Bilstein B16 (PSS9) MS3 07 install

[Cfoldone]

Found some info here and there wanted to share some helpful (?) hints on my install of Bilstein B16 series front & rear with springs kit. Spend some time if you want the best pricing, some sites don't have direct fitment data for comparisons. I found best pricing wasn't direct Mazda type of suppliers.
Mine --> 00867416 - Bilstein B16 (PSS9) Suspension Kit Mazda 3 Front and Rear; 2004-2013 came from Late Model Performance. Best pricing at the time...
So was following Factory manual for some of the points to do the front...Some things are not needed to be removed according the manual. So what you see is only a small portion of doing this install.
Getting lower strut out of the front assembly was not as simple as a hammer....but at the time that's what I tried, easy way first but if you need more force......So back to here and search came up with a great hint by...
(will include the member who shared once I find whom later)
Use a bottle jack, in my case spring perch base then jack base on just the lower arm pinch shoulder..EASY!!

Assembly of the strut /spring was different than I expected. Bought a 3/4 ton Pick up Truck sized spring compressor from Harbor Freight.....holy crap it wasn't going the compress that spring!
So thought about what I had on hand to compress that sucker.....No inspiration.. just started seeing where it would take me (New top mounts mine were 160K old and trashed)
Started stacking and found important to remind....use a large socket to keep the adjuster from getting ruined
(See pic black 1/2 drive socket)

Here's how I did it. Get everything close, only two hands!!! I ran adjustable spring perches to bottom and must make sure correct nut faces towards each other, one side has a slight machined facing for flat surface fitment together. Socket on floor, strut tower springs, assembled top mount and make sure correct orientation is correct (factory manual) strut shaft NUT HANDY press down and barely will it allow a thread
of nut onto shaft. Proper hex on shaft top and tighten nut...not completely until top mount spring perch to spring end are seated correctly and orientation of mount tab (tit) before complete tighten of nut.
Then for my case only wanted the least possible drop so brought compression of sprint nuts to almost max lift.
Here is how they look side by side.

Here is the lower arm strut body machine surface comparison. What I'm trying to show is the stock body bottom is captured by through bolt so if you have loosey goosey and do a wheelie... those front wheels won't fall off....Man I'm old... In my day of the schwinn banana seat bicycles we didn't have that nanny crap. So the Bilsteins use the tab to bottom onto the through bolt. Clamp force is the only thing so make sure to correct torque.

Hint !!! the stock strut body OD and the Bilstein OD are different by .005" so you can't just force in correct fitment to lower arm socket position. I had a perfect handy taper punch to force open slightly the gap just enough to get the needed clearance for the drop in of the strut body. Tricky in that the bolt needs to be in place so that Strut Tab I was talking about is bottomed (touching) on strut arm socket of the compression through bolt. Removal of punch will trap the strut body in that position.
Looking good >>>
Here is the tight clearance of the adjuster to CV boot. Actually easier than I expected to adjust. On drive up ramps and me on a crawler can get fingers in there to adjust.

That's it folks !!!

Now the back is just as stock...Easy...
Don't loosen the upper spring perches. The stock springs will drop out after shock lower mount bolts are removed. Bilstein supplied Rear Springs look too short. I had reservations on the springs being loose on full downward travel, but the shock at full extension is the travel stop. So spring length is fine. Again wanted no drop so new Bilstein supplied add on spring perches were adjusted to allow. Make sure spring ends fit correctly in lower arm spring pocket.
Easy to adjust... I use ramps on this end to adjust too.

 

[FE3-323]

Thanks for sharing this, I joined to see these pictures as im looking to install my kit soon.... hopefully next week.
Im adding in extra thrust washers and doing away with the OEM plastic crap they added (takes the load off of the OEM thrust washers and makes turning slightly easier. as well as other perks like prolonged spring life and ease of height adjustment even under load.

as to not look like a spammer. on amazon search for uxcell AXK6085 Thrust Needle Roller Bearings with Washers 60mm Bore 85mm OD 3mm Width 2pcs

 

[Easter Bunny]

How do you like this setup so far. I'm leaning towards doing the same here in a few months

 

[Cfoldone]

