R1 and Touring Suspensions
 

Does anyone know what the difference is between the R1 and Touring suspensions? Is it just the strut tower bar or are the springs bushings, or other components different?

Thanks,
Clint Fralick
Struggly@hotmail.com

Stiffer springs,larger sway bars,differant shocks,front strut tower brace. Do a search.

Well sway bars are the same sizes. Also the springs are the same but there has been some debate about that. The Shocks are both Bilsteins but the R1 shocks are dampend more aggressively. Your right about the Strut tower bar. R1 has it and touring, base models dont.

SWAY BARS/BUSHINGS
 

The Sway bars on an R1 are large than the sway bars on my 1995 touring model. I am almost positive that the bushings are stiffer on the R1 because those bushings are considered an "upgrade" compared from my touring bushings. Anyways....just my 2 cents.

Springs are the same, shocks, bushings and anti roll bars are different.
Also the tires. All R models came with Z rated tires, either Expedias or
P-Zero's. (And, as others have mentioned, there's the front strut tower bar, though that was a dealer installed option on the other models.)

A couple of people on the forum have access to the full parts list and have listed the differences before, though I don't think they've listed every part.

Here's one thing someone with a parts list could clear up for me. Were the suspension parts on the R-models the same for all three years? I know the base suspension was softened a bit over the years, and the rear anti-roll bars changed, but I don't think they changed anything on the R, except the tires. I think the R's, for instance, retained the slide bushings through all three years.

I know some magazines reported there were suspension changes for 94 and 95, and they seemed to say it applied to all models, but I think the changes only affected the base suspension. Anyone know for sure? What were the specific changes to the R-models for 94 and 95 other than switching to the P-Zero tires?

sorry its a little off topic but which springs can i get for my FD the stockones seem to be a little worn or and the frotn tires rub the fender wels on hard cornering, or could it be the shocks?

Well the only difference in sway bars was in 94 and 95 the rear sway bars got bigger. As far as the sway bars between R1 models and Tourings they are the same in 93. I have a touring and I did the Sway bar bushing Mod via Rob Robinettes site. He had a 93 R1 and my sway bars are the same size as his R1's But mine is a touring. Bushings are the same. There is so much misinformation being posted here its scary. Check out Rob Robinettes site and read all about Sway bar sizes and bushings if your interested. FYI the R models got softer every year due to complaints. If you have a 93 model I suggest you upgrade the front sway bar bushings. It has the same effect of putting a bigger rear sway bar on without actually spening the money. Read up on Robs site for more info. The Bushings were 15 bucks and it doesnt matter what model you have the sway bars are the same sizes.

The rear sway bar in the 95 model got smaller, not larger. And there was a bushing difference between the base suspension and the R-model.
The page I've attached is from the sales manual Mazda sent to all the dealerships. It shows the changes made to the 95 model.

I've read conflicting things in various books and magazines about the changes made to the two suspensions in the various model years. As I say, the only way to know for sure is for someone with the parts listings for all three years to cite the specific parts which changed from year to year.