K-sports from the MX-6 on a mx-3

houls69 · Post by **houls69** » March 1st, 2007, 7:29 am

I fitted my K-sports at the weekend. I read on this site somewhere that it was a 95% bolt on job if you used a set from a later model Mazda MX-6 but I found out the hard way that its really only about a 50% bolt on job. The front was the only part that didnt need modification to the actual coilover but as can be seen from the photos below I needed to use four washers between the hubs and the coilover to make it fit. I have longer bolts now that I got from the junkyard so that it will be safer.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/ ... CT2058.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/ ... CT2061.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/ ... 2060-1.jpg

I needed to do alot of modification on the back, the top mount had three studs. I had to knock out one of them and grind it down to make it fit. The studs were spaced farther apart than those on the MX-3 so I had to drill out the holes in the strut tower a bit wider.

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/ ... CT2054.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/ ... CT2059.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/ ... CT2063.jpg

http://i124.photobucket.com/albums/p26/ ... C00836.jpg

The hole spacing on the lower mount was much smaller so I had to do alot of marking out and drilling to make them fit properly. I would just like everyone to be aware that it is not a 95% bolt on job like someone here stated but at the same time its not a very hard job either once you have the right tools. I asked another person who fitted them many times for more info but they never replied so If anyone has any questions they want answered now about the job feel free to ask.

I havnt got the wheels aligned yet or the camber adjusted so I cant really say if they improved the handling much. I will be doing a trackday soon so I will know after that how much of an improvement they made. Does anyone have any good tips or articles on how to set up coilovers for track use as in camber adjusment, toe and how hard or soft to have it in the front and rear??

Ice Racing · Post by **Ice Racing** » March 1st, 2007, 10:17 am

Link for pic are not working for me. please check post

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » March 1st, 2007, 10:32 am

As for the settings, you really need to have the car put on scales to get the weight distributed correcly. If that is too expensive the cheap way is to just use a tape measure. Measure the distance from the floor to the top of the wheel well and set each corner to the same heigth. As for setting the bound/rebound- I like a stiffer rear or even. Some like a stiffer front, but I found that the stiffer rear makes it easier to trail brake a tad and rotate the rear. That is a bit of an advanced technique that takes some practice and you will spend some time off track learning it so be careful if you try it. Otherwise a WhiteLine rear sway bar with an even front rear will also make the rear stiff enough IMO. Probably better to start with them even and mess with tire pressure first. I'd say take the car out and adjust the settings every few laps. Keep messing around until you get something that feels safe and predictable to you.

houls69 · Post by **houls69** » March 1st, 2007, 10:32 am

I cant get the pictures to show up but if you wanna see them just copy the URl and paste it into the address bar. Maybe someone who knows how to post pictures can tell me

Nd4SpdSe · Post by **Nd4SpdSe** » March 1st, 2007, 3:32 pm

houls69 wrote:I would just like everyone to be aware that it is not a 95% bolt on job like someone here stated

All i've heard is that they were incompatible. The Mx-3 is on a different chassis than the Probe/Mx-6. The Mx-3 shares it's chassis with the 323/Protege/Escort. Personally, I'm not surprised that they weren't bolt on, but at the same time, i'm also surprised that they can be modified to work

houls69 · Post by **houls69** » March 1st, 2007, 4:26 pm

here is the thread where we are told its almost a direct bolt on

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... s&&start=0

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... +coilovers

projectmx · Post by **projectmx** » March 2nd, 2007, 8:58 am

sorry it was such a rough fit man... this is why i'm buying the set for the 323 GTX BG cause those will require no modification

houls69 · Post by **houls69** » March 2nd, 2007, 3:04 pm

I asked before about the 323 struts fitting the mx-3 and I was told that the back wouldnt fit. K-sport dont list a set for the 90-94 323 GTX anyway. I dont really mind, they'r on the car now, it just annoys me the way someone said that its a 95% bolt on job when its clearly not

Slammed6 · Post by **Slammed6** » March 2nd, 2007, 8:36 pm

I don't see why u got annoyed.....some people think its hard some don't. To me i put my setup on in a matter of hours...not very hard...and yes it all pretty much bolts up....front completely..and since i used stock rear mounts the raer completely bolted on except for the one bottom bolt...to me thats 90-95 % bolt on.

Also no one gives others crap for not stating how to put a straight neck ZE manifold on our car...people have done it and people ask about it...yet they don't tell. So y do people get mad at me. I told everyone go out and do it...you will see with common sense its not very hard. Also u have Protege K-sports..:tup: you can tell with the rear plate being adj.:tup:

houls69 · Post by **houls69** » March 3rd, 2007, 4:41 pm

Why did you bother tellin anyone about it then?? Why do you even bother using this website? Did you just tell everyone you did it to get some praise? This forum is in place for people to help each other out and share ideas and experiences to do with the MX-3. I simply wanted to know a few details about what to expect when I got the coilovers after payin loads of money for them but you, for whatever reason wouldnt reply when I asked about it. You said it was a 95% bolt on when in fact it only about 50%. The back needed alot of modification to get it to fit. Not that I found it hard to do, I just would have like to have known what to expect before I tackled it. Thats what annoys me!

What is your reason for not helpin people out on the site? Im sure you have benefitted from all the helpful info on this site. Why not give something back??

And my set is off a MX-6 and not a protege, thats what I ordered anyway!

Slammed6 · Post by **Slammed6** » March 3rd, 2007, 5:23 pm

Well u may have oreder the MX-6 ones, but those are Protege ones...Dont trip...they are said to be better anyways.

And i posted pics of them cause after me asking people all the time they said it impossible...they don't make anything...so i was determined to find better suspension for my car.. So i decided to spend 700 of my own money to buy some and try and get them to fit. So i showed people that i put them on.

Also i don't remember u hitting me up asking me details...people asked me if i had pics of the hubs and so forth...and i didn't...i told anyone that asked me that. My car is not right here where i can run out and take pics of it, I keep it at another house and i only go and work on it once in a while.

Like i said y don't u go give other people crap about fitting a straight neck ZE manifold on your car??

houls69 · Post by **houls69** » March 4th, 2007, 4:03 pm

here is where I asked you:

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... &&start=30

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.ph ... +coilovers

and I sent you a PM before about it too

The reason I dont give other people crap about fitting a straight neck ZE manifold is because I dont even know what it is, it doesnt apply to me, my car has a bp-t in it.

I dont care any more about it really, I just thought since put K-sports on your car you could give me a few tips but for whatevr reason you decided not to give out any info. At least now if anyone else decides to do it they'll know exactly whats involved.

Anyway the K-sports are on now, the handling has improved so I'm happy!

Just out of interest, how did you make the lower mounts on the back fit? I cant see any of the pictures you put up.

Slammed6 · Post by **Slammed6** » March 4th, 2007, 4:58 pm

Well i never saw those responses..if i read them i would have responded.

Eitherway i am happy u got your set-up on, enjoy them.

PS. I had to do the same thing u did to get the back to fit...

Just milled out 1 hole a hair.

MX-3.com

K-sports from the MX-6 on a mx-3

K-sports from the MX-6 on a mx-3

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