Protegé FAQ - Suspension mods

Suspension

Contents
I'd like to lower my car, are there any springs available for the Protegé?
I want to get new shocks while I'm lowering my car too, are there any?
What tower bars are available?
Are there any sway bars for the Protegé?
What does the MP3's sway bar kit comes with?
What does the MazdaSpeed Protegé's sway bar kit comes with?
I own a 3rd generation Protegé and would like to get the MP3's tower bar.
What do I need to get?
What's the part number of the Protegé 5 front tower bar?
What's the part number of the MazdaSpeed Protegé's front tower bar?
My (stupid) dealer got my tower bar all scratched up, what can I do to make it
not such an eye sore?
Everywhere I look, they only have front tower bars for the 3rd generation.
Where can I find a rear tower bar?
What about "lower tie bars"?
What suspension settings should I use?
Are there any suspension bushings available?
What are the wheel bolt on paterns for the Protegé?
I am going to get larger/smaller aftermarket wheels for my car, will it affect the speedometer?
Can suspension parts from foreign 323/Familia models be used to improve the
performance of my BJ chassis Protegé? What about MP3 parts?
Can any wheels from other Mazdas or Fords be used as an upgrade on a Protegé?
I need wheels for SCCA Solo II Stock-class autocrossing. What are some good,
inexpensive choices other than a set of stock Protegé wheels?
I am performing an alignment on my MP3. Are there any special settings?
I am performing an alignment on my MazdaSpeed Protegé. Are there any special settings?
What is camber, and what effect does it have on handling?
I’m going to lower my Protegé and I’m concerned about camber. Will lowering my car
increase camber too much and cause a tire wear problem?
How do I adjust my Protegé’s camber?
What is caster, and how do I adjust it? What are the effects of more or less caster?
What is toe, and how do I adjust it? What are the effects of toe-in and toe-out? Will lowering my car
affect the toe?
After I replace the struts and/or springs on my Protegé, do I need an alignment? Is there any way to
avoid it?
Does the MP3/MazdaSpeed Familia and MazdaSpeed Protegé come with Racing Beat suspension parts?
I have a MP3/MazdaSpeed Familia/MazdaSpeed Protegé and I am hearing a "clunk" noise over bumps.
How can I get rid of this annoyance?

I'd like to lower my car, are there any springs available for the Protegé?

