[MazdaGT_E]

Wow!!!
Excellent post, great review with lots of info and details.
Missing LCA bolt is bizarre, and seems lucky you didn’t have a major problem from that.
Coilover preload, I usually see 5mm-10mm recommended. Do you know if you were too tight, or loose? I would think loose would be the only way to get a clunk noise?
So the end links aren’t exactly faulty, like loose ball sockets, but the nut keeps loosening on the stud? On both sides?

Thanks, I try to give the best info I can lol

They didnt say if there was to much or not enough preload but im almost 90% positive I didnt have enough preload, but I never adjusted the preload because the suspension came with little tags on the springs saying that the preload was adjusted from the factory and to not adjust, I later found the Rev9 Installation guide on their website, that showed 170mm -180mm total preload spring length.

He Also said that he removed and re added my front upper Megan Strut brace after everything was done because he said that can make noise too.

the End links were loose on the top and bottom Adjustable nuts, not where they mounted to the strut and sway bar, again that's why I now know those endlinks are indeed junk, I couldn't have tightened them any more without stripping them before and they still came lose again.

As far as the LCA, I have 0 idea how that bolt would have came loose or not even be there but it's either been loose and fell out or was not there at all since I bought the car, they said it was the inner rear vertical bolt that was missing and they replaced.

 

[SnapJag]

I'm looking to do the exact same thing, so I'm wondering if you didn't like the godspeed camber what would you use instead?

I have 2014 Mazda3 Hatch touring. Installed is the CS RSB and CS Front Engine mount poly bushing. They made the ride so much nicer. Turns great and doesn't roll. Doesn't eat up my tires as fast.

Want

• to install front strut tower brace, but hear it's better to do the coilovers first
• FSB, but do CO first
• coilovers
• cambers
• SB links

Looking highly at Rev9 HS II. But need to know what camber kit to get...

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[SnapJag]

Actually do I need to update my cambers?

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[DBarnes]

I'm looking to do the exact same thing, so I'm wondering if you didn't like the godspeed camber what would you use instead?

I have 2014 Mazda3 Hatch touring. Installed is the CS RSB and CS Front Engine mount poly bushing. They made the ride so much nicer. Turns great and doesn't roll. Doesn't eat up my tires as fast.

Want

• to install front strut tower brace, but hear it's better to do the coilovers first
• FSB, but do CO first
• coilovers
• cambers
• SB links

Looking highly at Rev9 HS II. But need to know what camber kit to get...

Sent from my NE2215 using Tapatalk

Don’t do a bigger front sway bar.
The car understeers as it is, your rear RSB helped that. The stiffer front coilover springs will bring some understeer back, so don’t mess with the Front Sway Bar.

 

[arathol]

I'm looking to do the exact same thing, so I'm wondering if you didn't like the godspeed camber what would you use instead?

I have 2014 Mazda3 Hatch touring. Installed is the CS RSB and CS Front Engine mount poly bushing. They made the ride so much nicer. Turns great and doesn't roll. Doesn't eat up my tires as fast.

Want

• to install front strut tower brace, but hear it's better to do the coilovers first
• FSB, but do CO first
• coilovers
• cambers
• SB links

Looking highly at Rev9 HS II. But need to know what camber kit to get...

Sent from my NE2215 using Tapatalk

Don’t do a bigger front sway bar.
The car understeers as it is, your rear RSB helped that. The stiffer front coilover springs will bring some understeer back, so don’t mess with the front RSB

And if you also increase the rear spring rates accordingly, not so much....you are back where you started with the rear bar. Figure out where you are with your spring rates and F/R rate ratio, then decide if you need the bar.
However, unless you plan on pushing the car hard, the front bar is not really a necessity.....and a pain in the butt to install....

 

[DBarnes]

And if you also increase the rear spring rates accordingly, not so much....you are back where you started with the rear bar. Figure out where you are with your spring rates and F/R rate ratio, then decide if you need the bar.
However, unless you plan on pushing the car hard, the front bar is not really a necessity.....and a pain in the butt to install....

The HS2 come with stiffer front rates than rear rates. 6kg front, 5kg rear. Although not as bad as all the trash that come with 8k
He’s actually defeating the RSB he already put on, just going to those coilovers.
The best thing to do would be to order some 2.5” diameter 4 kg front coilover springs for $150 and swap them onto the HS2 before install. Maintain the correct ratio of F to Rear

Unless just going for the 2.5” drop and static life

 

[arathol]

Yup, that is the problem with most of those cheap kits.....they don't play well with other suspension mods due to the odd spring rates.....

 

[SnapJag]

I'm not looking for the squat that comes with the new coilovers, I'm more interested in improving ride and performance. I'm not a track driver, but an everyday driver that likes to have a fun and stable ride. Maybe I've done enough already. Although I already bought the HSII in the last hour . So sounds like I should get new coils for the front as mentioned.

