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I am collecting info on doing the zx2 tokico strut conversion... and saw a post saying that the stock springs are eibach... but i haven't seen anyone say they used those.... is there a reason not to use them? do they offer a decent drop? if we can use the struts / mounts and all that seems like the stock springs for that set up would be nice too.. if anyone has info please share. thanks

All the information you need is in the Suspension FAQ. It's all there cuz I did this conversion and that's pretty much all I used. Most of the parts from your stock suspension are reused for the conversion, but you do have to buy a few other parts.

I have the Eibachs with the ZX2s. They offer a decent drop, not as much as some others, but the front to back drop is even and the ride is very smooth compared to most other springs.

Hope that answers your questions.

thanks for playing... but better luck next time... i already printed off everything from the FAQ and the other website it posted.... NOTHING in there states ANYTHING about the zx2 springs... only the strut conversion... not trying to be mean but i hate when everyone says do a search or look in the FAQ cause "all" answer are there... they aren't... sorry if that seemed mean i wasn't trying to be but people jump too fast to say search and faq.
... now back to my original ? do the stock ZX2 S/R springs work for the conversion? i know they will fit since i'm using the struts and mounts.. but will they lower our car also?

<small>[ November 15, 2004, 07:00 PM: Message edited by: mazda78 ]</small>

nobody to my knowledge has used the ZX2 S/R springs, as that would require buying the springs. I'm not sure of the rates, and it would be easier to just match them with whichever MX-/Protege springs you like.

Mazda 78, I have the same question you have. Been trying to use search, but it's failing at the moment. and I understand the faq's do not answer all the questions, actually for the suspension, very few questions have been answered. I have been checking into the springs as well, I've over 230,000 miles on the original suspension, and wish to upgrade everything. My best guess is there would likely be about a 1" drop. I like the idea that the struts are 'tuned' to the springs, it would make for a system that works together better than odd parts. I wonder about the spring rates, but the ZX2 seems to share specs quite closely to the MX3, so I'm not seeing much problems with it.

I had read somewhere that the zx2 springs are shorter than the MX-3 ones. They would end up dropping the car too much. Don't take that as gospel though. I can't remember where I had read it.

On the zx2 the springs drop it an inch from their factory height, but that doesn't tell us how'd they'd drop an mx3. If the struts are 1/2 " shorter than factory mx3 struts, would the springs be as well? hmmm, needing some specs here....

I just swapped my ground-controls off my car for a set of used ZX2 SR springs & struts (fully assembled). I lowered the car onto the garage floor and it is only slightly higher than it was lowered before..maybe .5" or so higher.

I'm not really caring though....the front & rear looks about even but i'll find out when the springs settle fully once I drive it.


I'll let you know hot the ride/handling is when I test it out later tommorrow. I'll snap some pics too

just got done driving around baltimore w/the new suspension.

First off...steering is way easier with the new metal thrust bearings. The ride is surprisingly firmer than I was expecting, but smooths bumps away better than my GC setup did. The springs are definitely softer, but I can live with it, its not really that big of a difference.

Lowering-wise...i'd take a guess and say 1.5" front & rear. the rear and front looks about even in terms of the wheelgap. Even tho the springs are rated at 1.0" / 1.0", it sure as hell seems lower to me than that.

I'll snap pics tommorrow or later this week when I wash my car next.

gro, any pics yet, im planning on doing the same thing using stock zx2 springs and shocks. Just wondering what the drop looks like, and if you needed to add camber kits?

metal thrust bearings?

Gro Harlem, that sounds great! How is the ride compared to the factory setup?
This is sounding even better than I expected!

I'll seirously try to get pics tommorrow but dont laugh. My car is so focking dirty & has some sanding scuffs on it here and there. Its in the process of a new paint job at the moment.

As for the drop....now that i am driving it more and more, it seems higher than it was before. I dunno. I'll have to show you the pics for you to decide. Its still an OK drop and i'll probably keep it but it isn't "perfect" (at least for me)

As for the other questions....I used a camber kit on the front. I bought a 4-corner OBX kit off ebay. Two of the bolts were so poorly casted that they wouldn't fit through any of the holes on any corner. I decided to install the camber kit on the front due to difficulty getting the factory rear bolts out. You do NOT need camber bolts for a drop this minor, the stock camber adjustments are well within range

and yes, the zx2's have metal thrust/strut bearings. THe car steers like butter now with the new struts on b/c of this. YOu can get them new from ford for like 20 each (need two) and install them in your factory MX3 mounts with a bit of metal work (20 mins worth for an amatuer).

As for the ride...i honestly can't remember how the factory ride was. I had the "hard suspension" which i think was an option when I bought the car (it says it on the door sticker). I'd say it rides about the same, probably a lil stiffer but i can't remember much about teh stock suspension since that was 1.5 years ago.

thanks gro, can't wait to see those pics!