For 1st generation:
Type	Height	Spring rate
Stock GT-R	Stock	F: 3.7kgf/mm R: 3.3kgf/mm
Stock GT-X hatchback	Stock	F: 3.7kgf/mm R: 2.23kgf/mm
B&G springs	1.4" drop
Intrax springs	1.75" drop
Eibach Pro-Kit springs	1" drop
Suspension Techniques springs	1" drop
H&R springs	Drop: F: 1.25" R: 1"
Progress springs	Drop: F: 1.7" R: 1.5"
Weapon-R coil overs
Ground Control coil overs
Apex springs	35mm drop
Canuck Motorsports springs part #: 50-1411	2.0" drop
Ksport coil overs part #: CMZ1-KP		F: 7kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
Postert springs	50mm drop
AutoExe Aragosta coil overs for 4WD/GT/GT-X part # MBG7900		F: 49.0N/mm (5.0kgf/mm) R: 39.2N/mm (4.2kgf/mm)
AutoExe Aragosta coil overs for GT-R/GT-Ae part # MBG7910		F: 58.8N/mm (6.0kgf/mm) R: 49.0N/mm (5.0kgf/mm)
Aragosta Standard Model coil overs for 4WD/GT/GT-X		F: 5kgf/mm R: 3.8kgf/mm
Aragosta Standard Model coil overs for GT-R/GT-Ae		F: 6kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
Aragosta Type-W coil overs for 4WD/GT/GT-X part #: P5.B1.000	Drop: F: -10-40mm R: -15-40mm	F: 5kgf/mm R: 4kgf/mm
Aragosta Type-W coil overs for GT-R/GT-Ae part #: P5.A1.000	-10-40mm drop	F: 6kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
Trust DowMax springs	30-35mm drop	F: 37.3N/mm (3.8kgf/mm) R: 20.6N/mm (2.1kgf/mm)
YZ Sports coil overs
kg/mm Sports S21Sport springs for GT-X/GT-R/GT-Ae		F: 3.2kgf/mm R: 2.6kgf/mm
kg/mm Sports S21SuperSport springs for GT-X/GT-R/GT-Ae		F: 4.0kgf/mm R: 3.4kgf/mm
King Springs part #: KFFS-50 (front), KFRS-51 (rear)	0-20mm raise
King lowering springs part #: KFFL-50 (front), KFRL-51 (rear) for 4WD rear, use KDRL-50	~30mm drop
King super lowering springs part #: KFFL-50SL (front), KMRL-23 (rear)	50-60mm drop
Whiteline Control springs
Whiteline Flatout springs (FWD only)
Whiteline coil overs (GT-X or GT-R kit)
Hot Bits Adjustable Suspension Kit part #: HB.SS 60-201-ADJ for 1.8l engine HB.SS 60-207-ADJ for 1.6l engine
ZOOM Down Force springs	Drop: F: 40-45mm R: 35-40mm
ZOOM Super Down Force C springs	Drop: F: 40-65mm R: 35-60mm
ZOOM Down Force HG springs	Drop: F: 40-45mm R: 35-40mm
Vogtland Sport springs part #: 958025	35mm drop
Sheepdog Prof SDR springs	30mm drop
Tanabe Sustec HS200 springs	Drop: F: 2mm R: 5mm	F: 3.3kgf/mm R: 2.4kgf/mm
Tanabe Sustec Super H springs for GT-X/GT-R/GT-Ae	Drop: F: 32mm R: 35mm	F: 3.5kgf/mm R: 2.6kgf/mm
Toyoshima coil overs for GT-R/GT-Ae	30mm drop	F: 3.0kgf/mm R: 2.3kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit B-Spec. sport spring set (for FWD only) part #: QSR5-34-01Z	30mm drop	F: 32.4N/mm (3.3kgf/mm) R: 21.6N/mm (2.2kgf/mm)
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit N1 race front spring for FWD part #: 9F2A-28-011 (1 spring only, discontinued) this is a coil over setup requires N1 race struts, upper spring seat (9B2A-34-340A, discontinued), lower spring seat (9A1A-34-355B, discontinued), and height adjuster (9A1A-34-365B, discontinued)		10kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit N1 race front spring for FWD part #: 9B3A-34-011-11 (1 spring only, discontinued) this is a coil over setup requires N1 race struts, upper spring seat (9B2A-34-340A, discontinued), lower spring seat (9A1A-34-355B, discontinued), and height adjuster (9A1A-34-365B, discontinued)		11kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit N1 race rear spring for FWD part #: 9B3A-28-011-12 (1 spring only, discontinued) this is a coil over setup requires N1 race struts, upper spring seat (9B2A-28-340A, discontinued), lower spring seat (9A1A-34-355, discontinued), and height adjuster (9A1A-34-365, discontinued)		12kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit N1 race rear spring for FWD part #: 9B3A-28-011-13 (1 spring only, discontinued) this is a coil over setup requires N1 race struts, upper spring seat (9B2A-28-340A, discontinued), lower spring seat (9A1A-34-355, discontinued), and height adjuster (9A1A-34-365, discontinued)		13kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit rally front spring for GT-X part #: 9N2B-34-011 (1 spring only, discontinued)		3.7kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit rally rear spring for GT-X part #: 9N2B-28-011 (1 spring only, discontinued)		3.3kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit rally front spring for GT-R/GT-Ae part #: 9N4B-34-011 (1 spring only, discontinued)		4.5kgf/mm
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit rally rear spring for GT-R/GT-Ae part #: 9N4B-28-011 (1 spring only, discontinued)		3.0kgf/mm
BC Racing coil overs for FWD part #: N-12		F: 6.0kgf/mm R: 4.0kgf/mm
BC Racing coil overs for 4WD/GT-X part #: N-07		F: 6.0kgf/mm R: 4.0kgf/mm
BC Racing coil overs for GT-R part #: N-09		F: 6.0kgf/mm R: 4.0kgf/mm
Lovell Sport Low springs part #: FFL-43 (front), FRL-44 (rear) Shorter bump stops Lovell part # N92347 recommended	25-40mm
Lovell Super Low springs part #: FFL-43SL (front), FRL-44SL (rear)	45-65mm
Lovell Heavy Duty springs part #: FFS-43 (front), FRS-44 (rear) Shorter bump stops Lovell part # N92347 recommended	No drop
For 2nd generation:
Type	Height	Spring rate
Intrax springs	1.75" drop
H&R springs	1.3" drop
B&G springs	1.6" drop
B&G extreme springs	2.4" drop
Eibach Pro-Kit springs	1" drop
Ground Control coil overs
Arospeed coil overs part #: ARO660026
Arospeed springs (for 95-96) part #: ARO603652
Arospeed springs (for 97-98) part #: ARO604776
Dropzone coil overs
Weapon-R coil overs (discontinued)
Sprint springs
Gold-Line springs	Drop: F: 1.8" R: 1.7"
Apex springs part #: 100-2010F	40mm drop
Springtech springs	1.7" drop
Canuck Motorsports springs part #: 50-1511	Drop: F: 1.8" R: 1.7"
Postert springs	50mm drop
Mazda Motorsports' SSC suspension "trunk" kit (Bilstein non-adjustable custom valved shocks) replacement part #: 0000-04-3221-KT (front right) 0000-04-3222-KT (front left) 0000-04-3223-KT (rear right) 0000-04-3224-KT (rear left)		F: 325lbs/in R: 600lbs/in
Mazda Motorsports' SSC spring kit (front only) part #: 0000-04-3101-PG		F: 200lbs/in
Mazda Motorsports' SSC spring kit (rear only) part #: 0000-04-3102-PG		R: 200lbs/in
Mazda Motorsports' SSC spring kit (rear only) part #: 0000-04-3103-PG		R: 300lbs/in
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit B-Spec. sport spring set part #: QDP5-34-01Z	25mm drop	F: 26.5N/mm (2.7kgf/mm) R: 15.7N/mm (1.6kgf/mm)
Espelir Active Super Down springs (for 1.5l Z5-DE)	35-40mm drop	F: 2.0kgf/mm R: 2.4kgf/mm
Espelir Active Super Down springs (for 1.5l Z5-DE fastback)	45-50mm drop	F: 2.7kgf/mm R: 2.4kgf/mm
RS-R springs	Drop: F: 30-35mm R: 50-55mm	F: 2.7kgf/mm R: 2.0kgf/mm
RS-R Ti2000 springs (made from titanium alloy)	Drop: F: 30-35mm R: 50-55mm	F: 2.7kgf/mm R: 2.0kgf/mm
Hot Bits Adjustable Suspension Kit part #: HB.SS 60-202-ADJ
King Springs part #: KFFS-90 (front), KMRS-83 (rear)	0-20mm raise
King lowering springs part #: KFFL-90 (front), KMRL-83 (rear)	~30mm drop
Whiteline Control springs
Whiteline Flatout springs
ZOOM Down Force springs (for 1.5l)	35-40mm drop
ZOOM Super Down Force C springs (for 1.5l)	35-60mm drop
ZOOM Down Force HG springs	35-40mm drop
Vogtland Sport springs part #: 958070	30mm drop
Vogtland Sport springs part #: 958670	50mm drop
Lovells Sport Low springs part #: MFL-32 (front), FRL-48 (rear)	25-40mm
Lovells Super Low springs part #: MFL-32SL (front), FRL-48SL (rear)	45-65mm
Lovells Heavy Duty springs part #: MFS-32 (front), MRS-33 (rear)	No drop
For 3rd generation: For spring upgrades, I recommend using the bump stops used in the MP3 and MazdaSpeed Protegé. The part # for all four bump stops is: BN7H-34-111
Type	Height	Spring rate
Stock 1.6l	Stock	F: 2.4kgf/mm R: 1.7kgf/mm
Stock 2.0l (w/rear discs)	Stock	F: 2.5kgf/mm R: 1.9kgf/mm
H&R springs	1.3" drop
Eibach Pro-Kit springs	Drop: F: 1.4" R (sedan): 1.8" R: (HB): 1.2"	F: 147-183lbs/in R (sedan): 91-131lbs/in R (hatchback): 74-133lbs/in
Eibach Sportline	1.8" drop	F: 143-183lbs/in R: 91-126lbs/in
B&G lowering springs
Intrax lowering springs
Racing Beat lowering springs prototype spec MP3 springs (aprox 21% stiffer than "stock")	Drop: '99-'01: 0.875" '02-'03: F: 0.75" R: 0.875"	F: 162lbs/in R: 111-190lbs/in
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit B-Spec. sport spring set part #: QBG5-34-01Z	25mm drop	F: 43.2N/mm (4.4kgf/mm) R: 37.3N/mm (3.8kgf/mm)
Mazda Motorsports' SSC suspension "trunk" kit (Bilstein non-adjustable custom valved shocks, adjustable height coil over springs) replacement part #: 0000-04-3251-KT (front right) 0000-04-3252-KT (front left) 0000-04-3253-KT (rear right) 0000-04-3254-KT (rear left)		F: 325lbs/in R: 600lbs/in
MP3/MazdaSpeed Familia spring kit (10% stiffer than stock 2.0l w/rear disc brakes) MSF spring kit part #: QBJ1-34-01Z (Japan) MP3 spring kit part #: 0000-88-C03_-KT (USA)	Drop: F: 14mm R: 13mm recommended for non-turbo	F: 27.1N/mm (2.76kgf/mm)[?] R: 20.6N/mm (2.1kgf/mm) [?]
