[winger]

get new bolts.

[Jerk_Racer]

Some more tips....

A blowtorch will take out any rubber bushings. Just add flames and let the fire do the work for you. Do this outside!

Who needs a press when a rubber mallet, plenty of grease, and a vice will do the same? Not me. :D

Don't try to do this with the parts on the car. Save yourself some frustration and just take the rear subframe out. The front control arms pops out relatively easily.

When in doubt, use a BFH and get medieval on it! But this also applies to all of life's little problems as well.

[j9fd3s]

we did the 2 round subfame bushings, and had to get midevil on it

mike

[Baldy]

thanks for those tips, I always thought I'd end up renting a press or something

[Leetheslacker]

Fire and BFH's, hooray!

[Jerk_Racer]

Renting a press? That's what those rich Beverly Hills kids do. ;) Some of the smaller bushings I was able to squeeze in by hand and a rubber mallet. Those upper diff and subframe bushings needed a lot of coaxing to get out. They weren't pretty when me and moremazda were done tearing them out.

[Baldy]

Jerk_Racer, on Jul 17 2003, 06:04 PM, said:

Renting a press? That's what those rich Beverly Hills kids do. ;) Some of the smaller bushings I was able to squeeze in by hand and a rubber mallet. Those upper diff and subframe bushings needed a lot of coaxing to get out. They weren't pretty when me and moremazda were done tearing them out.

do you think a dremel could be useful in that situation?

[winger]

i wouldnt take all of the bushings with simply a dremel, im gonna use a big ass drill, and drill out as much as I can...


i just got most of the bolts from mazda but still missing some.....

I put the part numbers....it adds up to about $50 for all of them

the qty includes both sides

*******Front Arm*********
Front Bolt #1 (10cm ones) Part #: 9978-01-285 x2
Front Washer (for #1) Part #: 9997-11-200 x2
Front Nut (for #1) Part #: 9992-11-200 x2
Front Bolt #2 (2-3cm ones) Part #: 8871-34-134A x4
***********************

*******Rear Arm********
Rear Adj Bolt (the one for alignment) Part #: FB01-28-470A x2
Rear Washer Part #: 9997-11-200 x2
Rear Nut Part #: FB01-28-091 x2
***********************

[UniqueTII]

Good thread. I think I'll be doing bushings on my next car, so this'll come in handy, especially the part numbers! :ok:

[Jerk_Racer]

A Dremel? Hellz no. You'll just gum it up with the rubber. Just set the bushing in the control arms on fire and they pop out. The metal doesn't even get too hot for too long if metal fatigue is a worry.

I suggest that everybody do their bushings. You don't know how crummy the old ones really were until you put the new ones in. The cost isn't in the parts. It's in the labor that some people pay. Do it yourself and use that extra money you saved to SuperSize your next meal. ;)

[Baldy]

Jerk_Racer, on Jul 18 2003, 12:48 PM, said:

A Dremel? Hellz no. You'll just gum it up with the rubber. Just set the bushing in the control arms on fire and they pop out. The metal doesn't even get too hot for too long if metal fatigue is a worry.

I suggest that everybody do their bushings. You don't know how crummy the old ones really were until you put the new ones in. The cost isn't in the parts. It's in the labor that some people pay. Do it yourself and use that extra money you saved to SuperSize your next meal. ;)

what exactly is the cost for all the bushings and/or all the parts involved? I've got labor, time, some space, tools, and alternate transportation, so cost of parts is what's holding me back.

And for a torch (which I've never used), is one of those small propane things ok?

[UniqueTII]

Cost with new bolts should be under $150.

[Baldy]

wow, that sounds definitely worth it. I'll put that on my list of things to do.

[winger]

eshocks

cheapest place i've found for the bushing kits (86-92 only)

[winger]

HOW-TO

Changing the front bushings.

1. Lift the car on jack stands by being sure you're not using the control arms as jacking points (you'll need to remove them).

2. Take the wheels off.

3. Take the strut assembly off (be carefull not to mees with the center bolt). This include removing the 2 lower bolts and the 4 upper nuts. (For newbies). Put it away until reassembling.

