WhiteRXseven

Kinda Long, I need to VENT, and some INFO.:

Ok need some advice, after the shitty
day i had regarding my FD3S.

Ok I bought some Eibach lowering springs from a forum member. I received couple of days ago. Since then I been I have been anxious to install them. I bounced some PM and emails regarding install and shopped
around to different places for prices to install them.

So today I get off work early. Makes some calls to
get some prices on installs on springs. So on the way
home I realize there are couple of places along the way
(speedshops) home, so i figure I stop ask some questions. The First place I went to ELD performance
in crofton MD, quoted me a price.. " A arm and a LEG"
So I said no thanks.. So then I stop at another place
along the way home, Called Extreme Motorsports.
So I go in and ask the guy. " Doyou install springs"
He replies " yes". I ask " can you do them on RX7's"
He replies "yes''.. So this guys goes on and on about
how easy and etc it is to install springs and so forth.
So i trusted the guy. So I set an appointment For
later in the afternoon.

I come back for appointment. "it turns out they don't have a garage" and I had to follow one of his mechanics
to this guys house where all the tools are. I felt uneasy
But I gave it a chance..

This guy jacks the car, takes the tire off. then unbolts
the strut towers. Then start taking apart the control arms. So then the guy had to take apart a ball joint.
which required a ball joint tool.. So this ******
start hitting the ball joint tool with a hammer..
Then as the the ball joints comes apart the BallJOINT
TOOL cuts into my STRUT.. W T FFFFFFFFUQ.
Now my shoock is sitting there leaking gas and fluid.
GOD I am PISSED.. So we talk, and the guy said he
gona buy me a new shock and install it tomrrow.
WHICH leads to my 1st question, at the end..

So I decide OK, go ahead chance the springs.
and we worry about the shock tomorrow.
So these guys compresses the stock spring
and puts on the Eibach. " the bump stops
don't fit right. So they repeat this process
couple more times, and STILL.. The bump stops
on the struts doesn't align right to make the
strut FIT.. ERRRRRR WTF...
SO this guy goes on and say that the SPRINGS
are wrong and probably not for my FD3S.
Which leads to my 2nd question. at the end..

Now I am really irritated.. I am LIKE OK Thats it..
PUT EVERYTHING BACK TOGETHER, order my Shock
tomorrow and we go from there.. OK..

So they put every thing back together "with dead shock" now.. That leads to question #3. at the end.

So everything is back together, and everyones leaves.
And like right as I pull off.. MY 4wheel ABS light is ON.
and won't go off.. So I drive for a couple miles.. then
pull over cut the car off, turn the key 3 times to reset
the ecu. turned the car on.. Hit the brakes a couple
of times.. The 4wheel ABS light didn't turn on.. COOL
fixed itself so I thought. NOOOPE.. As soon as I started
moving and hit the brake, The ABS light came back on
and stays on.. W T F, Bad luck do comes in 3's.
which leads to question #4....

1. The guy plans on buying me a new shock.. BUT. I do not believe it willl be a OEM Mazda R1 shock. Not sure
what kind he will buy me. I got 130K miles on orginal
R1 shocks.. SO.. SHould I, not worry about what kind
of shock he gets me, OR should I INSIST on mazda
OEM R1 shock????

2.. Can some ONE PLeASE get me the PART # for EIBACH PRO SPRINGS for FD3S. I need to know
If these springs i have purchased are indeed for
the FD3S or not..

3. I drove home with ONE Dead SHOCK.. It obviously
a bad thing to do. But i had no choice.. What can
happen, or any adverse effect can this have on the car?

4. The guy who took apart, all the stuff never did
anything to the brakes, or calipers.. What could
be Causing my ABS LIGHT to come on?? Any help/
insight or thought would be very helpful..

THaNKS....
I feel much better now....

WhiteRXseven

anyone??

at least with Eibach part #??

jdhuegel1

The number on my Pro-Kit box is 5525.140

Hope this helps!!

legendr35

I suggest you purchase all new shocks, because your shock @ 130K white eibach springs will blow.

Meiogirl

iTrader: (2)

under similarly bad circumstances i had to drive mine...440 miles on a wasted rear strut.

the body shop where i had the car repaired at said nothing else was damaged, and i recently had the mazda guy at the dealership confirm this.

vosko

iTrader: (4)

that blows.....

WhiteRXseven

The number on my Pro-Kit box is 5525.140

Hope this helps!!

Oh shiett.. That isn't good.

I got 4 springs.

2 smallers ones are part # 5525.001
and spring rate is 28/96

2 larger ones are part # 5525.002
And spring rate is 36/96

This concerns me.. are these the right springs or no?

Looks like **** is getting deeper..

jdhuegel1

When you say smaller and larger, do you mean taller and shorter? The FD springs are almost the same width all around... I think the fronts are a tad taller and wider... (course I could have it mixed up..

I'm not too sure of the numbers either... It sounds like since the first 4 numbers are the same... There is a similarity... Like they are for an FD, and the last 3 are for the spring rate or something... I dunno....

ANYWAY...You should be able to hold them up next to the stock springs, and tell if they are right. They look almost EXACTLY like the ones you just pulled off the car as far as height and width. Just a little cleaner. Again, hope this helps!

WhiteRXseven

5525.001 has smaller diameter and is about 1/2 shorter
5525.002 has larger diameter and is about 1/2 taller.

Was the above redundant??

Anyone has insight on whether these springs
are right or not???/

jdhuegel1

They sound right. Have you put them against the stock springs to see if they are similar? You should be able to look at them and tell if they are right. Sorry I don't have the numbers for ya'.... Good luck.