MazdaSpeed Protegé springs part #: 0000-8M-C13	0.75" drop recommended for add-on turbo	F: 27.7N/mm (2.82kgf/mm) R: 20.6N/mm (2.1kgf/mm)
Ground Control coil overs		F: 350lbs/in R: 250lbs/in OR custom order rates
JIC coil overs		F: 6kgf/mm R: 4kgf/mm
JIC X-Magic springs	30-40mm drop	F: 36.26N/mm (3.7kgf/mm) R: 54.88N/mm (5.6kgf/mm)
iON Performance Sport Spec springs	1.18" drop	F: 162lbs/in R: 95-145lbs/in
iON Performance Race Spec springs	Drop: F: 1.625" R: 0.75"	F: 195lbs/in R: 100-165lbs/in
King lowering springs part #: KMFL-93 (front), KMRL-94 (rear) for rear stock height to 20mm raise, use KRMS-84	~30mm drop
King super lowering springs part #: KMFL-93SL (front), KMRL-94SL (rear)	50-60mm drop
Ksport coil overs		F: 7kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
D2 coil overs
Megan Racing lowering springs	Drop: F: 1.9" R: 2"	F: 280lbs/in R: 230lbs/in
RS-R springs	Drop: 1.6l: F: 25-30mm R: 15-20mm 2.0l: F: 30-35mm R: 20-25mm	F: 2.50kgf/mm R: 1.78kgf/mm
RS-R Ti2000 springs (made from titanium alloy)	Drop: 1.6l: F: 25-30mm R: 15-20mm 2.0l: F: 30-35mm R: 20-25mm	F: 2.50kgf/mm R: 1.78kgf/mm
Koni Sport springs (part #: 1020-6071)	30mm drop
Postert springs	35mm drop
KW Variant 2 coil overs	30-60mm drop
Tein USA Super Street Damper coil overs part #: DSM46-KUSS2 16-way shock adjustment	Drop: F: 33-53mm R: 17-31mm	F: 6kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
Tein USA Basic Damper coil overs part #: DSM46-LUSS2	Drop: F: 33-53mm R: 17-31mm	F: 6kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
Tein High Tech progressive rate springs part #: SKM22-G1B00	Drop: F: 30mm R: 15mm	F: 29.4N/mm (3.0kgf/mm) R: 15.7-23.5N/mm (1.6-2.4kgf/mm)
Tein USA High Tech progressive rate springs part #: SKM46-BUB00	Drop: F: 30mm R: 15mm	F: ~2.9kgf/mm R: ~1.6-2.3kgf/mm
Tein S-Tech progressive rate springs part #: SKM22-S1B00	Drop: F: 35mm R: 25mm	F: 2.3-3.2kgf/mm R: 1.4-2.6kgf/mm
Tein USA S-Tech progressive rate springs part #: SKM46-AUB00	Drop: F (sedan): 50mm F (HB): 45mm R (sedan):36mm R (HB): 38mm	F: ~3.2kgf/mm R: ~2.6kgf/mm
Tanabe Sustec DF210 springs for 1.6l cars	Drop: F: 35-40mm R: 25-30mm	F: 2.8kgf/mm R: 2.5kgf/mm
Tanabe Sustec GF210 springs	Drop: F: 31-45mm R: 15-25mm	F: 3.0kgf/mm R: 2.8kgf/mm
Tanabe Sustec NF210 springs	Drop: F: 31-45mm R: 15-25mm	F: 2.4kgf/mm R (1.6l): 1.9kgf/mm R: (2.0l) 2.0kgf/mm
Trust DowMax springs part # (1.6l/1.8l): MZ005 part #: (2.0l): MZ006	35-40mm drop	F: 30.4N/mm (3.1kgf/mm) R: 25.5N/mm (2.6kgf/mm)
APEXi SLD springs for 1.6l cars	35mm drop	F: 2.6kgf/mm R: 2.0kgf/mm
Daytona Dcuatro Σβ180 springs for 1.6l cars	Drop: F: 25mm R: 15mm	F: 3.27kgf/mm R: 2.44kgf/mm
Swift SportMach springs	15-25mm drop	F: 2.69kgf/mm R: 2.07kgf/mm
Mint Blue lowering springs
AutoExe lowering springs part # (1.5l/1.6l/1.8l): MBJ700 part # (2.0l 2WD): MBJ710 part # (2.0l 4WD): MBJ720	30mm drop	1.5l/1.6l/1.8l F: 23.5-28.4N/mm (2.4-2.9kgf/mm) R: 16.7-22.5N/mm (1.7-2.3kgf/mm) 2.0l 2WD/4WD F: 24.5-34.3N/mm (2.5-3.5kgf/mm) R: 18.6-29.4N/mm (1.9-3.0kgf/mm)
AutoExe Tunable Suspension Kit part # (2WD): MBJ7900 part # (4WD): MBJ7910		2WD: F: 39.2N/mm (4.0kgf/mm) R: 29.4N/mm (3.0kgf/mm) 4WD: F: 39.2N/mm (4.0kgf/mm) R: 39.2N/mm (4.0kgf/mm)
Aragosta Type-W coil overs part #: MP04.000	Drop: F: -20-40mm R: -25-40mm	F: 7kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
Cusco Vacanza Zero Wagon coil overs		F: 5.0kgf/mm R: 4.0kgf/mm
YZ Sports coil overs
Gold-Line springs	1.625" drop	F: 140lbs/in R: 130lbs/in
Espelir Active Super Down springs	Drop: F: 35-40mm R (1.6l): 35-40mm R (2.0l): 25-30mm	F: 3.2kgf/mm R (1.6l): 2.4kgf/mm R (2.0l): 2.8kgf/mm
Apex lowering springs part #: 100-2020 (sedan), 100-2030 (hatchback)	40mm drop
Skunk2 coil overs		F: 236lbs/in (123lbs/in tender) R: 134lbs/in (58lbs/in tender)
Hot Bits Adjustable Suspension Kit part #: HB.SS 60-215-ADJ
Tokico HP Suspension kit part #: HPK247	Drop: F: 1.25" R: 1.75"	F: 185lbs/in R: 145-200lbs/in
Tokico Ilumina Suspension kit part #: ILK248	Drop: F: 1.25" R: 1.75"	F: 185lbs/in R: 145-200lbs/in
Tokico springs (part of Tokico suspension kits) part # (front): 5105F-P part # (rear): 5105R-P	Drop: F: 1.25" R: 1.75"	F: 185lbs/in R: 145-200lbs/in
HKS SF-5 springs	Drop: F: 27-29mm R: 15-17mm	F: 3.0kgf/mm R: 2.2kgf/mm
kg/mm Sports DRSport springs	Drop: F: 20mm R: 15mm	F: 2.9/2.2kgf/mm R: 2.4/1.6kgf/mm
kg/mm Sports DR21SuperSport springs	Drop: 1.6l: F: 35mm R: 25mm 2.0l: F: 40mm R (2WD): 35mm R (4WD): 30mm	F: 3.5/3.0kgf/mm R (1.6l): 2.9/1.6kgf/mm R (2.0l 2WD): 2.9/1.4kgf/mm R (2.0l 4WD): 3.5/1.9kgf/mm
kg/mm Sports DRRacing springs	Drop: F: 55mm R: 50mm	F: 4.4/3.3kgf/mm R: 3.4/1.6kgf/mm
Whiteline Control springs
Progress springs	1.5-2.0" drop
Canuck Motorsports springs part #: 50-1522	Drop: F: 1.4" R: 1.8"
Canuck Motorsports springs part #: 50-1521 (sedan), 50-1611 (hatchback)	2.0" drop
ZOOM Down Force springs	35-40mm drop
ZOOM Super Down Force C springs	35-65mm drop
ZOOM Down Force HG springs	35-40mm drop
Vogtland Sport springs TÜV P/N: 958090 non-TÜV P/N: 958078	30mm drop
Vogtland Sport Suspension Kit	30mm drop
BC Racing coil overs part #: E-03		F: 6.0kgf/mm R: 6.0kgf/mm
Yellow Speed coil overs
Pedders springs
Lovells Sport Low springs part #: MFL-41 (front), MRL-42 (rear)	25-40mm
For Mazda3: MazdaSpeed USA, Eibach, or Megan Racing camber links maybe required
Type	Height	Spring rate
Stock (non-turbo)	Stock	F: 23N/mm R: 23N/mm
Stock (MPS/MazdaSpeed)	Stock	F: 33N/mm R: 30N/mm
AutoExe lowering springs	20-30mm drop	F: 21.5-32.3N/mm (2.2-3.3kgf/mm) R: 21.5-30.4N/mm (2.2-3.1kgf/mm)
AutoExe Tunable Suspension Kit part #: MBK7900		F: 78.4N/mm (8.0kgf/mm) R: 30.4N/mm (3.1kgf/mm)
Aragosta Type-W coil overs part #: MP02.000	Drop: F: -20-20mm R: -15-10mm	F: 7kgf/mm R: 4kgf/mm
Canuck Motorsports springs part #: 50-1121	1.75" drop
D2 coil overs
Eibach Pro-Kit springs	1.2" drop	F: ~160lbs/in R: ~171lbs/in
Eibach Sportline springs	1.8" drop	F: 97-280lbs/in R: 114-303lbs/in
Espelir Acitve Super Down springs	30-40mm drop	F: 3.0kgf/mm R: 2.7kgf/mm
Gold-Line springs	1.75" drop
H&R springs	Drop: F: 1.3" R: 1.2"
H&R coil overs	Drop: F: 1.2"-2.5" R: 0.75"-2.0"
iON Performance Sport Spec springs	1.18" drop
King lowering springs part #: KMFL-42 (front), KFRL-74 (rear)	~30mm drop
King super lowering springs part #: KMFL-42SL (front), KFRL-74SL (rear)	50-60mm drop
Ksport coil overs		F: 9kgf/mm R: 7kgf/mm
KW Variant 2 coil overs	30-60mm drop
MazdaSpeed sport spring set part #: QBK1-34-01Z	15-20mm drop	F: 25.8N/mm (2.63kgf/mm) R: 25.8N/mm (2.63kgf/mm)
MazdaSpeed (USA) sport spring part #: GRMS-8M-L05 camber links GRMS-8M-L07 included	33mm (1.3") drop
MazdaSpeed (USA) coil overs part #: RAMS-8M-L05 camber links GRMS-8M-L07 recommended	25-40mm drop 2.0" drop max
MazdaSpeed (USA) sport spring for MazdaSpeed3 part #: GRMS-8M-L25 camber links GRMS-8M-L07 included	15mm drop
MazdaSpeed (USA) coil overs for MazdaSpeed3 part #: RAMS-8M-L10 camber links GRMS-8M-L07 recommended	7-25mm drop
Megan Racing lowering springs	Drop: F: 2" R: 1.9"	F: 250lbs/in R: 230lbs/in
Postert springs	40mm drop
Progress springs	1.3" drop
RS-R springs	Drop: sedan: F: 20-25mm R: 20-25mm hatchback: F: 20-25mm R: 25-35mm	F: 2.63kgf/mm R: 2.71kgf/mm
RS-R Ti2000 springs (made from titanium alloy)	Drop: sedan: F: 20-25mm R: 20-25mm hatchback: F: 20-25mm R: 25-35mm	F: 2.63kgf/mm R: 2.71kgf/mm
Skunk2 springs	Drop: F: 1.5" R: 1.3"
Tanabe Sustec NF210 springs	30-40mm drop	F: 23.5N/mm (2.4kgf/mm) R: 21.5N/mm (2.2kgf/mm)
Tein Super Street Damper coil overs part # GSM24-A1AS2 16-way shock adjustment Tein EDFC EDK01-12120 (remote adjustment) compatible	Drop: sedan: F: 15-55mm R: +5-40mm hatchback: F: +20-40mm R: +5-40mm	F: 5.0kgf/mm R: 4.0kgf/mm
Tein USA Super Street Damper coil overs (for HB) part #: DSM66-KUAS2 16-way shock adjustment Tein EDFC EDKU1-12120 (remote adjustment) compatible	Drop: F: 29-63mm R: 17-52mm	F: 6kgf/mm R: 7kgf/mm
Tein USA Basic Damper coil overs (for HB) part #: DSM66-LUAS2	Drop: F: 29-63mm R: 17-52mm	F: 6kgf/mm R: 7kgf/mm
Tein USA High Tech springs (for HB) part #: SKM66-BUB00	Drop: F: 35mm R: 23mm	F: 4kgf/mm R: 2.6kgf/mm
Tein USA S-Tech springs (for HB) part #: SKM66-AUB00	Drop: F: 50mm R: 38mm	F: 4.3kgf/mm R: 2.9kgf/mm
ZOOM Down Force springs	30-35mm drop
ZOOM Super Down Force C springs	30-60mm drop
ZOOM Down Force HG springs	30-35mm drop
Vogtland Sport springs part #: 958028	40mm drop
BC Racing coil overs part #: N-03		F: 7.0kgf/mm R: 4.0kgf/mm
Intrax springs	1.5" drop
Progress springs	1.3" drop	F: ~190lbs/in R: ~170lbs/in
Road Magnet springs
Sprint springs	1.75" drop
Racing Beat springs	Drop: F: 0.6" R: 0.5"	F: 151lbs/in R: 143lbs/in
Yonaka Motorsports coil overs	0"-4" drop	F: 5kgf/mm R: 5kgf/mm
Pedders lowering springs
Pedders heavy duty springs
Lovells Sport Low springs part # (15"/16" wheels): MFL-62 (front), MRL-63 (rear) part # (17" wheels): MFL-62SL (front), MRL-63SL (rear)	25-40mm
Lovells Super Low springs (15"/16" wheels only) part #: MFL-62SL (front), MRL-63SL (rear)	45-65mm