4. Now, you need to remove the nut holding the tie-rod to the hubs. To do this, first remove the cotter pin (you might need to drill through it if its rusted out). Using an impact gun and a 17mm socket, remove the nut. I dont see how else you can remove this nut, but there might be another way.

5. Remove the sway bar end-links.

6. Remove the ball-joint bracket from the control arm by removing 2 nuts (2 out of 4 broke for me, so have some spares in case. Part # will be listed at the end of the thread). BE CAREFUL to check how the end-link bracket in positioned in order to put it back correctly). In order to be able to work safely, I attached the hub up in the strut tower.

7. Now, the fun begins. The 2 bolts at the rear of the c-arm are pretty easy to remove with an impact gun or whatever used. The problem is that they were bent when removed, maybe because of the pressure the rubber bushing was exercing. To do this, alternate while removing the bolts by turning 4-5 turns one bolt and then doing the other. Thats why I chose to order new bolts before doing this.

8. The front bolt is the hardest to remove. In my case, it was stuck inside the bushing so I had to heat the bolt and tap it out the hole with a hammer. It might not work for you but is worth a shot.

9. Now, find a friend who has an hydraulic press and likes beer. The bushings that are inserted are the easiest to remove, the other ones required some sort adapter that would slide between the bushing and the c-arm holding only the bushing on the press while pressing the c-arm out. If all hell breaks loose, you can grind the bushing carefully, this shit stinks btw. (WARNING: This might get you high. Proceed with caution).

10. Pressing the new bushings in are easy and was done using bare hands and a hammer. Use all the grease supplied.

11. The sway bar bushings are straight forward. Remove the bolts, put the new bushings (brakets included) and you're free to go.

Installation is the reverse of removal...


C-Arm to Ball Joint Bracket Bolt Part #: FB01-34-099A x4
Nut Part #: B001-34-091 x4

Rear instructions will come soon

[Baldy]

Just a tip here, I called the dealership and had them punch in all those part numbers. The total was over $100 just for the nuts/bolts/washers. Yikes! I'm going to find out exactly what I need as I go along, and just try to find replacement hardened bolts from several locations. The parts lady gave me several options, one being an industrial equipment supply place (caterpillar).

This post has been edited by Baldy: 23 February 2004 - 01:37 PM

[wildbilly7]

Does anyone know where to find poly bushings for 3rd gen? I've looked around for awhile with no luck.

Thanks,

Billy

[Midnightdriver]

:D thanks this is a good one...I will be doing this very soon on my project..was not looking forward to it.

[Kentetsu]

I ordered a full front end kit for my fb from www.p-s-t.com

Nice stuff, worked out well.

[Franken7]

sorry to ressurrect this thread, but im wondering if anyone has had any trouble reinstalling the rear bushing on the front control arm?

i have the energy suspensin kit, an the end links and the rest have been no problem, but i cant get the large rear bushings to fit properly, it appears there is about a 16th of an inch gap between the bushing and the collar on the control arm, and even if i get that 16th im looking at nearly a quarter inch difference between the bracket holding the bushing and the holes it bolts up to under my car. ive tried all in my power to push them on further but have had no success. anyone else had similar?

[crazyboosta]

Yes I am sorry to resurrect as well but I have struck same problem. How did you overcome this Franken7 or anybody else?? It is starting to drive me crazy!!! :wacko:

This post has been edited by crazyboosta: 04 April 2007 - 08:17 AM

[crazyboosta]

Ok I had to modify the bush to make it fit correctly. I had to take off approx.3-4mm from the end of the bush.
http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/5643/dsc00172816x612rc6.th.jpg

I then had to elongate the hole a little bit
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2678/dsc00168816x612cu1.th.jpg
http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2825/dsc00169816x612yf2.th.jpg

Part number of energy bush
http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/4249/dsc00170816x612ye6.th.jpg

fitted bush, as you can see there is no way it was going to line up and fit correctly with extra bush on the inside.
http://img81.imageshack.us/img81/8141/dsc00166816x612ge4.th.jpg

Anyway I hope this helps anybody else out there that has same problem :D