But certainly figure out the F/B spring rates and maintain the right ratio. I'll admit, I understand what is being said, but don't know how to figure that rate/ratio out. Nothing I'm sure I can Google about and learn to do. Someone have a direct link to DIY on those details?

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[arathol]

Here is what I have-

OEM Spring Rates: 2.5kg/mm / 140 lbs/in F.....3.0kg/mm / 168 lbs/in R

REV9 spring rates: 6 kg/mm / 336 lbs/in F...........5 kg/mm / 280 lbs/in R

The OEM rear bar 6.1kg/mm / 340 lbs/in

CS adjustable rear bar 14.2/19.7kg/mm / 794/1104 lbs/in

You'll need to find the front bar rates to do the math.
The sway bar rates contribute to the cumulative rates at each individual wheel.

 

[MazdaGT_E]

Actually do I need to update my cambers?

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I think the HS2's are a great cheap suspension and worth the money so I don't think you will be disappointed, adding a softer spring rate to your front like said above could be a good option to help reduce understeer with a stiffer Sway bar, I have a stock sway bar and that's Plenty for me.

I feel you wont notice a crazy issue with understeer unless you're really pushing your car, I could be wrong, I found the HS2 6k F/5k R spring rates to be comfortable, I couldn't imagine having 8k+ spring rates like some of these coil overs come with, that's for super static low boy things lol. When you start to increase the dampening past 20 on the HS2 struts you can start to tell how stiff the springs are, increasing the dampening will make the car have more bounce due to stiffer strut compression.

The HS2 coil overs come with a front upper camber plate so you don't need anything for the front unless you plan to go lower that 2.5" that's how low I went and after alignment my camber is at -1.5 all around, if you go lower then maybe camber bolts would help, but if you do need to adjust the front camber you'll need to do so with the suspension back out or cut the opening of the upper strut support in the engine bay, when they are installed you cannot access the camber bolts to loosen the upper camber plate because the opening is to small,
Also something to pay attention to when installing the HS2's is the two lower strut mount bolts can be moved in and out a little before tightening.
ex: with the suspension installed and all bolts loosely in place, snug the top but keep them loose on the bottom, you can grab the rotor and push it in and out and you'll see the mounting points move, idk how to explain it, but think of it this way, pushing in before you tighten them down would give you more negative camber and pulling out before tightening would add positive camber. I pulled out as far as it would go and then tightened the lower two bolts and I didnt need to adjust the upper camber plate.

As far as the rear camber adjustments go I've heard nothing but good things about the Megan Racing rear Adjustable camber and Toe Arms but i've never used them, and if you're not going to slam your car i'm not sure that you would need adjustable rear camber and Toe arms. I knew I was going to slam my car so I got them lol but in the past i've used Megan Racing parts and never had a problem with them, and on that note I would 100% recommend the front upper strut brace by them, I love mine.

the HS2 coil overs come with Godspeed Project front endlinks, take them and throw them in the trash haha get a better quality Adjustable endlink, well that is if you are doing to go low low, which you said you didnt plan to, so if you're doing a mild drop of say 1" - 1.5" I think the supplied endlinks would be ok, but I'd still get better ones in general, if you do go lower than 1.5" I've been told rear adjustable endlinks are necessary but if not then I don't think you'll need to add those. I doubt the Godspeed parts will last long or even through a winter. I do not like the Godspeed front or rear adjustable endlinks and they will be replaced in the future.

 

[SnapJag]

Thanks for all the details and great info from everyone. I understand much better now what I'm doing and needed to know.

I think I'll stick with the standard items as they come in and test it according to my current rigging. Then I'll adjust. I like Moog stuff personally, but will adapt the Links as needed. I have been looking at the Megan Racing gear... Seem solid.

Thanks for the tips on the cambers and how to adjust. I understood what you said. Looking forward to the new change.

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[CerealKiller]

Megan Racing makes good stuff. I use their rear adjustable camber and toe arms.

HardRace makes good stuff too, but items are harder to source. I use a dealer of theirs that is in Florida and can special order stuff from their catalog.
CK

 

[DBarnes]

I'm not looking for the squat that comes with the new coilovers, I'm more interested in improving ride and performance. I'm not a track driver, but an everyday driver that likes to have a fun and stable ride. Maybe I've done enough already. Although I already bought the HSII in the last hour . So sounds like I should get new coils for the front as mentioned.

But certainly figure out the F/B spring rates and maintain the right ratio. I'll admit, I understand what is being said, but don't know how to figure that rate/ratio out. Nothing I'm sure I can Google about and learn to do. Someone have a direct link to DIY on those details?