I want to get new shocks while I'm lowering my car too, are there any?

1st generation
Type	Adj	Bound	Rebound
Stock GT-R	none	F: 70kgf @0.3m/s R: 40kgf @0.3m/s	F: 150kgf @0.3m/s R: 90kgf @0.3m/s
Stock GT-X hatchback	none	F: 38kgf @ 0.3m/s R: 36kgf @ 0.3m/s	F: 92kgf @0.3m/s R: 85kgf @0.3m/s
B&G suspension kit
Tokico heavy blues	none
KYB GR-2 struts	none
KYB Super Special Rally struts
KYB New SR Special struts Part #'s: Front left: NST5051L Front right: NST5051R Rear left: NST5052L Rear right: NST5052R
KYB Super Special for Street struts Part #'s: Front left: SST5051L Front right: SST5051R Rear left: SST5052L Rear right: SST5052R
KYB New SR Special struts for GT-R Part #'s: Front left: NST5054L Front right: NST5054R Rear left: NST5055L Rear right: NST5055R	none
Whiteline struts
Whiteline strut inserts (for GT-R)
GAB SuperHP struts Part #'s: Front left: GSW3100AL Front right: GSW3100AR Rear left: GSW3600L Rear right: GSW3600R	F: 4 only
GAB SuperHP struts for GT-R/GT-Ae Part #'s: Front left: GSW3400AL Front right: GSW3400AR Rear left: GSW3700L Rear right: GSW3700R	F: 4 R: 8
élSPORT damper type standard struts
élSPORT damper type adjustable struts adjustable spring seat pirch for ride height adjustment
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit N1 race struts for FWD cars (discontinued) this is a coil over setup requires N1 race springs Part #'s: Front left: 9B2A-34-900 Front right: 9B2A-34-700 Rear left: 9N2B-28-900 Rear right: 9N2B-28-700	4
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit rally struts for GT-X (discontinued) Part #'s: Front left: 9N2B-34-900 Front right: 9N2B-34-700 Rear left: 9N2B-28-900 Rear right: 9N2B-28-700	none	F: 150kgf @0.3m/s R: 130kgf @0.3m/s	F: 220kgf @0.3m/s R: 190kgf @0.3m/s
MazdaSpeed Sports Kit rally struts for GT-R/GT-Ae (discontinued) Part #'s: Front left: 9N4B-34-900 (w/o ABS) Front left: 9N4B-34-900A (w/ABS) Front right: 9N4B-34-700 (w/o ABS) Front right: 9N4B-34-700A (w/ABS) Rear left: 9N4B-28-900 (w/o ABS) Rear left: 9N4B-28-900A (w/ABS) Rear right: 9N4B-28-700 (w/o ABS) Rear right: 9N4B-28-700A (w/ABS)	none	F: 140kgf @0.3m/s R: 110kgf @0.3m/s	F: 230kgf @0.3m/s R: 130kgf @0.3m/s
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit struts for GT-X (discontinued) Part #'s: Front left: 9N2D-34-900 Front right: 9N2D-34-700 Rear left: 9N2D-28-900 Rear right: 9N2D-28-700	none	F: 45kgf @0.3m/s R: 35kgf @0.3m/s	F: 145kgf @0.3m/s R: 85kgf @0.3m/s
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit adjustable struts for FWD cars (discontinued) Part #'s: Front left: 9B2D-34-900 Front right: 9B2D-34-700 Rear left: 9B2D-28-900 Rear right: 9B2D-28-700	4	F: 60kgf @0.3m/s R: 50kgf @0.3m/s	F: 130kgf @0.3m/s R: 100kgf @0.3m/s
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit A-Spec. adjustable struts (meant for the MX-3 but fits the Protegé, made by KYB) Part #'s: Front left: QSR5-34-900 Front right: QSR5-34-700 Rear left: QSR5-28-900 Rear right: QSR5-28-700	4	F: 0.20-0.39kN (20-40kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.15-0.34kN (15-35kgf) @0.3m/s	F: 1.03-1.67kN (105-170kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.88-1.47kN (90-150kgf) @0.3m/s
For 2nd generation:
Type	Adj	Bound	Rebound
Koni adjustable strut inserts
KYB GR-2 struts	none
KYB Super Special for Street struts
élSPORT damper type standard struts for Lantis/Astina/323F V6
élSPORT damper type adjustable struts adjustable spring seat pirch for ride height adjustment for Lantis/Astina/323F V6
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit A-Spec. adjustable struts (made by KYB) Part #'s: Front left: QDP5-34-900 Front right: QDP5-34-700 Rear left: QDP5-28-900 Rear right: QDP5-28-700	4	F: 0.29-0.46kN (30-47kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.15-0.29kN (15-30kgf) @0.3m/s	F: 1.13-1.77kN (118-180kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.83-1.28kN (85-130kgf) @0.3m/s
For 3rd generation
Type	Adj	Bound	Rebound
Stock (2.0l w/rear discs)	none	F: 1.803kN (184kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.265kN (27kgf) @0.3m/s	F: 1.009kN (103kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.813kN (83kgf) @0.3m/s
MP3 struts (same as MazdaSpeed Familia) part #: 0000-88-C04_-KT	none
MazdaSpeed Protegé struts part #: 0000-8M-C14	none
MazdaSpeed Touring Kit A-Spec. adjustable struts (made by KYB front, Tokico rear) Part #'s: Front left: QBG5-34-900 Front right: QBG5-34-700 Rear left: QBG5-28-900 Rear right: QBG5-28-700 VINs 300753+ must use B26R-34-170 end links	F: 4 R: 5	F: 0.93-1.02kN (95-104kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.63-0.84kN (64-86kgf) @0.3m/s	F: 1.52-1.77kN (155-180kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.88-1.69kN (90-172kgf) @0.3m/s
AutoExe Sports Damper		F: 0.424kN (43kgf) @0.3m/s R: 0.272kN (28kgf) @0.3m/s	F: 1.332kN (136kgf) @0.3m/s R: 1.052kN (107kgf) @0.3m/s
KYB Lowfer Sports struts
KYB New SR Special struts
KYB Excel G struts
KYB GR-2 struts	none	F: 96kgf @0.3m/s R: 40kgf @0.3m/s	F: 132kgf @0.3m/s R: 110kgf @0.3m/s
Tokico HP	none
Tokico Illumina struts	5
Koni adjustable strut inserts
élSPORT damper type standard struts
For Mazda3
Type	Adj	Bound	Rebound
élSPORT damper type standard struts
élSPORT damper type adjustable struts adjustable spring seat pirch for ride height adjustment
KYB GR-2 struts	none
Bilstein B4 touring class rear shocks	none
Bilstein B6 heavy duty struts	none
Bilstein B8 sport struts	none
Koni street (orange) struts	none
Koni sport (yellow) struts	4
MazdaSpeed struts Part #'s: Front left: QBK1-34-900 Front right: QBK1-34-700 Rear left/right: QBK1-28-700	none	F: 0.5kN (51kgf) @0.262m/s R: 0.28kN (29kgf)@0.262m/s	F: 1.48kN (150kgf) @0.262m/s R: 0.68kN (69kgf) @0.262m/s
MazdaSpeed USA struts Part #'s: Front left: QBKA-34-900 Front right: QBKA-34-700 Rear left/right: QBKA-28-700	none	F: 0.5kN (51kgf) @0.262m/s R: 0.28kN (29kgf)@0.262m/s	F: 1.48kN (150kgf) @0.262m/s R: 0.68kN (69kgf) @0.262m/s

What tower bars are available?
For 1st generation:
    Compass Motorsports front tower bar and soon to be released, rear tower bar.
     Cork Sport front and rear tower bar
Cusco front tower bar
GAB front and rear tower bar
     Infini/GT/GT-X/GT-R/GT-Ae front tower bar (discontinued)
       Part #'s:
        Tower bar: B528-56-49XE
        Nut: 8871-34-222 (need 6)
        Washer: 9995-11-000 (need 6)
     Infini rear tower bar
       Part #'s:
        Tower bar (right half): B455-56-49ZA
        Tower bar (left half): B455-56-49XA
        Nut: 9991-61-200 (need 2)
        Washer: 9995-21-200 (need 2)
        Bolt: 9978-41-230 (need 2)
     MazdaSpeed front tower bar (discontinued part # 9N2B-56-490)
     MazdaSpeed rear tower bar (discontinued part #: QN2B-56-49X)
     Whiteline front and rear tower bar
     FET front and rear tower bar
     Ultra Racing front tower bar, part #: UR-TW2-624
     Ultra Racing rear tower bar, part #: UR-RE2-664A
For 2nd generation:
    Ractive front tower bar (discontinued)
    MazdaSpeed front tower bar (part # QDS5-56-490)
     Whiteline tower bar
     Sheepdog VRS front tower bar
     Ultra Racing front tower bar (part #: UR-TW2-917)
     Lantis/323F front tower bar
   Part #'s:
        Tower bar: B01C-56-49X
        Nut: 9WA6-01-001B (need 6)
        Washer: 9995-21-000 (need 4)
     Lantis/323F rear tower bar
       Part #'s:
        Tower bar: B01C-56-38Z
        Left bracket: B01C-56-A8Y
        Right bracket: B01C-56-A8Z
        Nut: 9994-00-803 (need 4)
        Nut: 9994-01-003 (need 6)
        Washer: 9995-11-000 (need 4)
For 3rd generation:
    Cork Sport front tower bar
    MP3 (MazdaSpeed Familia) front tower bar
       part #'s: 0000-88-C07_-KT (w/cruise cont), 0000-88-C08_-KT (w/o cruise cont)
     MazdaSpeed Protegé front tower bar
     part #'s: 0000-8M-C11 (w/cruise cont), 0000-8M-C17 (w/o cruise cont)
     Protegé 5 front tower bar
     AutoExe 2 point front tower bar: MGW400
AutoExe 2 point rear tower bar (wagon only): MBJ450
AutoExe 3 point front tower bar (RHD only): MBJ400
   Okuyama 2 point steel front tower bar
   Okuyama 2 point aluminum front tower bar
   Okuyama 3 point aluminum front tower bar
   Okuyama steel rear tower bar
   Okuyama aluminum rear tower bar
     GT spec front and rear tower bar
     GT spec trunk braces
     CP Racing sedan trunk brace (requires drilling)
     AWR front tower bar
     Whiteline tower bar
     KMR front and rear sedan tower bar
For Mazda3:
   AutoExe tower brace set
     Cusco tower bar
     GT spec front and rear tower bar
     MazdaSpeed front tower bar: QBK1-56-48Z
     Vibrant Performance front tower bar
     Ultra Racing front tower bar

