We got the warm day yesterday that I needed to install the MP3/Racing Beat stabilizer bars. The rear bar comes with a new cross member, bushings, and brackets. The install wasn't bad considering the cross member had to be changed. Slip off the rubber hanger for the exhaust, remove the eccentric bolts for the rear TTL links, loosen the nuts from the front TTL link bolts (can't remove the bolts until the rear cross member is lowered away from the gas tank), remove the four bolts holding the cross member to the chassis, disconnect the end links from the struts, remove the cross member and sway bar together. The front wasn't nearly as easy. Not recommended unless you are very comfortable with tools. It involves loosening the steering rack, a motor mount, the exhaust pipe, shift linkage, front cross member bolts (8), etc. I got it done, but it took most of the day to do both. Oh, I know everything's covered in salt and dirt, can't be helped in the upper Midwest. I'll steam clean it all in a month or two.


I can't get the pictures to work, so check 'em out on ProtegeTech under Eric F's '00 silver ES in the Photos section.

 

what a lot of work! i bet it was worth it! it doesn't sound like i want to try to change my front bar.

one question, do you know why the sway bar tips, where the end-links connect to the bar, hang down so low? i thought you wanted to have your sway-bar as flat as possible for the best response?

 

what is the diameter of the new bar compared to th old bar????

 

The new front bar is 25mm , the new rear bar is 20mm. I think the stock bars were 20mm front & 16mm rear? The AWR rear bar I had on was ~19mm (3/4"). The MP3 rear bar ends turn down in between the front and rear TTL links for clearance. That doesn't really affect the response of the bar. I do think the end links are the weak point in the stabilizer bars. I'll probably make some custom ones using Heim joints at some point. That should improve turn in by making the bars react quicker. Similar to poly bushings.

 

I'm interested in switching to the mp3 sway bars as you did.
I have an 2001 ES, and I'm wondering if you could post a list of the Mazda parts you had to order and what it cost you.

I'm also interested in what you did with the mounts on the low end of the struts concidering RacingBeat says they had to reinforce them for the bigger sway bars.

Northcoast4Ever!
-Jeff, Detroit

 

I don't have part numbers. I ordered the kit from Mazdastuff. http://www.mazdastuff.com/directory.cfm?CategoryID=196 The price is a little cheaper than posted when ordering through the Internet. The kit comes with the front & rear bars, rear crossmember, rear brackets, bushings and end links, front bushings, and various nuts and bolts. You reuse the front brackets and some of the bolts. I have the MazdaSpeed struts, which have more reinforcement on the front strut than the MP3 struts have. The rear Mazdaspeeds are the same as stock, but I think it will be OK. The stock end links are the weak point of the system, IMHO, and would be the first thing to break. The stock front struts tabs do need reinforcement though.

 

will that fit on a Protete 5 ?

u said the endlink are weak
so are there any parts that u can replace a stonger one ?

 

Yes, the parts will fit the Protege 5 also. You could use heim joints and a threaded rod with lock nuts to make new end links. I'll look for a place to get everything.

 

IF any part is going to break- I'd rather replace an endlink than try to reweld a mount to a strut.

 

Excellent point, and I agree. I figure by the time I find the parts, and it gets warm enough to install the new end links, if the stock end links are still in one piece, it should be safe to go with stronger end links for better response.

 

where to get the stronger end link?

 

That is the question.

 

when u guys talking about end link
and some how i dont raelly know much about it

until today i installted the springs myself today
i found out that
the endlink is damn sucks
it's toooooo weak
i can even bend it using my hand

so just wondering if i order the sway bar from mazdastuff
will they give me a new endlink

if we use the impact gun to loose and tight the screws one time another time
it gotta break the damn thing

to replace the endlink a stonger one
it needs to be a aftermarket
no company made one yet
but we can measure to length and get a stronger one

 

New endlinks for the rear come with the kit, but they are the same as the ones you have now. They aren't really weak enough for you to bend with your hand, but they do have one serious weak spot. The bolts used to connect the end link to the stabilizer bar and strut are attched with some blue plastic looking adhesive. It is fairly easy to break that bond by hand if you twist the end link the right way. Keep in mind though that the end link wouldn't see that kind of load the way it's attached to the strut and bar. I personally haven't broken one of the stock end links yet while driving the car. I haven't heard of anyone else doing that either, so the end links are probably strong enough for what they need to do, even if they don't look very impressive.