ZX2 Struts -- $137.50 + 13.75 Shipping = $155.25

rippledabs · Post by **rippledabs** » November 3rd, 2006, 10:02 am

Hey everyone,

I'm new to the forum, but I have been reading around the site since I got my mx-3 a year ago. I found a really good site for the zx2 struts.

$137.50 + shipping

They can also order the boots and bearings, but you have to call them. They dont list it on the site.

http://209.60.227.212/frparts.asp

Struts = $137.50
Rear Boot = $5 each
Front Boot = $15 each
Bearing = $20 each

Shipping = 10% + $4 Handling

They also sell eibach springs for the zx2 for $180, but people on the site don't recommend buying them because the front rate will be wrong for the heavier front v6.

Jovian2k · Post by **Jovian2k** » November 3rd, 2006, 5:48 pm

Thats cheap, have you ordered from them? The website looks pretty like it was done by an amateur...

rippledabs · Post by **rippledabs** » November 3rd, 2006, 9:54 pm

Yeah, i just ordered yesturday. They had the struts in stock, but they had to order the boots.

The site does look amateur, and I was alarmed at the lack of the encrytion during the credit card part, so i called them up. A ford salesman picked up, and they transfered me to the motorsport department. He gave me the option of doing it by Fax, but I said I'll just use the website. After I ordered, I called up again just to make sure. He said he got the order and he will ship it as soon as the boots come in, so far so good.

Here is their main site.

http://www.johnbleakleyford.com/

You can get to the parts page by going to parts, then onto Ford Racing part.

Jovian2k · Post by **Jovian2k** » November 3rd, 2006, 10:39 pm

Let me know how it works out because I'm going to be ordering some soon and thats a good price with shipping and everything

PATDIESEL · Post by **PATDIESEL** » November 4th, 2006, 11:01 pm

Do you live in the ATL? John Bleakly Ford has been around for some time. I've never dealt with them or heard whether they are good or bad, but at least they have been around for awhile. If you have a ton of trouble let me know, but I doubt you will.

rippledabs · Post by **rippledabs** » November 10th, 2006, 6:00 pm

The struts came in today, wrapped up nicely in a box with the boots and bearings.

Also, if you are lookin for the eibach pro springs, this is the cheapest place i found them, with free shipping too.

http://www.directtuning.com/store/searc ... ubmit=true

They can get you the camber bolts too, but you have to call them. $17. Free shipping if ordered together.

nolig2278 · Post by **nolig2278** » November 22nd, 2006, 10:50 pm

Have you installed the zx2r strusts yet?
Did you need to order anything special to use them in the mx3?
are these better than the blue tokico struts?
thanks

rippledabs · Post by **rippledabs** » November 23rd, 2006, 4:12 pm

Yeah, the struts are in, but it's not 100% direct fit. You have to modify the front upper strut perch with a dremel tool. Took me about 15 mins per perch.

I have no experiecne with the blues. These are probably the same as the blues. It's made by tokico. Ford contacts with them sometimes. I got them because they were designed for the eibach springs.

nolig2278 · Post by **nolig2278** » November 30th, 2006, 4:25 pm

Just order http://209.60.227.212/frsearch.asp?search=M18000Z2 from John Bleakly Ford for $155.25 shipped.

Now to find bearings and boots/bumpstops

Yoda · Post by **Yoda** » November 30th, 2006, 10:44 pm

nolig2278 wrote:Have you installed the zx2r strusts yet?
Did you need to order anything special to use them in the mx3?
are these better than the blue tokico struts?
thanks

The difference is 20% stiffer and 1" shorter stroke.

nolig2278 · Post by **nolig2278** » December 1st, 2006, 4:06 pm

Yoda wrote:
nolig2278 wrote:Have you installed the zx2r strusts yet?
Did you need to order anything special to use them in the mx3?
are these better than the blue tokico struts?
thanks
The difference is 20% stiffer and 1" shorter stroke.

20% stiffer than stock or than blue?

Should I cut stock zx2 bumpstops, if so how much?

thanks

Yoda · Post by **Yoda** » December 2nd, 2006, 5:44 pm

nolig2278 wrote:
Yoda wrote:
nolig2278 wrote:Have you installed the zx2r strusts yet?
Did you need to order anything special to use them in the mx3?
are these better than the blue tokico struts?
thanks
The difference is 20% stiffer and 1" shorter stroke.

20% stiffer than stock or than blue?

Should I cut stock zx2 bumpstops, if so how much?

thanks

Stiffer than both. The Blue's were originally developed for the 323 Hatchback which is 400-500lbs lighter than a MX-3. Like all manufactures if it will physically fit another application they will make another listing in there catalog for that application. There just wasn't the demand to make a shock specifically valved for the MX-3/ Protégé/ EGT. I was invited to go to dinner with the tech and marketing guys from Tokico a few years ago. They had actually planned to discontinue the P/N for the Blues back in 2002 but the sale numbers from the Canadian market is strong enough at the time to keep in production.

No I wouldn't cut the bump stops. That has always been an old school band-aid for poorly matching components. Usually to stiff springs with soft valved dampers so there is no control of the conversion of the potential to kinetic energy in the spring when cycling between compression and rebound.

nolig2278 · Post by **nolig2278** » December 3rd, 2006, 11:15 pm

The mx3 strut mate can still be used without modification right?

Where could I get a new set of front ones as mine are cracked and I might be a little hesistant to use the set I pulled from another mx3?

How much should they cost?

Vanished · Post by **Vanished** » December 4th, 2006, 5:44 pm

http://www.mx-3.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=36490
everything you need to know

get the ZX2 mounts if yours are cracked

If your low on cash, you can get used mx or zx2 mounts

Mx-3 mounts need to be drilled out teeeny bit bigger. Real easy.

You need the ZX2 METAL thrust bearings.

Yoda · Post by **Yoda** » December 4th, 2006, 9:43 pm

nolig2278 wrote:The mx3 strut mate can still be used without modification right?

Where could I get a new set of front ones as mine are cracked and I might be a little hesistant to use the set I pulled from another mx3?

How much should they cost?

Assuming you are talking about bump stops. Just go out to a autoparts store and buy a Moog or Monroe (BG)323 boot and bumpstop kit. I think they are like $12 each