Are there any sway bars for the Protegé?
1st generation:
    Suspension Techniques front and rear bars
    Compass Motorsports 1" rear sway bar, made for autocross racing
     GT-R 23mm front sway bar (also sold as MazdaSpeed):B698-34-151 (needs
   B1Y2-28-156A MazdaSpeed bushings)
   GT-X 22mm 4WD rear sway bar: B530-28-10X (needs B457-28-156A bushings)
     GT-R 19.1mm 4WD rear sway bar B698-28-10X (needs BB8V-28-156 bushings)
     MazdaSpeed front sway bar (23mm): B1Y1-34-151 (needs B1Y2-28-156A
      MazdaSpeed bushings)
     Whiteline front sway bar (24mm)
     Whiteline rear sway bar (22mm)
     Eibach sway bar kit (front 19mm, rear 22mm)
     Ultra Racing rear sway bar (16mm), part #: UR-AR16-080
     Ultra Racing front sway bar (19mm), part #: UR-AR19-169
2nd generation:
    MazdaSpeed front sway bar: 9DP5-34-151 (26mm, discontinued, needs
   BCYD-34-156 MazdaSpeed bushings)
     MazdaSpeed rear sway bar: 9DS5-28-151 (20mm, discontinued, needs
       B0YC-28-156 MazdaSpeed bushings)
    Cork Sport rear adjustable sway bar
Showroom Stock C rear sway bar from Mazda Motorsports
     AWR 3/4" (19mm) rear sway bar (requires LC62-34-170 end links)
     Whiteline rear sway bar (20mm)
     Ultra Racing rear sway bar (19mm), part #: UR-AR19-163
3rd generation:
     AutoExe Sports Stabilizer (front): 26mm (90% stiffer 52.5N/mm torsional strength)
       part #: MBJ7600 (includes bushings)
     AutoExe Sports Stabilizer (rear 2WD): 21mm (24% stiffer 48.6N/mm torsional strength)
       part #: MBJ7650 (includes bushings and brackets)
     AutoExe Sports Stabilizer (rear 4WD): 19mm (415% stiffer 25.8N/mm torsional strength)
       part #: MBJ7651 (includes bushings)
     MP3 sway bars (note the mounts on the stock struts will have to be re-
    enforced)-- front diameter is 25mm, and rear is 19mm (kit part #: 0000-88-C05_-KT)
       kit does not include rear crossmember center support brace recommended for 99-00s
MazdaSpeed Protegé's sway bars (note the mounts on the stock struts will have to be
    reenforced)-- front diamter is 25mm, and rear is 20mm (kit part #: 0000-8M-C15)
       kit does not include rear crossmember center support brace recommended for 99-00s
     AWR 3/4" (19mm) rear sway bar
     AWR 7/8" (21.5mm) rear sway bar (includes adjustable end links)
     Whiteline front sway bar (24mm)
     Whiteline rear sway bar (20mm)
     Progress rear sway bar (22mm)
     Ultra Racing rear sway bar (19mm), part #: UR-AR-081
Mazda3:
     AutoExe Sports Stabilizer (front): 23mm (34% stiffer 31.4N/mm torsional strength)
     AutoExe Sports Stabilizer (rear): 22mm (47% stiffer 100.9N/mm torsional strength)
     Eibach sway bar kit (front 23mm, rear 25mm)
     MazdaSpeed rear sway bar: QBK1-28-151 (21mm)
     MazdaSpeed (USA) Stabilizer Bar Kit: GRMS-8M-L06
     Postert sway bar kit (front 24mm, rear 26mm)
     Progress rear sway bar (22mm)
     Whiteline front sway bar (22mm)
     Whiteline rear sway bar (22mm)
     Racing Beat front sway bar (28.5mm, Racing Beat endlinks recommended)
     Racing Beat rear sway bar (27mm)
     MazdaSpeed3 stock front sway bar: B37F-34-151 (26mm; needs B37F-34-156B
       bushings and B37F-34-155 brackets)
     MazdaSpeed3 stock rear sway bar: B37F-28-151 (25mm, needs B34S-28-156
       bushings, B37F-34-155 brackets, B37F-28-170 end links, and 9994-01-211 nuts)
     H&R adjustable front sway bar (24mm)
     H&R rear sway bar (26mm)
     Hotchkis front sway bar (29mm), 95% stiffer 1625lbs/in torsional strength
     Hotchkis rear sway bar (32mm), 140% stiffer 2030lbs/in torsional strength
     Cobb Tuning front sway bar (1.125"), 35% stiffer
     Cobb Tuning adjustable rear sway bar (1.25"), 50-90% stiffer

What does the MP3's sway bar kit comes with?
    Front stabilizer bar: BN7H-34-151
    Rear stabilizer bar: BN7H-28-151B
    Rear crossmember: BN7H-28-800A
    Front stabilizer bar bushings: BN7H-34-156 x2
    Rear stabilizer bar bushings: BN7H-28-156C x2
    Rear stabilizer bar brackets: BN7H-28-155A x2
    Rear stabilizer bar bracket bolts: 9978-01-025 x4
    Rear stabilizer bar end links: B26R-28-170 x2
    Exhaust gasket: BP48-40-581A
    Exhaust gasket: FSB8-40-305
    Cotter pins: 9922-13-020 x2
    Nuts: J001-34-034A x4
    Laterial link nuts: B001-39-037B x4
    Stabilizer end link nuts: 9994-01-001 x4

What does the MazdaSpeed Protegé's sway bar kit comes with?
    Front stabilizer bar: BN7H-34-151
    Rear stabilizer bar: BP7H-28-151A
    Rear crossmember: BN7H-28-800A
    Front stabilizer bar bushings: BN7H-34-156 x2
    Rear stabilizer bar bushings: BN7H-28-156D x2
    Rear stabilizer bar brackets: BN7H-28-155A x2
    Rear stabilizer bar bracket bolts: 9978-01-025 x4
    Rear stabilizer bar end links: B26R-28-170 x2
    Exhaust gasket: BP48-40-581A
    Exhaust gasket: FSB8-40-305
    Cotter pins: 9922-13-020 x2
    Nuts: J001-34-034A x4
    Laterial link nuts: B001-39-037B x4
    Stabilizer end link nuts: 9994-01-001 x4

I own a 3rd generation Protegé and would like to get the OEM tower bar.
What do I need to get?
Mazda USA has released the MP3 and MazdaSpeed tower bar kit which includes all
the required parts. For cars with cruise control, the part number is: 0000-88-C07_-KT
    or 0000-8M-C11 and for cars without cruise control, it is 0000-88-C08-_KT or
    0000-8M-C17.
If you live in a country that does have the kits available, you will need to get the parts
separately (which will cost you more). Additional parts you need are sourced from the
removed stock parts.
Part numbers as follows:
      Bar: BN7H-56-49X (yellow), or B28V-56-49XE (red), or BP7H-56-49X (silver)
      Right bracket: BN5V-56-5CX (LHD cars only), or B28V-56-5CXA (RHD cars only)
Left bracket: B28V-56-5DX
Mounting nuts (4 needed): 9994-01-003B
Boost (vacum) sensor bracket: FS8M-18-835 (US/Canada and Europe LHD only)
Bracket nut (2 needed): 9989-10-600 (except US/Canada/Europe LHD 2.0l cars)
      Boost sensor bracket nut (2 needed): 9994-00-600 (US/Canada & Europe LHD only)
The following is needed for cars with factory cruise control (US/Canada only):
Bracket nut (3 needed): 9989-10-600
Cruise control bracket: BN5W-66-3AY
Rubber bushings for cruise control bracket mounts (2 needed): B6S7-13-349
Mounting guides for cruise control bracket mounts (2 needed): UE54-66-3A5
Mounting plate for cruise control bracket: BN5W-66-3B2

Sternly state that you want the tower bar wrapped up when the Mazda parts
distribution center sends it to your dealer!

What's the part number of the Protegé 5 front tower bar?
You will need to get everything listed above, but substitute the bar with
part # B28V-56-49XE. This bar is in red color.

What's the part number of the MazdaSpeed Protegé's front tower bar?
You will need to get everything listed above, but substitute the bar with
part # BP7H-56-49XE. This bar is in silver color.

My (stupid) dealer got my tower bar all scratched up, what can I do to make it
not such an eye sore?
    Short of repainting the whole bar (which will cost some money and a body shop
    to order paint), you can talk your dealer's parts department into giving you
    a free bottle of touch up paint. The tower bars are painted the same colors
    found on the Protegé 5, so things will be a lot easier at least.
    The MP3's tower bar is painted in Vivid Yellow. The color code is HZ.
    The Protegé 5's tower bar is painted in Classic Red. The color code is A3E.
The MazdaSpeed Protegé's tower bar is painted in Sunlight Silver Metalic. The
color code is 22V.

Everywhere I look, they only have front tower bars for the 3rd generation.
Where can I find a rear tower bar?
    The 3rd generation Protegé 4 door has the rear strut towers already braced;
    it is actually part of the unibody. It is quite big and should offer lots
    of reinforcement. The Protegé 5 does not have the rear brace as part of the
    unibody due to its hatchback configuration. Unfortunately there is not a
known aftermarket company in the US that makes a rear bar. Talk to
    an aftermarket company to consider making one. The only known solution
for the Protegé 5 at the moment, is importing the AutoExe or Okuyama
    rear tower bar.

