I'm going to replace some of the suspension and steering parts on my 79' soon. The shocks/struts will be replaced and will put most likely rb springs. I decided to also go with new factory lower control arms. So I wanted to know if I were to replace the inner and outer tie rods, the steering idler arm bushing, and the sway bar bushings with what energy suspension provides, is it okay to mix these poly urethane parts with the factory lower control arms? Or am I better off using all oem parts instead of those energy suspension parts I mentioned? Would the ride feel awkward by mixing these parts? Keep in mind I don't track the car or anything, just drive it four times a month max.

Thanks!
Allen

 

I would get the Moog parts for the tie rods, idler arm (whole thing). The use the energy
bushings for the sway bar and tension rods. For not much extra you might want to get the
adjustable LCA from RB so if you want you can dial in decent camber (which you need even
if you just drive spirited on mountain roads). The ride will no feel awkward, it will feel very
solid. Now it may cause extra noises transmitted into the cabin due to being stiffer
components. Also over time, even if you lub them with the assembly lube provided they
will cause creaking and squeeking noises eventually. Ask me how I know . Overall,
though, these changes will transform the handling of the car. You will be pleased.

You didn't mention springs or shocks. The RB springs are a bit stiff and required a shock
that can control them. Like tokio blues or adjustables.

 

Thanks for the advice!
As far as the adjustable LCA's, those are $650. I can get both regular oem ones for $312 out the door, that's more than half the price.
Do you know by any chance which bushings usually cause the squeaking?
Since there's not a lot of options for the shocks, I was thinking to just go kyb all around with the RB springs. I called RB to ask if it's okay to use kyb with those springs and they said it's totally fine. They said that their springs were originally made to go with even stock shocks especially for my use. I even called mazdatrix and tripoint engineering and asked them about using kyb with RB springs and they also said that it's fine to use them for my kind of use. Plus since I have a 79' you can't find tokico blues for the front and tokico doesn't make the spacer for them anymore. I did find a pair of koni reds adjustable for the front for a 79/80 brand new never used, they're obviously old but not sure if that's a good idea to mix those with tokico blue in the rear.

 

The KYB's have been fine for me so far. I've got 5K on them; a HARD 5K. I abuse the hell out of my cars.

 

The KYBs do not handle the RB springs well at all. That's my experience anyway. Of course RB Wil tell you it's fine. DOH!

 

I hear ya, but what about Mazdatrix and tripoint engineering?

 

Qingdao, are you also running RB springs with your kyb's?

 

No, I wish. I got some "Lo" springs from the forums here, but they were cheap. Oh well enough excuses from me.

I want some RB springs, but when I was in the market for them last year the RB website stated they were sold out. The "Lo" springs are not too shabby; albeit a little too low for my tastes. That's kinda why I'd prefer the RB stuff; it seems like it doesn't drop your car on the deck.

 

I see. By any chance do you know the spring rate on those just so I can compare?

 

No idea, but significantly stiffer than the OEM worn out ones I had.


I don't race my car... just spirited driving. I do know these springs are NOT "break your back tight as hell". They ride pretty smooth for a performance spring. I LOATH getting in a car with coilovers; and feeling every penny laying in the road as I bounce around in the seat. From what I understand they are similar to the RB stuff, but with one less coil.

 

Ok cool thanks! yeah I definitely don't race mine either. I mean I really don't have much of an option since I'm going the spring/shock route especially since there's no spacer for the front I believe to use tokicos and I don't want to swap the front suspension with a FB. I've researched here and all I'd see is respeed this and respeed that but guess no more plus I don't need coilovers.

 

What about Techno Toy Tuning adjustable control arms?

 

Yeah saw those. Read good and bad things about aftermarket LCA's, so not really sure but like the fact that they adjust and they're only like $75 more than oem ones.

 

That's what makes me hesitant to buy from T3. They look like $75 more than OE. I'd prefer the RB ones; just from personal experience with the brand. RB makes ridiculously high quality products that will outlast OE stuff.

 

Yeah I have no doubt in their products.

 

I'd rather have the T3 ones than pay the ridiculous price for the RB ones! Haha. See how it goes aye

 

I actually just played it safe and ordered new oem ones for $300 out the door shipped. Can never go wrong with originals

 

Coming in late to the party it seems, I just redid the suspension on my 83' GS and I'm quite pleased with the result. The parts I ended up replacing were:

- complete steering linkage. Moog parts for everything but the pitman arm.
- Racing Beat front swaybar, (used polyurethane bushings from their kit).
- Energy Suspension bushings on tension rods and lower control arms.
- new OEM lower control arms
- new wheel bearings
- new strut tops
- Tokico Illumina adjustable springs (front and back)
- Spec-7 springs (front and back)

In general, the steering is very good (only ~1/4" of play in each direction), and the handling is simply fantastic. Loads of feedback and confidence from the car, and truly a joy to drive on a twisty road. The car is my daily-driver (unless it snows) and it's pretty harsh on a day-to-day basis. While it does handle very well, in some ways I feel I've compromised some of the ease of driving on the stock car. Ultimately I wouldn't change it though, unless I decided to sell the car - then I'd return it to stock. It's fairly subjective though, I feel I've upgraded as much as I can, while retaining the stock suspension layout.

 

Interesting. So what happens if you adjust the Illuminas to their softest, do the springs just keep it harsh?

What do you have for wheels/tires?

 

Stock "+" alloys with Federal 595 205/60-13 tires. I currently have the Illuminas on setting "4" all around. I drove around on "5" for a few weeks but it was just too harsh after awhile, it go real old driving on some of the rough roads around here. It seems like most people drive on "3" with uprated springs. I put it the highest I could tolerate, so part of the harshness I'd imagine is from me running on a stiffer setting. Like I said, it is harsh, but I like it enough to keep the shocks on their current setting and I drive the car almost every day. It is subjective, some would probably find my car too soft, and others would probably find RX-7s too harsh in stock form. For me the harshness is a trade-off for how the car handles, also live-axle cars just tend to be harsh as far as I'm aware.

Edit: To actually answer your question, I drove for a little on setting "3" (I never tried anything less). I remember it seeming a little bouncy, but it could have been my imagination. I ended up preferring "4".

 

Thanks for your input!
My set up will be similar to yours. Btw, do you know the spring rate on your spec-7 springs? And did they lower you car?

 

They're 155 lb/in in front, and 125 lb/in in the rear. They did lower the car, maybe about 1" in the front and 3/4" in the back. Not sure why the difference. I don't have any problems with rubbing or anything. I do have to be careful getting out of the driveway though, otherwise I'll scrape the engine splash guard.

 

Forgot To ask, are they progressive or straight springs?

 

It's a fixed rate.

 

Sounds good.