Sent from my NE2215 using Tapatalk

A good start is that OE rates are 2.55kg F and 3.05kg Rear. So rear biased. Mostly because of control arm to spring ratio. The rear spring is 70% down the arm, towards the hub. So your new 5kg rears are actually 3.5kg. Fronts are 95% ratio, so 6kg is 5.7kg. Next is corner weight on the spring. Depends on 2.0 or 2.5 engine, but roughly 850 lbs each front, 600lbs each rear. Next you want the ride frequency or bounce frequency to be 5-10% higher in the rear, to avoid “Pitch”, where the rear hits bumps split second later, but also bounces and settles slower. This then takes more rear damper to control, which ultimately loses grip on bumps.
Stock ride frequencies I measured were 1.43hz front, 1.5hz rear. So no pitch. Just like every OE out there.
These terrible 8kg F, 5kg Rear coilover kits induce lots of pitch, and understeer.
At least Rev9 HS2, Tein, Tanabe Revel Touring are closer to even spring rates.
If you keep your rear 5kg, I would order some front 4Kg Swifts, or Eibach ERS springs (225lb/inch). But you also need to add 1” length to the new spring to make up for lower rate. Most coilovers use a 7” or 8” long front spring. Determine what yours have before ordering new.
Getting the spring rate balance, and therefore ride frequencies correct is the solid foundation to start on. Then you fine tune oversteer/understeer with as little sway bar as possible. Sway bars link side to side, and big sway bars are just making your Independent suspension, less independent

 

[Rogue Agent Sniff]

Thanks, I try to give the best info I can lol

They didnt say if there was to much or not enough preload but im almost 90% positive I didnt have enough preload, but I never adjusted the preload because the suspension came with little tags on the springs saying that the preload was adjusted from the factory and to not adjust, I later found the Rev9 Installation guide on their website, that showed 170mm -180mm total preload spring length.

He Also said that he removed and re added my front upper Megan Strut brace after everything was done because he said that can make noise too.
View attachment 286959

the End links were loose on the top and bottom Adjustable nuts, not where they mounted to the strut and sway bar, again that's why I now know those endlinks are indeed junk, I couldn't have tightened them any more without stripping them before and they still came lose again.

As far as the LCA, I have 0 idea how that bolt would have came loose or not even be there but it's either been loose and fell out or was not there at all since I bought the car, they said it was the inner rear vertical bolt that was missing and they replaced.
View attachment 286960

So just a few things I'd like to know. I'm new here and I want to lower my car more. I have the Same coilovers as you but need the spring rate to change the springs to lower stiffer ones. Also wanna raise the engine and get both transmission mounts and engine mounts replaced by corksport. Opinions?

 

[MazdaGT_E]

So just a few things I'd like to know. I'm new here and I want to lower my car more. I have the Same coilovers as you but need the spring rate to change the springs to lower stiffer ones. Also wanna raise the engine and get both transmission mounts and engine mounts replaced by corksport. Opinions?

Why do you want softer springs? i'm not sure what would need to be done to add sub 5k Springs, I'm sure as long as they're the same length as the Rev9 ones they would work, but i find the ride on the 6K front and 5K rears to be quite comfortable especially with a soft dampening, I have my dampening up pretty high because im pretty low and the ride is still really smooth, a little bouncy here and there depending on the speed and road conditions.

As far as the mounts go I have never done them in a Mazda but mounts i've dont in the past i just supported the engine from below, removed the old and installed the new mounts

 

[CerealKiller]

The rear motor mount is an easy job. Lift up front end of car and support car with stands. Remove plastic under engine shield.

Unbolt RMM and replace with new. Torque specs are on the instructions provided.

You will need a 1/2" breaker bar, wrenches 1/4" & 1/2", 6 pt deep socket sets, 10mm socket for under engine tray, flathead screwdriver for push clips, 1/2" torque wrench, gloves, lights, beer (optional, but recommended).

Trans mount isn't really needed.
CK

 

[Rogue Agent Sniff]

I would like stiffer springs. Keep from bouncing and keep the frame banging minimal. But sprinkled in here and there. I've had a car like this and miss it. But I want to do it more correctly.

 

[MazdaGT_E]

Oh I see, sorry I miss read your first message. Hmm stiffer springs will bounce pretty good, like I mentioned these 6k/5k are bouncy at times when the dampening is high. I’m not sure how to make a set up lower than mine, this is my normal ride height for my lowered vehicles.

 

[Rogue Agent Sniff]

Idk I might need it though cause when I shift my automatic gears, I can feel alot of the shift. I'd rather put in the aftermarket maintenance stuff and also enjoy smacking frame. But this is also merely an idea.

 

[arathol]

Don't matter how stiff the springs are when the shock is at full compression, which it will be if the car is any lower......And whatever dampers are in there will last about 5 minutes.....