What about "lower tie bars"?
For 1st generations:
      Infini rear bar (part #: B595-28-671A)
MX-3 V6 rear bar (part #: E018-28-671A)
SRD rear bar
Cork Sport front bar
      Cusco Type I lower arm bar
      Ultra Racing lower arm bar, part #: UR-LA2-601
      Ultra Racing front member brace, part #: UR-LA4-663
      Ultra Racing rear member brace, part #: UR-RL2-665
      Ultra Racing fender brace, part #: UR-FD3-112
For 2nd generations:
      Cusco lower arm bar
      Ultra Racing front member brace, part #: UR-LA4-553
      Ultra Racing rear tower bar, part #: UR-RE2-551
      Ultra Racing floor cross bar, part #: UR-RO2-555
For 3rd generations:
      Autoexe lower arm bar (part #: MBJ460)
      Autoexe member brace set 2WD (requires drilling), part #: MBJ470
      Autoexe member brace set 4WD (requires drilling), part #: MBJ471
      GT-Spec lower braces
      Cusco lower arm bar
      KMR lower braces
      Ultra Racing front member brace, part #: UR-LA3-239
      Ultra Racing fender braces, part #: UR-FD3-1706
      OEM rear crossmember center support bracket
   (99-00 only, Sport20 and 01-03 has this), part #: B30D-28-8C0
         requires 5 bolts, part #: 9078-60-820
         cannot be installed on cars built before 6/15/1999
For Mazda3:
      Autoexe member brace set 2WD automatic, part #: MBK470
      Autoexe member brace set (for MazdaSpeed models), part #: MBM470
      Autoexe front lower arm bar 2WD, part #: MBK460 or MBK460B
      Autoexe front lower arm bar (for MazdaSpeed models), part #: MBM460
      Autoexe rear lower arm bar 2WD, part #: MBK440
      GT-Spec lower braces
      Ultra Racing member braces
For Mazda3 2nd generations:
      Autoexe member brace set 2WD, part #: MBL470
      Autoexe front lower arm bar 2WD, part #: MBL460
      Autoexe rear lower arm bar 2WD, part #: MBL440

What suspension settings should I use?
    Ultimately, you should strive for a neutral handling car. It is not
    impossible, but it is quite difficult (Honda did it with the Type-Rs,
    Racing Beat done it with the MP3) to do so. It is definitely impossible
    and a no no if you don't know how a suspension system works. And as usual
    our Nissan friends can answer all of our questions about suspension tuning.
    Suspension is suspension, it is not car specific other than the actual
    design. However, setting theories and terminologies applies to ALL cars.
    Go here for a detailed explanation on suspension tuning:
http://www.se-r.net/car_info/suspension_tuning.html

Are there any suspension bushings available?
   Some Energy Suspension bushings meant for the Escort are compatible with
   the 1st generation Protegé. Whiteline also has bushing kits for the 1st and 2nd
     generation Protegé's. Super Pro has bushing kits for the 3rd generation Protegé's.
     MazdaSpeed also has some bushings available.
     The part numbers for the 1st generations are:
       B1Y1-28-775 sway bar end link bushings, 4 needed per end link
       B1Y1-34-46X front right lower control arm bushing (rear)
       B1Y1-34-46Y front left lower control arm bushing (rear)
       B1Y1-34-470 front lower control arm bushing (front)
       B1Y1-34-380A frount upper strut mount
       BTDA-34-380 front upper strut mount (for 4WD and GT-X)
       B1Y1-28-390 rear upper strut mount
       B698-28-390 rear upper strut mount (for 4WD and GT-X)
       B1Y2-28-200 trailing link
       B1Y1-28-620 right lateral link
       B1Y1-28-630 left lateral link
       B1Y1-28-156A front sway bar bushing (22mm)
       B1Y2-28-156A front sway bar bushing (23mm)
       B1Y3-28-156 rear sway bar bushing
   MazdaSpeed makes some bushings for the 2nd generation Protegé's also.
     The part numbers are:
       B0YA-28-620 lateral link (front)
       BCYD-28-600 lateral link (rear)
       B0YD-28-200 right trailing link
       B0YD-28-250 left trailing link
       BCYD-28-380 rear right upper strut mount
       BCYD-28-390 rear left upper strut mount
       BTDA-34-470 front lower control arm bushing (front)
       BCYD-34-46X front right lower control arm bushing (rear)
       BCYD-34-46Y front left lower control arm bushing (rear)
       BCYD-34-156 front sway bar bushing (25mm)
       B0YC-28-156 rear sway bar bushing (20mm)
   There are only a limited selection of bushings available for the 3rd generation
     Protegé's. Delsing Motorsport makes adjustable pillowball front upper strut
   mounts as well as "klunk fix" rear sway bar bushing relocation brackets
   (includes new bushings). Adjustable rear sway bar end links are available from
   Delsing Motorsport as well as AWR. AWR also makes the following bushings:
     trailing links, lateral links, adjustable pillowball front & rear upper strut mounts,
     front lower control arms (featuring spherical bushings). GT-Spec also has
     trailing links available. The 2003 Sport20 special edition and MazdaSpeed
   Protegé also came with stiffer front upper strut mounts. The part number is
   C145-34-380C. All S-Wagon Sport20's and MazdaSpeed Protegé's also came
   with trailing links that have stiffer bushings.
     The part numbers are:
       B30J-28-200B right trailing link
       B30J-28-250B left trailing link

     Some 3rd generation owners who have upgraded their suspension have been
   experiencing clunking noise from the rear right area. The noise is actually due to
   the strut piston floating momentarily because of the excessively soft rear upper
   strut mounts. A work around remedy for many people has been the addition of
   two M12 washers above the factory retaining washer in order to place more
     clamping force between the strut piston and upper mount while still using the
     same fastener travel. When tightening the strut piston nut, DO NOT over
     torque the nut or use any air/power tools to tighten it! The retaining washer's
     metal is extremely soft and over torquing can force the positioning keyway in
     the retaining washer to break! 3rd generation sedan owners are encouraged to
     upgrade to the Protegé 5's rear upper strut mounts as they are slightly stiffer.
     This will not only improve handling characteristics, but will also ensure greater
     chance that there will be no clunking noise. The alternative of course is to
     simply upgrade to the pillowball mounts AWR makes. The Protegé 5's rear
     upper strut mount part numbers are:
       BJ3D-28-380 rear right upper strut mount
       BJ3D-28-390 rear left upper strut mount
     They can be easily identified by two longer mounting studs out of the three.
     The short mounting stud is the same length as all three on the sedan's version.
     The additoinal mounting stud length will pose no concern to clearance issues
     rest assured. If the clunking noise persists, then the only other possible
     problem is the spring coils hitting each other. This occurs with some after-
     market springs that have some spring coils spaced closely to each other. The
     solution to this problem is to install rubber sleeves/wrappers over the culprit
     spring coils. Some spring manufacturers, such as Tein sells such products.

What are the wheel bolt on paterns for the Protegé?
     All 4 lug Protegé's use a 4x100mm bolt on patern and 5 lug Protegé's use a
5x114.3mm patern.

I am going to get larger/smaller aftermarket wheels for my car, will it affect the
speedometer?
Yes, it will affect the speedometer due to the new overall final drive ratio. Put it
simply, larger wheels will result in a speedometer reporting a slower speed while
a smaller wheel will result in a faster speedometer reading. Our Miata friends
over at miata.net have made a nice tire/wheel size calculator page to help you
choose the correct tire/wheel size combination for a more accurate speedo-
meter reading.
Go here for the calculator page: http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

Can suspension parts from foreign 323/Familia models be used to improve the
performance of my BJ chassis Protegé? What about MP3 parts?
Yes, please read below for a detailed explaination.

The stock suspension for the BJ Protegé can be roughly categorized into 4
groups: Normal, Hard, Sport and MP3/MSP.

The “Normal” suspension has been used only on cars bound for Asian/Pacific
countries. It uses softer springs, no rear sway bar, and a smaller front sway bar
than U.S.-market cars (the actual diameter of this swaybar has not been verified).
The small front swaybar from this model may be useful to reduce understeer for
competition in SCCA Solo II Stock-class competition. Other than this swaybar,
parts from this suspension are probably of little use to U.S. and Canadian
enthusiasts.

The “Hard” suspension uses a 20mm front swaybar and a 17.3mm rear swaybar
for the 1999 cars. The rear swaybar was reduced to 16mm in 2000. The front
swaybar has been increased to 21mm in 2001, possibly to further increase
    understeer "safety" handling. This suspension has been used on DX & LX U.S.
    and Canadian-market BJ Protegés. Some models use different lengths of springs
to keep the ride height uniform between cars with different combinations of
    optional equipment. However, the spring rates are always the same; the only
    difference is the length.

The “Sport” suspension has been used on various European, Japanese,
Asian/Pacific 323 and the 2001+ ES and P5. It uses slightly stiffer (by ~15%
    than "hard") springs and struts than the “Normal” suspension. The front sway bar
is also larger (22mm) and the rear sway bar is 17mm. The front sway bar has
    been increased to 23mm in mid 2002, probably also to increase understeer
"safety" handling. Ride height maybe slightly lower than the “Hard” suspension.

The MP3 suspension uses stiffer springs (10% stiffer than "sport") that lower the
car by about 15mm, a front strut tower brace, stiffer Tokico struts, and larger
swaybars- 25mm front, 19mm rear. Parts from this suspension may be used to
upgrade lesser Protegés; however, the swaybar endlinks on a BJ Protegé attach
to the struts, and the MP3 uses stronger brackets to accommodate the stiffer
swaybars (see Racing Beat's site for more information). If you use MP3 sway
bars without the matching MP3 struts, be prepared to reinforce the strut brackets.
    The MazdaSpeed Protegé's suspension design is based off of the MP3's suspen-
    sion. It uses even more stiffer springs and Tokico struts. Because the suspension
    design is based off of the MP3, the problems mentioned above also were inherited.

