correction.

Eibach makes springs for Euro Mazda 5 that are 1.8 and diesel. The diesel is close enough in weight to the 2.3 (more IIRC) and should work but you can't buy it in the states (I want a set) - need to call Eibach.EU. This was discussed in a past thread somewhere.

Vogtland also makes Mazda5 springs
 
Yer welcome Tanner.

I think the H&R drop is like 1.4 front 1.3 rear (inches), so it's not TOO severe. Pulling some of the toe out of the rear will help reduce inner edge wear too, but that might reduce rear stability more than you like...
 
This past Saturday I finally dropped the front struts. The left side was completely blown with oil splattered everywhere. The right side had very little dampening functionality after I removed the coil springs.

I reused coilsprings on my new Koni Sports. New mounts, dust cover and bump stop. I adjusted them 3/4 turn from full and went for a drive.
The clunking is gone. The ride has been transformed big time. I can enter corners with a lot more stability. It also rained here in SoCalifornia, believe it or not.

The shocks are planting my $60 Cilerro tires like they're some kind of hand cut Michelin Racing Slick in the wet.

Hope these last a long time, next weekend I'll put the rears in and replace the sway bar bushings, maybe the linkage too.
 

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