[abenguyen]

After much debate and thought, I've decided to go with the lowering spring and upgraded shock/strut combo over coilovers. My budget and where I am in life just doesn't permit me to spend $1k on a lowest recommended coilover setup (since the low end budget setups like Raceland and Megan Racing don't have the greatest recommendation, or that I have read or seen)

So long story short, I've decided on the Road Magnet 1.75" springs to purchase sometime after Christmas. With that, I'd eventually would get Koni Str.T shocks/struts. So my questions are as follow:

1) Does anyone have experience or can chime in how long their Mazda 3 lasted on stock shocks/struts with the 1.75" drop before requiring the stock suspension to be replaced?

2) Did anyone rock the springs without a rear camber arm or have pics of what it looks like without the camber arm? Is it REALLY necessary to have the arm installed with the spring installed?

I have a 2011 MZ3 2.5 Hatch if that helps. Thanks fellas!


p.s. if you have experience with Raceland coils or Megan Racing coils, please chime in. I'd love to hear your opinions and recommendations of them if possible.

 

[swerv0428]

If you get the 1.75 inch Springs you will need camber arms. It will put your rear camber in the area of - 3 or more which will wear the inside of the tires badly. Stock shocks and struts will last quite awhile. It does depend on driving habits and the road conditions where you live but I'd say you'd get a couple years or maybe 50-75k miles out of them. Maybe more.

I've heard the Raceland coils are cheap and poorly made. But I've never had a set.

 

[abenguyen]

If you get the 1.75 inch Springs you will need camber arms. It will put your rear camber in the area of - 3 or more which will wear the inside of the tires badly. Stock shocks and struts will last quite awhile. It does depend on driving habits and the road conditions where you live but I'd say you'd get a couple years or maybe 50-75k miles out of them. Maybe more.

I've heard the Raceland coils are cheap and poorly made. But I've never had a set.

Thanks for your input. I had made another thread regarding springs vs coilovers and this thread is mostly to clarify about the lowering spring set up. My 3 is my DD and I will occasionally do some spirited driving. I understand that is a very subjective term, but I'm the guy who will occasionally take a corner faster and barely squeak the tires. No autocross or any racing planned ahead.

I've had friends with lowering springs on stock suspension for 5+ years without any issues. Of course they drive different vehicles, which could be argued that they have a somewhat "sportier" suspension than our 3. So based on what you say I believe I must purchase and install a rear camber arm when I install these springs. Is that something I can do myself or requires a shop? I planned to work with my friends on installing my springs and they have done it for their cars before so they have some mechanical knowledge.

 

[swerv0428]

Based how you say you drive you will be fine on stock shocks for a while.

You will need to buy a set of camber arms. Install isn't to hard. The passenger side is a bitch and the driver side is easy.

 

[abenguyen]

Based how you say you drive you will be fine on stock shocks for a while.

You will need to buy a set of camber arms. Install isn't to hard. The passenger side is a bitch and the driver side is easy.

Thought it was one arm that controls both sides? Uh oh I need to do more reading haha. Thanks for your help. I'll look into camber arms now.


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[finaldrive]

Thought it was one arm that controls both sides? Uh oh I need to do more reading haha. Thanks for your help. I'll look into camber arms now.


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Im on tein springs with stock shock i have driven my car in anyway you can think of for the last 20k miles (with springs installed) and still good...

Btw on the passenger arm installation some people went for the route to take off the fuel neck heat shield, its a hard piece of metal block the head of the lug. What I did on that one is i pried the metal part blocking the lug just enough space to get the end of my 17mm open wrench

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[abenguyen]

Im on tein springs with stock shock i have driven my car in anyway you can think of for the last 20k miles (with springs installed) and still good...

Btw on the passenger arm installation some people went for the route to take off the fuel neck heat shield, its a hard piece of metal block the head of the lug. What I did on that one is i pried the metal part blocking the lug just enough space to get the end of my 17mm open wrench

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I'll keep that in mind once I purchase mine. Are there any good camber arm recommendations? Is there a certain price range I should avoid like cheap end companies/etc?

 

[SkyactiveTwentyThirteen]

I'll keep that in mind once I purchase mine. Are there any good camber arm recommendations? Is there a certain price range I should avoid like cheap end companies/etc?