WhiteRXseven

OK one more Bone head question..

WHICH spring is the front and rear??

The Smaller diameter in the front or rear??

Because " DUDE" was tring to install the
smaller diamter in the front..

Hating myself.. WHY I let myself get into this ****.
Got springs that i am not sure fits.
Dead shock
and ABS light on.
And still gotta deal with these SOB's

I gotta stop being so compulsive..

black99

#4 sounds bad. Sounds like he focked up one or more of your ABS Wheel Speed Sensors... Expensive part, list is $230.00 from a dealer. I should know I screwed one up myself but not unbolting it before I installed my springs. There are 4 on your car, one at each wheel and they bolt up behind the caliper. He probably stretched the spindle/caliper assembly too much some way and pulled the wires out of the plug that bolts on.

I hope the Wheel Speed Sensor isn't the issue(because you'll probably pay hell getting them to pay for it) but that's about the only thing I can think it would be.

Those guys sound like real f-up's... Remind me never to think about or refer anyone to Extreme Motorsports..... Damn I can't believe with what big shots they are supposed to be(9 second DSM's) that they don't have a garage..

Should have just had Rikki do it... It only takes a $10.00 compressor tool and an impact gun/ratchet..

black99

The springs are probably right, but it takes work getting them to line up sometimes. I bought a set of Used Rod Millens and I had to kinda hold them tight against the rubbers while you loosen the spring compressor. I reseated the springs many times(compressed and uncompressed them) on the rubbers to get them to fit exactly right. If you don't then they won't sit right on the rubbers and if they don't sit exactly right(not even 1/4" off) you'll never get the shocks on the car..

Also there was no need for the ball joint tool IMHO, he could have just pulled the two bolts that hold the upper A-arm to the chassis. This is how I put mine on. Screw that messing around with a ball joint tool..

Damn I should have just offered to put them on but I figured one of the MD guys would do it for ya.....

jdhuegel1

I believe the slightly larger spring is the front.

black99

Also those dumbasses could be installing the springs upside down which would cause them not to fit right..

jr426

The springs you have are correct. I have a pair and the numbers match. Shorter ones go to front (that is from the suspension forum). You need to replace both front shocks due to the milage, replacing only one will cause an uneven damping between sides. I agree with above statement that he probley pulled the wires out of the sensor. Good luck. Jeff

senn7

My ABS light comes on from time to time as well. Its very rare and turns off if i shut the car off and turn it on again. Next time I take my car over to Rotary Performance I am going to ask them to check it out. I just assumed its a wiring issue because its very inconsistent and doesnt happen often at all... (once a month if that).

Street King

Sorry to hear about that man. To tell you the truth it's really not that hard, just need some elbow grease. If its erratic, a wire probably got stretched. Did he accidently hit anything else? This is why I'am very weary of taking it to people that have never had their hands on a FD before. If you try to do it your self, just go rent a spring compressor(auto zone) and its pretty much straight forward from there. If you don't want to go through the hassel, just get a guy or shop that knows FD's to get them in for you.

WhiteRXseven

OK I just got finished talking to Jason at PFS,
(Local FD3S tuner, Save all your bashing of PFS
I dont want to hear it. PFS best local tuner in my
area.) And mazda Dealer ship.

Koni Yellow adjustable strut are $175 a piece
Factory R1 Strut are $175 a piece..

Which one you think I should use with Eibach Prokit?
I am leaning towards towards the Koni's.

Plus 4hrs labor for install, Basically a 1000 bucks for
suspension upgrade. ERRRRRRrrrrrrr ( I guess a
BODY KIT gonna have to wait.

What your opinion on.. Replacing the front struts
and leaving factory struts in the rear with Eibach springs
all around/?

Street King

TRY AND DO IT YOUR SELF! This isn't engine related, you shouldn't be worried. Go with the koni adjustables. Isn't there a cheaper price out there for them, that's 700 for all 4 struts. Why get factory when aftermarket offers a better shock at same price? Go with Koni's as quite a few people have that combination. Good Luck!

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

Did you talk to the RX-7 Store?

http://66.216.67.51/product.asp?0=219&1=281&3=495

As for replacement, if you are going to replace all your struts, I would go with something aftermarket, not stock.

Mahjik

iTrader: (1)

BTW, I did some work on a friend's Celica installing some coilovers. When it comes time to replace my struts, you can bet a shop will be doing it.

It's not hard, but it's a pain in the *** and I know my time can be better spent else where. Most places around me charge around $170-200 for springs/strut install. For me, it's will be well worth it.

M.Piedlourde

Wow, it's because of stories like this that I'm currently in the middle of registering for automotive tech. classes at my local community college. I've already got a nice IT job, but I want to be able to competantly work on my own cars, so I won't have to depend on dumbasses like the guy that broke your shock and messed up your ABS. It's also my dream to someday open my -own- speedshop, one where you -won't- be charged an arm and a leg to do something relatively simply like a spring install, and where the guys staffing the place won't start to drool and get a glazed look in their eyes when you ask for anything more complicated than putting a spoiler on your Civic.

pomanferrari

iTrader: (1)

The DUDE at Extreme Motorsports sounds like a REAL GHETTO DUMBASS! What the hell were they doing removing the ball joint for the steering arm? You just remove the upper control arm and remove the shock.

Get the Konis sport yellow from Shox.com for $142 a piece. Installation is 2 hours for the fronts and 1 hour for both ears or 3 hours or $150.00-$250.00