Can any wheels from other Mazdas or Fords be used as an upgrade on a Protegé?
Wheels from any Miata or MX-3 will fit perfectly on any Protegé except for the
2001+ ES and Protegé 5, which have 5 lug wheels. Miata alloy wheels are
generally lighter than Protegé wheels and make an excellent performance upgrade.
The 16” wheels offered on 2001+ Miatas are the only stock Mazda 16” wheels
that will fit on a 4-lug Protegé. Wheels from a Ford Escort GT/ZX2 will also fit.
    The following chart summarizes the wheels available on the Miata, MX-3 and a few
Mazdas and Fords:

Wheel size	Tire size	Offset	Material	Applications	Notes
14" x 5.5"	P185/60R14	45 mm	Steel	'90-'99 Miata '92-96 MX-3	Base model Base model
14" x 5.5"	P185/60R14	45 mm	Alloy	'90-'93 Miata '92-'96 MX-3	Optional Optional (4 cyl model)
14" x 6"	P185/60R14	45 mm	Alloy	'92-'93 Miata	BBS, very light
14" x 6"	P185/60R14	45 mm	Alloy	'94-97 Miata	Optional, very light
14" x 6"	P185/60R14	40 mm	Alloy	'99-'00 Miata	Optional in '99, Standard in '00
15" x 5.5"	P185/60R15	45 mm	Alloy	'91+ Escort/Tracer	GT, ZX2, LXi models
15" x 6"	P195/50R15	45 mm	Alloy	'95-97 Miata	M Edition only
15" x 6"	P195/50R15	40 mm	Alloy	'99+ Miata	Optional in '99-'00, standard in '01+
15" x 6"	P205/55R15	45 mm	Alloy	'92-'94 MX-3	GS model only, 2 styles
16" x 6.5"	P205/45R16	40 mm	Alloy	'01+ Miata	Optional

4-lug wheels from older rotary Mazdas, older RX-7’s and early 80’s RWD 626’s
will not fit on a Protegé because the bolt pattern is incorrect.

2001+ ES, MP3 and Protegé 5 have 5 lug wheels with a 5 x 114.3mm bolt pattern.
The following other Mazdas and Fords have wheels that will fit a Protegé:

Wheel size	Tire size	Offset	Material	Applications	Notes
15" x 6.5"	P205/55R15	40 mm	Alloy	'93-'97 MX-6 '93+ 626 '93-'97 Probe	Optional Optional SE models
16" x 7"	P225/50R16	40 mm	Alloy	'93-'97 Probe	GT model
16" x 7.5"	P225/50R16	40 mm	Alloy	'94+ Mustang	GT model, see *
17" x 8"	P245/45R17	40 mm	Alloy	'94+ Mustang	GT and Cobra models, see *
17" x 9"	P275/40R17	40 mm	Alloy	'95 Mustang	Cobra R, see *
18" x 9.5"	P265/40R18	40 mm	Alloy	'00 Mustang	Cobra R, see *

* Not hubcentric; may not clear stock fender

I need wheels for SCCA Solo II Stock-class autocrossing. What are some good,
inexpensive choices other than a set of stock Protegé wheels?
SCCA Solo II Stock-class rules require wheels that are the same width and
diameter as stock. Offset must be within ¼” of stock. There is no restriction on
material, weight, or type of wheel. There are several readily available, inexpensive
wheels from other cars that will fit most Protegé's.

The BG chassis LX, BH-chassis LX and ES, and BJ-chassis DX and LX 1.6l
use 14 x 5.5” wheels with a 4 x 100mm bolt pattern. The best wheels for these cars
are 7 spoke stock wheels from a 90-93 1.6l Miata. These wheels have the same
bolt pattern, offset and center hole diameter as stock Protegé wheels, but they are
significantly lighter.

Another good choice are Honda wheels. 14x5.5” alloy wheels with a 4x100mm
bolt pattern and 45mm offset have been used on various late 80’s and early 90’s
Accords, Preludes and Acura Integras (stock Civic wheels are either too narrow or
only available in steel). Honda wheels are not hubcentric on a Protegé (although this
is not as critical for autocrossing as it is for street use) and they are heavier than
Miata wheels.

The BJ chassis ES 1.8l and DX/LX 2.0l use 15”x6” wheels with a 4x100mm bolt
pattern and 45mm offset. The most obvious wheel choice for these cars are Miata
wheels from a 95-97 Miata M-Edition, 99-00 Sport or Leather Package, or 01+
base model. 95-97 Miata wheels have the correct offset (45mm) and the 95 M
Edition BBS wheels are the lightest of the bunch; 96-97 M-Edition wheels are
heavier. 99+ wheels have a different offset (40mm) but the 5mm difference is
within the SCCA’s ¼” allowance. These wheels are lighter than 96-97 M-Edition
wheels.

Another good choice for BJ chassis cars are wheels from a 94-01 Acura Integra or
a 99-00 Honda Civic Si. These wheels are the correct size and offset, but they are
not hubcentric and are slightly heavier than Miata wheels. However, these wheels
are abundant on the used market due to the popularity of aftermarket wheels among
the Honda tuner crowd, many of whom are convinced that the stock 15” x 6” takeoffs
are worthless and will sell them to you for almost nothing ($100-$200). Wheels from
a Saturn SC coupe or a 95-98 Nissan 200SX SE-R are also the right size and offset,
but are significantly heavier than Mazda or Honda wheels.

The BJ chassis ES 2.0l and Protegé 5 use 16”x6” wheels with a 5 x 114.3mm bolt
pattern and 50mm offset. The 89-00 Mitsubishi Eclipse, Eagle Talon, and Plymouth
Laser RS have been available with wheels that are a perfect fit except for their 45mm
offset, which is within the SCCA’s ¼” allowance. Several styles have been available.
Due to the unusual 16x6” size, there are no other readily available stock-sized wheels
for these cars.

I am performing an alignment on my MP3. Are there any special settings?
Mazda never published the MP3's alignment specifications and therefore the only way
    for such information is from the alignment machine themselves, which is known to never
    be 100% acurate. However, according to the MazdaSpeed Familia (Japanese version
    of the MP3) service manual, there are some minor differences in the settings.
    The special settings are:
       Front and rear toe-in: 2.0±2.0mm, 0.08±0.08", 0°12'±0°12'
       Caster angle (front): 2°01'±45'
       Kingpin angle (front): 12°59'
       Camber angle (front): -0°58'±45'
       Camber angle (rear): -0°48'±45'
       Maximum steering angle, inner (reference value): 37°±2°
       Maximum steering angle, outer (reference value): 33°±2°
Tire pressures must be at 32 psi/220kPa (cold) on the front tires and 29 psi/200kPa (cold)
    on the rear tires as well as a full fuel tank when performing the alignment. Vehicle must be
unladen (no cargo or passengers) to perform proper alignment.

I am performing an alignment on my MazdaSpeed Protegé. Are there any special settings?
Yes, the suspension geometry on the MazdaSpeed Protegé must be significantly altered
from the normal 3rd generation Protegé's to ensure proper handling and reduced tire
wear. The special settings are:
Front and rear toe-in: -1.0±1.0mm, -0.04±0.04", -0°6'±0°6'
Caster angle (front): 2°01'±1°
Kingpin angle (front): 12°59'
Camber angle (front): -0°58'±1°
Camber angle (rear): -0°48'±1°
       Maximum steering angle, inner (reference value): 37°±3°
       Maximum steering angle, outer (reference value): 33°±3°
Tire pressures must be at 32 psi/220kPa (cold) on all 4 tires as well as a full fuel tank when
performing the alignment. Vehicle must be unladen (no cargo or passengers) to perform
    proper alignment.

What is camber, and what effect does it have on handling?
Camber is the vertical angle of the tires when the car is viewed from the front. Camber
is measured in degrees from vertical. When the tires tilt towards the center of the car,
this is known as negative camber; when they tilt away from the center, this is known as
positive camber. For an explanation of camber, check this link:
http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm

Camber is important for handling because it determines how much of the tires’ tread is
in contact with the pavement (known as the “contact patch”). All modern cars with
independent suspension are engineered to increase negative camber as the suspension
compresses, thereby maintaining a larger contact patch as the body rolls during cornering.
Consequently, negative camber will also increase when the car is lowered. The amount
of additional camber when the suspension is compressed is known as the “camber curve.”

Additional negative camber will increase front end cornering grip, but it will also increase
tire wear at the inside of the tread, decrease straight-line grip when braking or accelerating,
and decrease straight-line tracking ability. The stock camber spec for a BJ Protegé is 0.5°-
1.0° negative. 1.5°-2.0° of negative camber will provide good handling without extreme tire
wear. Hardcore autocrossers and track racers may require 2.5°-4.0° of negative camber
for maximum front end grip, but this much camber will generally cause excessive tire wear
and front-end wander on the street.

Camber also has a large effect on the tendency of a car to pull towards one side of the road,
especially at high speed. A car will pull towards the side with more positive (less negative)
camber.

I’m going to lower my Protegé and I’m concerned about camber. Will lowering my car
increase camber too much and cause a tire wear problem?
Protegés, like most sedans with McPherson strut suspensions, do not have a very aggressive
camber curve. In other words, compressing the suspension on a Protegé will not increase
negative camber very much- the increase is usually less than 1° for mild amounts of lowering
(less than 1.5”). This is good for people who intend to lower their car for appearance
purposes, or for a moderate handling improvement without creating a tire wear problem. The
stock camber spec for a Protegé is 0.5°-1.0° negative, and lowering the car less than 1.5”
will usually increase camber to about 1.5°-2.0° negative. This will not cause a big tire wear
problem unless the car is always driven on straight highways with no hard corners. Even at
large amounts of lowering (1.5”+) a Protegé’s camber will usually not increase so much that it
can’t be easily and inexpensively corrected to less than 1.5° negative (refer to the following
section).

In fact, Protegés tend to wear out the outside of their front tires very quickly when they’re
   driven aggressively, due to their mild camber curve. If you like cornering hard, 1.5°-2° of
negative camber will actually IMPROVE tire wear by making the front tires wear more evenly
across the entire tread.

If you have lowered your Protegé and you’re experiencing tire wear problems on the inside of
the tread, CHECK THE TOE FIRST. Toe has a MUCH larger effect on tire wear than
camber. Many enthusiasts mistake toe problems for camber problems. Do not confuse the two.
If you are having tire wear problems, get the alignment checked and remove all doubt.