SPC Adjustable Rear Camber Arms. Seems almost everyone who knows their shit has those. Maybe price..maybe value/quality not sure. This is what I shall get.

 

[abenguyen]

SPC Adjustable Rear Camber Arms. Seems almost everyone who knows their shit has those. Maybe price..maybe value/quality not sure. This is what I shall get.

I have read about those. It does seem most people have those. I'll take a deeper look into em. Thanks.

 

[swerv0428]

Good price and good quality.

 

[abenguyen]

Good price and good quality.

I'll definitely purchase a pair after buying my springs and post before and after pics here. Maybe I'll start a new thread who knows. But I'm excited for this purchase after Christmas. I have a few of the recent discount codes written down, hopefully I can still get the $30 off.

 

[SkyactiveTwentyThirteen]

I'll definitely purchase a pair after buying my springs and post before and after pics here. Maybe I'll start a new thread who knows. But I'm excited for this purchase after Christmas. I have a few of the recent discount codes written down, hopefully I can still get the $30 off.

Bought my 1.75" RM springs earlier today and the code works. I had to use the capital "O" and not zero for it to work. $207.00 shipped :cheesy:

 

[abenguyen]

Bought my 1.75" RM springs earlier today and the code works. I had to use the capital "O" and not zero for it to work. $207.00 shipped :cheesy:

Was that "RMOC10" that worked?

 

[SkyactiveTwentyThirteen]

yes it was

 

[abenguyen]

yes it was

Excellent.......:cheesy::w00t 1:

 

[narthur28]

I have road magnet 1.75" drop on my car. Worked with stock for a good while, a yearish? But my front stock were blown after a year and changed out to koni orange. The only reason why the stock shock/strut didnt last is cause of my driving (watched too many fast and furious movies). Now im on koni orange, it works...but its super harsh. Think Koni said that 1.75 is too much of a drop on the orange, still works. But simple potholes or crack really rocks my car. Sounds like its front end is getting destoryed. Im thinking about switching to something else, not a smooth daily.

 

[abenguyen]

I have road magnet 1.75" drop on my car. Worked with stock for a good while, a yearish? But my front stock were blown after a year and changed out to koni orange. The only reason why the stock shock/strut didnt last is cause of my driving (watched too many fast and furious movies). Now im on koni orange, it works...but its super harsh. Think Koni said that 1.75 is too much of a drop on the orange, still works. But simple potholes or crack really rocks my car. Sounds like its front end is getting destoryed. Im thinking about switching to something else, not a smooth daily.

Really now? I've read tons of people with Koni Orange and the 1.75" without any problems or complaints? It could've been with the 1.25" drop, but I remember reading people with the 1.75" without any complaints.

 

[tnax408]

Really now? I've read tons of people with Koni Orange and the 1.75" without any problems or complaints? It could've been with the 1.25" drop, but I remember reading people with the 1.75" without any complaints.

Most likely with the 1.25 drop. People recommend yellows for anything below 1.50. Although, some do run that setup.

 

[SkyactiveTwentyThirteen]

I have road magnet 1.75" drop on my car. Worked with stock for a good while, a yearish? But my front stock were blown after a year and changed out to koni orange. The only reason why the stock shock/strut didnt last is cause of my driving (watched too many fast and furious movies). Now im on koni orange, it works...but its super harsh. Think Koni said that 1.75 is too much of a drop on the orange, still works. But simple potholes or crack really rocks my car. Sounds like its front end is getting destoryed. Im thinking about switching to something else, not a smooth daily.

well I am about to run this setup on my '13 sky hatch...hopefully I don't find it too harsh.

 

[abenguyen]

Most likely with the 1.25 drop. People recommend yellows for anything below 1.50. Although, some do run that setup.

I'll have to do my research again tonight. I've read people running 1.75" on stock suspension for the same amount of time without issues. A "rough" ride is very subjective. I have heard about Koni Yellow's but with the end price for those, I'd rather just spend the extra few hundred and get a set of coils.

well I am about to run this setup on my '13 sky hatch...hopefully I don't find it too harsh.

Check back and let me/us know how it is!