Tomas has some valid points on Bilstein valving (PSA general -set up and tuning) I am biased from my motorcycle past life. Koni and Bilstein were the easiest and cheaper options back then.
Garage since mid May...So looking at the pic of the front strut, that is just at compression of the small spring --uninstalled. Rear spring perches are longest with just enough overlap to allow good strength of the locking rings (with just enough to allow either ring to be turned if needed) AT THAT position the overall lowering is 3/4" from stock. Level too, no nose or tail stance change. From the same amount of time spent driving, 1500? miles.... See current pic Spring rate is stock then faster progression to harder rate as compressed. have yet to hit bump stops from either speed bumps, or sidewalk driveway mounds, general driving. Valving numbers marking is confusing though.
When looking at the markers the shaft and knob were just locked together at manufacture. Not set to zero out....So must do the old method of go-to end stop, back up clicks. Or opposite stop, click.
I adjusted to 4 from soft on front and 3 from soft at back....but knob numbers are different as pics show.
The adjusters are a pia... I use ramps to get up on front or back to get easy access. They are protected though.
Rear spring billows are close the JBR camber arms, but still no rub. Buy new rear sprint perches, or make sure those long studs are easy to thread off nuts. My front uppers were toast.
No compress adjustment, so gotta trust Bilstein on that, and so far happy.
The next model upgrade with that option is expensive enough that the other major players are close.

I picked these as good warranty lifetime ( others have had issues) I expect to keep on any MZ3 a long time its original owner based, not VIN.
Pricing was freaking great at that time...pre covid... so who knows now. Mine was a Florida based vender and no 8.42 sales tax for here in WA.
Overall for the price from LMPerformance Inc 00867416 - Bilstein B16 (PSS9) Suspension Kit Mazda 3 Front and Rear; 2004-2013
just under 1500.

 

[FE3-323]

Curently attempting to install the fronts. HOLY hell are they a PITA to get seated. i'll try the punch and see if that helps

 

[Cfoldone]

If you have a dial caliper measure of of lower shock area get OD then can wedge open split portion of lower arm as needed. Will find that a normal punch may get in way of pinch bolt too. I only dropped the lower shock body to rest on through pinch bolt. The welded stop bracket goes in and is thin enough to not get pinched by lower arm just rests on top of bolt.. my install thread has more on that.
The lower shock body is .080 ??? I think greater OD then lower arm clamp ID...no entry ramp so just forcing into clamp area is close to impossible. And a hint once the wedge is removed it will clamp so much will lock that position.. So position of shock body in clamp is important, before relaxing wedge out.

 

[FE3-323]

curious about the rear strut -to- mount fitment. Is there really supposed to be a gap there? looking at mine it feels quite out of place. am i being to overly concerned?

 

[Cfoldone]

I did not take any pictures of my rear shock upper area in regards to top body isolation mount. Installed as shock was supplied by Bilstein to my new upper mount. The mounting shaft has a stop and the mount is tight... The body doesn't go into the top hat if that was your question from that one picture I showed.

 

[FE3-323]

thats extremely helpful. Thank you for your honest replies!

 

[Cfoldone]

In reference to your questions. Overkill in photos but hopefully you can see the shaft OD change before the area into top hat mount. Also shows when on stands... The top out is the shock. So spring is under tension. Now if you lower... Past my point as told in the post...
Don't know..

 

[FE3-323]

appreciate the photos! that definitely clears things up.
Im at the point of install for the rear springs and perches im having alot of questions about the rear spring perches, they just kind of float hap-hazardly in the subframe able to pivot/slide around metal on metal, is that how yours were? or am i potentially missing some parts entirely.

 

[Cfoldone]

The spring perch has a rubber donut then the perch. No it doesn't lock down sits in "pocket" of upper area. Stock springs have a rubber donut that helps hold spring .. but then the OEM springs are so long only way to remove is over extension of lower arm... Bilstein springs are smaller diameter to fit spring adjustment mount. The larger end of springs for into OEM lower perch donut. When you assemble it all then the shock acts as over travel limiter.. now if you decide to lower, then spring adjustment mount will likely fall out. Since the mount would likely be loose in spring stack on lower arm unloading on extreme extension.