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Anyone Used the Mazdatrix Sourced OEM Strut Inserts and Shocks?
One day I will be looking at lowering/springs/adjustable etc. But not this day. The Kid has wheels on the car with more poke than I consider tasteful, and lack of clearance dictates I stay with stock height suspension for now. (Once he goes to college, then its gloves off).
I need to replace my blown front strut inserts which are almost certainly original to the car. Given that I am staying with stock springs at stock length, and street driving only with nothing too rowdy.... any reason not to keep it simple and use OEM parts that Mazdatrix claim to have?
Take a look at this thread. It says it is GSL-SE, but it appears that they are basically the same for all FB's. The KYB's should be much more reasonably priced and reports have been that they work well.
Take a look at this thread. It says it is GSL-SE, but it appears that they are basically the same for all FB's. The KYB's should be much more reasonably priced and reports have been that they work well.
Ha! Had that post bookmarked from my research. Spent some time digging around here and found a RAD potential video too…. So aside from all the scary warnings about spring compressors feel up to the job.
Where the deep knowledge of those on this site would help is if the ‘OEM’ parts Mazdatrix list are worth double the price of KYB, or are there performance differences between OEM and KYB?
One poster here who knows his suspension has warned me off KYB. And even read a couple of posts saying the original shocks / strut internals are KYB anyway.
Pretty shure the OEM was KYB, The KYB Excell/gr2 shocks and struts are a newer twin tube design and approx 15% firmer. They are also less expensive. I am replacing the struts and shocks on my GSL with the stock springs, {because the ride}. I spent a little more and went with Koni's. Never been disappointed with em!
Not sure if the original strut inserts were made by KYB or not, but they definitely do not look anything like the GR2's. Toruki's post in the thread noted above shows the original struts. The pictures on Mazdatrix and Atkins of the "OEM" inserts look pretty much just like the KYB/GR2's. Not sure which is which, but I am sure they will both work fine.
I have never used the KYB's, because my car has been a race car since I got it 25 years ago. Although I have also read bad things about the KYB's, I will assume that they were trying to use them in a performance applications. I can believe that they would not be so good with stiff springs. Even the Tokico Blues are really marginal if used with stiff racing springs. Don't last long. I now use Bilsteins meant for Porsches and VW's. For street use, I am sure the KYB's will be more than sufficient. Your mileage/perception may vary though.
Not sure if the original strut inserts were made by KYB or not, but they definitely do not look anything like the GR2's. Toruki's post in the thread noted above shows the original struts. The pictures on Mazdatrix and Atkins of the "OEM" inserts look pretty much just like the KYB/GR2's. Not sure which is which, but I am sure they will both work fine.
I have never used the KYB's, because my car has been a race car since I got it 25 years ago. Although I have also read bad things about the KYB's, I will assume that they were trying to use them in a performance applications. I can believe that they would not be so good with stiff springs. Even the Tokico Blues are really marginal if used with stiff racing springs. Don't last long. I now use Bilsteins meant for Porsches and VW's. For street use, I am sure the KYB's will be more than sufficient. Your mileage/perception may vary though.
Carl
If i ever do swap my koni reds out I will PM you . Koni will rebuild them and they have been on my car for 39 years ( older than me !) and still work even after driving through some brutal surfaces with no signs of leaks . Those shocks are overkill for my car , the only real use they have is for racing TBH and even if you wear them out they aren't too pricy to rebuild.
Tokiko blues seem like the perfect application for me .
Not sure if the original strut inserts were made by KYB or not, but they definitely do not look anything like the GR2's. Toruki's post in the thread noted above shows the original struts. The pictures on Mazdatrix and Atkins of the "OEM" inserts look pretty much just like the KYB/GR2's. Not sure which is which, but I am sure they will both work fine.
I have never used the KYB's, because my car has been a race car since I got it 25 years ago. Although I have also read bad things about the KYB's, I will assume that they were trying to use them in a performance applications. I can believe that they would not be so good with stiff springs. Even the Tokico Blues are really marginal if used with stiff racing springs. Don't last long. I now use Bilsteins meant for Porsches and VW's. For street use, I am sure the KYB's will be more than sufficient. Your mileage/perception may vary though.
Carl
So I am very intested about those bilsteins struts you are using. I have been running the tokico Illumina for many years. I feel like Bilteins could be a better strut. Are you using front inserts and rear from Bilsteins? Where do I find them at? I believe my spring rates are 425lbs front, 200lbs rear.
This thread pretty much details the conversion process for both VW and Porsche 924/944 Bilstein struts. I originally used the Porsche struts which are essentially the same length as the stock struts. Those ended up bottoming out and damaging my camber plates during off track excursions. I switched to the VW Golf/Rabbit housings which are 2" shorter and have not had any more bottoming problems. In either case you have to modifiy the top of the strut housing to fit the Bilstein struts. I am using 450/250 springs front and rear and the VW Bilsteins control them fine. Seems to be a bit better than the Porsche. If you decide to go this way, I can answer any specific questions.