How do I adjust my Protegé’s camber?
The front camber can be adjusted by removing the nuts at the tops of the strut towers, pushing
the top of the strut down into the strut tower, then rotating the tops of the struts. You will notice
that the top of the strut mount is off center in the hole in the strut tower. Rotating the strut so that
the top of the mount is towards the rear of the car increases positive caster; rotating it so that the
top is towards the middle of the car increases negative camber. However, there are only 4
positions, and the range of camber and caster adjustment is only +/-0.5° each way. Keep in
mind that you will need an alignment if you adjust the camber because adjusting the camber will
also change the toe settings.

The rear camber on a Protegé is not adjustable from the factory except as a side effect of
adjusting the toe. The toe is adjusted by rotating an eccentric bolt at the inside of the rear TTL
link, which will also change the camber slightly; however, this method should not be used to
adjust camber because rear toe has a much larger effect on handling and tire wear than rear
camber. If the rear camber is out of spec, it should be corrected by fixing any broken parts
and/or using alternate adjustment methods.

There are several ways to increase the stock range of camber adjustment:
CAMBER OR “CRASH” BOLTS: The strut-to-knuckle bolts can be replaced with smaller
crash bolts, available for ~$3 each from Mazdaspeed Motorsports Development. Installing
smaller bolts will increase the clearance in the bolt holes, allowing the steering knuckle to be
tilted in relation to the strut. This allows camber adjustment of +/-0.5° if one bolt per side is
replaced, or +/-1° if both bolts are replaced.

This method is cheap but not always reliable because it relies on friction to hold the knuckle in
place. If the suspension is subjected to unusually large amounts of force (such as using extra-
sticky race tires or driving on rough roads), the steering knuckles can shift and knock the car
out of alignment. This problem can be reduced by applying paint or glue to the struts right
before the bolts are tightened.

SLOTTING THE STRUT-TO-KNUCKLE BOLT HOLES: This method is similar to using
“crash” bolts, but costs nothing. However, it is not generally recommended because removing
material around the bolt holes will reduce the surface area contacted by the strut-to-knuckle
bolts. This will reduce friction and make the knuckles even more prone to shifting than when
crash bolts are used.

ECCENTRIC STRUT-TO-KNUCKLE BOLTS: These bolts are available from Ingalls
(http://www.ingallseng.com/) and a variety of other manufacturers. These bolts allow camber
adjustment by tilting the steering knuckle, like a crash bolt, but eccentric bolts don’t rely on
friction so they are more finely adjustable and don’t shift out of alignment as easily. However,
they are generally more expensive than crash bolts. Most “camber kits” available for the
Protegé from mainstream alignment shops consist of eccentric bolts.

CAMBER PLATES: A camber plate replaces the stock upper strut mount with a spherical
bearing mounted on an adjustable plate, greatly increasing the amount of available camber and
caster adjustment. Camber plates also reduce flex at the top of the struts, improving handling.
They are generally considered to be the best way to add camber adjustment, and are commonly
found on race cars. However, they are much more expensive than other methods of adjustment,
and sometimes require custom fabrication to install.

What is caster, and how do I adjust it? What are the effects of more or less caster?
Caster is the angle of car’s steering axis from vertical when viewed from the side. If the top of the
steering axis is tilted towards the rear of the car, this is known as positive caster; if it is tilted
towards the front of the car, this is known as negative caster. Caster can be difficult to visualize
without pictures. Check the following link:
http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm

The stock camber spec for a BJ Protegé is 0.8°-2.8° positive. More positive caster improves
straightline tracking and increases steering feel, but also increases steering kickback over bumps,
and extreme amounts of positive caster will decrease the load on the outside front wheel and
increase the load on the inside rear wheel of the car during hard cornering, increasing understeer
(this is generally bad). Caster also has a large effect on the tendency of a car to pull towards one
side of the road, although the effect is smaller than the effect of camber. A car will pull towards the
side with more negative (less positive) caster. Caster has virtually no effect on tire wear.

The important thing to remember when adjusting caster is to keep it the same on both sides of the
car to avoid steering pull and handling problems. Increasing the positive camber on a Protegé has a
beneficial effect on steering feel, but too much caster will increase understeer, so you should keep
the caster within the stock adjustment range.

What is toe, and how do I adjust it? What are the effects of toe-in and toe-out? Will lowering my car
affect the toe?
Toe is the angle of the tires viewed from above. Toe-in (or positive toe) means that the front of the
tires are closer together than the rear of the tires; toe-out (negative toe) is the opposite. The stock
toe spec for the front and rear wheels of a BJ Protegé is –1/16” to +1/4” (-2mm to +6mm, -0.2° to
+0.6°). Despite the factory specs, toe settings in excess of 1/8” in either direction will generally have
a very negative effect on tire wear. Toe is adjusted by turning the tie-rod ends. Unless your Protegé
has broken suspension parts, the stock toe adjustment range is essentially infinite; you will not need
any additional parts to adjust the toe.

More front toe-in will increase the car’s tendency to track in a straight line, but will increase tire wear
on the outside of the tread, make the car’s transitional handling more sluggish and will hurt top speed
and gas mileage. Front toe-out will make the car’s handling more responsive, but will increase tire
wear on the inside of the tread and also hurt top speed and gas mileage.

More rear toe-in will increase the car’s tendency to track in a straight line (the effect is smaller than
front toe-in), but will increase transitional understeer and have the same effects as front toe on gas
mileage, top speed and tire wear. Rear toe-out will decrease transitional understeer, but large
   amounts of rear toe-out (more than -1/16” or –2mm) can make the car very tail-happy, especially
on slippery surfaces.

Toe adjustment has BY FAR the largest effect on tire wear of any alignment setting. Misadjusted
toe will kill your tires in a big hurry! Lowering the front suspension of a Protegé will usually increase
toe-out, and may cause tire wear problems on the inside of the tread. DO NOT MISTAKE
EXCESSIVE TOE-OUT FOR EXCESSIVE NEGATIVE CAMBER. Lowering a Protegé
usually doesn’t increase camber enough to cause a problem. If you lowered you car and your inside
front tires are wearing out, check the toe first! Do NOT immediately run out and buy a camber kit!

After I replace the struts and/or springs on my Protegé, do I need an alignment? Is there any way to
avoid it?
An alignment is highly recommended whenever any suspension parts are replaced. However, if you
will not be able to align the car immediately after replacing the springs and/or struts, mark the position
of the top of each strut in the strut tower and put each strut back in the same position when you
reassemble everything. This will ensure that you don’t radically readjust the camber and caster (see
above).

Does the MP3/MazdaSpeed Familia and MazdaSpeed Protegé come with Racing Beat suspension parts?
    According to Racing Beat, none of the production versions of these cars come with any Racing Beat
    manufactured suspension parts, despite the sticker on the rear sway bars (except in Japan). As a matter
    of fact, Racing Beat was quite amused to see a "RACING BEAT" sticker on the final production sway
    bars even though they had nothing to do with the Protegé's suspension at that point! They only did the
    tuning and testing of the prototype suspension. Afterwards, Mazda themselves did further tweaking to
    the settings which arguable toned down the aggressiveness of the handling. This is also another reason
    why photos of the prototype MP3's suspension showed bushing relocating brackets to place the sway
    bar mounting closer to the wheels than the production version which doesn't have these. There has
    been a general understanding that because of this production cost reduction scheme, the rear sway bar
    has a tendency to bend over large bumps and is responsible for the infamous rear suspension clunk!
    Also, the red springs on these cars are not made by Racing Beat and differ greatly in stiffness and
    lowering compared to the ones Racing Beat used in the prototype and now sells. Early press releases
    from Mazda stated that the MP3 came with Osaka Bane springs, however nothing more was heard of
    again once the MP3/MSF went into production. It is unclear even today whether those stock red
springs on the MP3/MSF and perhaps even the MazdaSpeed Protegé are OEM produced by Osaka
    Bane or not.

    The only brand name suspension parts are the specially customized Tokico HP struts on these cars,
    but differ in many ways compared to the aftermarket versions. For one, the MazdaSpeed Protegé's
rear struts have a higher spring perch which required the use of the shorter stock springs on that car,
while on the MP3 and MazdaSpeed Familia, the struts externally looked the same as the aftermarket
versions despite internal valving differences. All of the stock Tokico HP struts on these cars uses
different valving than the aftermarket versions!

    The only Racing Beat part on the MP3 and MazdaSpeed Protegé is the muffler. Those cars were
    shipped over from Japan with a regular Protegé muffler then got replaced at North American ports
    with the Racing Beat ones, which were shipped in from Racing Beat. The MazdaSpeed Familia had
    zero Racing Beat parts content due to the fact that it used a JDM MazdaSpeed sports sound muffler.

I have a MP3/MazdaSpeed Familia/MazdaSpeed Protegé and I am hearing a "clunk" noise over bumps.
How can I get rid of this annoyance?
    The rear sway bar in these cars make a clunk noise over bumps (officially) due to a defective bushing
    design. The noise can be mostly eliminated with the updated bushings which has a stiffer material and
    can easily be identified with a Teflon coating layer inside the bushing to prevent squeaking noises.
    The part number for these bushings is: BN7H-28-156E
    Another good way to eliminate the noise is to use stiffer springs than stock so that there's less
    suspension deflection in the back. Handling maybe improved this way but at the expense of comfort.

    The unofficial fix to this are the few different brands of "clunk fix" brackets. The most popular ones
    had been Delsing and Evolv over the years. They are most often discussed on forums. What these
    brackets do, is relocate the mounting points of the sway bar further out toward the wheels to eliminate
    sway bar flex, which is responsible for the noise as it bangs against the bushings and brackets at the
    stock mounting points. These brackets mimic the ones Racing Beat used in their MP3 prototype. It is
    unfortunate that due to contractual restrictions, Racing Beat themselves were not able to sell such
    solutions. There is a reported side effect to using these brackets. Oversteer is increased due to the fact
    that the sway bar can now articulate better than before.

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