so i thought maybe my suspension was all messed up because it is a very bumpy ride in my car (protege 98 lx touring). at the shop they said it was fine and made that way. i was wondering though if theres is a way to adjust the suspension somehow to get a softer ride so that the whole car doesnt jump when i go over a crack in the road.

so yeah any ideas on how to get a softer ride, or is it supposed to be really stiff and bumpy. thanks.

 

Did you buy it new? Has there been mods done to the suspension? Tires affect ride more than anything but if someone modified things like struts/bushings etc to get better handling then its a tradeoff as far as ride goes. Also low profile tires will make it ride rough. More info needed i guess.

 

The LX touring should have a factory suspension with struts made by Tokico. These cars are really sensitive to tyres. Good tyres to use are the Dunlop SF series, or the Yokohama Avid. DO NOT PUT CHEAP PEP BOYS TYRES ON these cars, it will not lilke it. The largest diameter wheel that this car will stand is 14 inch. Low profile tyres are an absolute no no. You will also want to check the rear struts. After 9 years they should be changed. Do not put anything other than Mazda factory struts. Gabriel struts will screw up the tracking.

 

i bought it used but im pretty sure it hasnt been modified in any way. as for the tires that are on it, ill check what kind they are. i had my mechanic check out the suspension and he said the only problem is the right rear has a SLIGHT oil leak, but not enough to do anything. now even thoguh the suspension is not really leaking or anything would it naturally wear out? and are the protege tourings meant to be a stiff/tight ride?

i did the corner test where you push down on each corner and count the bounces. in my case, the car just comes back up. so if i push it down a few inches lets say, it just rises back up, theres no real bounce.

what im getting at is if i replace the suspension i want to make sure it actually improves the ride and not just keeps it the same as it is now. also would the springs need replacing, or just the struts? thanks

 

These cars do have a pretty stiff ride, but it shouldn't be rattling your fillings out. Check your tyre pressure. The factory recommended tyre pressure should be posted on a plate on the driver door pillar. Also, the factory recommended tyre sizes are there. If you have it real high pressure, it will ride even harder. The strut is independent to the spring setup. If you have a leaking strut, It will effect the ride somewhat. Most people who are not race drivers (people who are accustomed to observing changes in their vehicle and what they mean) might not notice. The best way to tell is by the way the car reacts during cornering. The spring suspends the car. The strut keeps the tyre on the road.By the bounce test you performed, it seems your springs should be OK. Look at the way your tyres are wearing. If they are scalloped, or "chunked" (mind the pun) then the strut is in need of replacement. If it is wearing unevenly, one side or the other, the it is in need of a four wheelalignment. What other vehicles are you using as a reference for ride quality? This car should be comparable in rideto the Toyota corolla S, the Honda Civic, Volkswagen GTI. The ride on this car will definitely change with 4 people in the car.

 

my tire pressure is spot on. though when i bought the car off this lady, the pressure was at 53 psi instead of 32-35 psi and i didnt notice for a few days so i dont know if that caused any damage to the tires. the tires i have on the car are in the front, UNIROYAL TIGERPAW FREEDOM and in the back DUNLOP CITATION. the tire size is P185/65R14 85S and thats what the tires are. there is no chunking and the wear is pretty even

the vibrations from just flat driving are i think mostly the engine becuase one of the engine mounts is busted so i get slight vibrations (especially in reverse), but im more concerned about the fact anytime i go over a tiny thing in the road it just seems the whole car rattles. as far as the car reacting during cornering, it reacts fine for the most part in the sense theres not all that much lean when i corner (the cars i have experience driving are an 87 cutlass supreme, dodge caravan, and hyundai elantra). so it doesnt have nearly as much lean as any of those. when i go over train tracks (paved over of course) i have to come to almost a full stop and coast over really slowly, otherwise the whole car rattles like a **** and jumps around. yeah so lets hear what you think MazdaES. also if you have time, email me directly at chunkdude at hotmail.com, as i would like to speak to you directly and figure my stuff out sooner than later. thanks

 

That car should not rattle that much. Unless the motor is bouncing around on that broken mount. I've only seen that once in a F150 truck. You should get that fixed right away.If the motor ismoving other problems can happen real fast. If you live anywhere around Massachusetts and want to go for a ride in my 1996 ES, you are welcome. Then you can get a baseline. Do you know if this car has ever been in an accident? I ask because a unibody car (which almost all cars today are) is very dependent on the strength of the shell. If it has had parts sectioned into it, it will flex when going over bumps. Do you have a sunroof? If so, look around for signs of flexing. Wavy paint, slight cracking, etc. I will try to answer as many questions as possible through this forum, so others can learn as well. So should try to get under this car and look for anything out of the ordinary, broken rubbers, rear sway bars, etc. Ask as much as you want. It is the only way you will learn.....

 

i know it was in a front end accident but the only damage that myself or the mechanic could see was to the radiator. the body seems fine and the bumper was replaced. the radiator is just slightly bent but still seems to be working. his exact words were "does your a/c work?...cause it shouldnt". but it does. as for the entire body im 90 percent sure its still in one solid piece and hasnt had any parts sectioned onto it. as for the engine mount, i dont think the engine is bouncing around really. mechanic said its not really a big deal but i think ill probably get that fixed anyways. even if that might help with the vibrations, that wouldnt change the fact my car seems to jump off the road when i hit a small bump.

so what are your thoughts on the tire types i mentioned, and like..your overall suggestion as to where i should go from here.

 

The Dunlops are probably OK unless they are at the last third of their life. Then they will get squirrely. The Uniroyals need to go in the bin, but don't blow your cash until it is time. Look under your car at the crossmembers. They should all be in place with all bolts in place. If you would like to take pictures, I can look and be sure all is OK.

Your engine weighs between 600-700 Lbs. A 1 inch move will cause the center of gravity of the car to move causing some shudder.. I'm not saying this is a cure all, but it will be a start. If it is the mount at the back, under the intake, between the firewall, it is a royal pain in the *** to change, which is why the Mechanic would try not to do it. And that is the most critical of all of them. Look all over this car for loose bolts and nuts.

 

okay tomorrow i will take a bunch of high resolution picturesof the underside of the car and under the hood and post them here. as for the engine mount, the mechanic could see it from the underside of the car without much effort, seemed to be closer to the bottom of the car. but yeah ill take pictures. also the tires were at the beginning of their life when i got the car

okay pics tomorrow. thanks for your help once again man