Mazda3 after-market springs

I recently (last summer) replaced the suspension springs on my daily driver '04 Mazda3.

I used the Racing Beat springs, and I'm posting this in case anyone else is considering a performance alternative, but doesn't think it would be practical to lower the car much.

The car sits only about an eighth inch lower in front, and half inch in back. It actually appears noticeably lower in back.

The car rides considerably stiffer and most body roll is eliminated. The back end feels a bit light and skittish, but rotates fine and without incident when thrown into a corner.

Are you running these springs on the stock struts or did you change them as well? I'd like to get slightly stiffer springs on my Mazad3 without lowering and have heard that the stock struts are not suitable for shorter length springs.

Thats the case with most all cars, the factory designed the strut to work with a spring xx inches tall and xxx lb/in so when you put a shorter and stiffer spring the factory struts are overwhelmed

Yes, stock struts. I realize that there will be more stress on the struts with stiffer springs. The Racing Beat springs I installed are designed for the stock struts. They are meant to provide flatter, stiffer handling; and they do.

Aside from that, the Mazda already has nearly 92k miles. So if I actually will need another set of struts at this point, that will just be another upgrade.

I've driven the car at least 4k miles since replacing the springs. Sometimes we've gone on long trips, loaded down as well.

With 2 psi less in the rear tires, the rear suspension rides & handles better; as well as the tires gripping better.

Stock struts and a/m springs? Get ready to replace those struts. Mazda struts HAAAAAAATE lowering springs. Even ones "designed" for stock struts. I've seen a bajillion sets of them go bad, and I've done enough suspensions on them to know.

Alright. Funds are set aside. But it's already been 5k miles, and I don't treat her gently.

I guess my question is: how do you know they aren't already blown?

Swank Force One wrote: I guess my question is: how do you know they aren't already blown?

mazda struts aren't subtle about being blown. They leak like....a mom joke I won't make here because it's a family forum.

Ok, I'm not doubting your advice in hind-sight. I'm prepared for any eventuality. But, let me say that I was basing this modification on my past experience with a/m springs (sold through a VW dealer in Germany) on an '85 Jetta GLI. They lowered the car at least 2 cm. (about an inch), and I had no problem for over 6k miles. I, subsequently, sold the car. Remember, the Racing Beat springs on Mazda lower it half an inch at most (rear), and an eighth of inch in front. Lowering aesthetics, actually is not the purpose of these springs.

I had added the following response in my original reply, but thought it would be more noticeable in a separate post:

Swank Force One wrote: I guess my question is: how do you know they aren't already blown?

To more completely answer your question - the car is not squatting or diving, there is no body roll, and there is no general jouncing around. I have ridden in cars with bad struts/shocks before.

Some cars don't squat, dive, or jounce around a huge amount when the shocks/struts go bad. Sometimes, they just give you a harsh ride, like my E36. Plus, I always hear that shocks wear out around 60-90,000 miles.

In reply to killeen_john: You can get custom springs that are factory height, yet are stiffer than the factory ones. Some people on this forum will still say that your shocks won't be able to handle them, and they are likely correct because the factory tunes the dampening based on the spring rate, not just the height of the spring.

Mr._Clutch42 - These are pretty much factory height in front where most of the weight is, and just a little lower in the back. So we'll see...

Thanks for your input.