Sources for SA front Struts
OLDROTA
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,389
Likes: 2
From: Los Angeles
www.classicgarage.com/rx72.html
Here....really cheap Koni's...others on the forum have purchased them and seem fine.
Here....really cheap Koni's...others on the forum have purchased them and seem fine.
Originally Posted by Jaime Enriquez
www.classicgarage.com/rx72.html
Here....really cheap Koni's...others on the forum have purchased them and seem fine.
Here....really cheap Koni's...others on the forum have purchased them and seem fine.
Shox.com does not offer them.
Most of the feedback on classic garages old stock Konis is neagative from members who have tried them. Alot of them have stated that they have had to replace them over and over.
Most of the feedback on classic garages old stock Konis is neagative from members who have tried them. Alot of them have stated that they have had to replace them over and over.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
GOT WANKEL?
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,324
Likes: 1
From: Kansas City, MO
ok i will upgrade but until then i NEED some. Tires with 2500 miles on them are almost to the cord on the inner portion. Scott, hurry up! My car will be in pieces. I wonder what new suspension feels like! lol
Last edited by kgray; Apr 26, 2007 at 10:24 PM.
My wife bought me 2 RX-7s
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 3
From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Originally Posted by Jaime Enriquez
www.classicgarage.com/rx72.html
Here....really cheap Koni's...others on the forum have purchased them and seem fine.
Here....really cheap Koni's...others on the forum have purchased them and seem fine.
I've been through two sets. One lasted six months. The other was DOA.
These old stock struts are just hit and miss. Some seem to survive their long shelf life just fine. Others are severely damaged or completely fucked when they arrive.
It's a crapshoot.
You're really better off upgrading to the 81 and up strut tubes. The parts availability is great and the shorter stroke means less bottoming under hard cornering.
My Tokico Blues work great and were fairly inexpensive.
Full Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
The KYB catalog lists the front as 363006 and the rear as 343140 on page 46 of http://www.kyb.com/catalog/2006_passenger_car.pdf
I emailed KYB and was told they will fit in the stock assembly and will be 10-15% firmer than the original Mazda shocks. RockAuto.com does not sell the front though they do sell the rear.
If you are going to do a swap to a later year note there were a few changes to the strut assembly on the first gens. I think there were 3 versions: 79-80 , 81-82 , 83-85 . If I recall in 81 the strut length was changed and in 83 the wheel spindle diameter was changed. I don't know what years the calipers were changed but there were a couple versions.
I emailed KYB and was told they will fit in the stock assembly and will be 10-15% firmer than the original Mazda shocks. RockAuto.com does not sell the front though they do sell the rear.
If you are going to do a swap to a later year note there were a few changes to the strut assembly on the first gens. I think there were 3 versions: 79-80 , 81-82 , 83-85 . If I recall in 81 the strut length was changed and in 83 the wheel spindle diameter was changed. I don't know what years the calipers were changed but there were a couple versions.
Originally Posted by Doctor.Jekyll
The KYB catalog lists the front as 363006 and the rear as 343140 on page 46 of http://www.kyb.com/catalog/2006_passenger_car.pdf
I emailed KYB and was told they will fit in the stock assembly and will be 10-15% firmer than the original Mazda shocks. RockAuto.com does not sell the front though they do sell the rear.
If you are going to do a swap to a later year note there were a few changes to the strut assembly on the first gens. I think there were 3 versions: 79-80 , 81-82 , 83-85 . If I recall in 81 the strut length was changed and in 83 the wheel spindle diameter was changed. I don't know what years the calipers were changed but there were a couple versions.
I emailed KYB and was told they will fit in the stock assembly and will be 10-15% firmer than the original Mazda shocks. RockAuto.com does not sell the front though they do sell the rear.
If you are going to do a swap to a later year note there were a few changes to the strut assembly on the first gens. I think there were 3 versions: 79-80 , 81-82 , 83-85 . If I recall in 81 the strut length was changed and in 83 the wheel spindle diameter was changed. I don't know what years the calipers were changed but there were a couple versions.
My wife bought me 2 RX-7s
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 3
From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
There are three calipers:
'79, which are 'wedge' style, the '80, which is conventional and the '81 and up which are also conventional.
Note that the '79 and '80 have coarse-pitch hydraulic lines while the '81 and up feature a fine-pitch hydraulic line.
As for struts, Doctor.Jekyll is right on, there are three different strut assemblies:
'79-80. These assemblies are about an inch longer than the '81 and up and feature small-bearing spindles and different strut top blocks.
'81-83. These assemblies are shorter than the '79-80 models but have the same bearing diameter and share the strut top blocks with all 81-85 struts.
'84-85. These assemblies are the same as the '81-83 in terms of length and strut-top blocks, but feature large-bearing spindles, which are evidently quite a bit more resilient.
All calipers and backing plates should interchange between struts, but this is something that I've never tried, so there may be some difficulties there that I'm not aware of.
'79, which are 'wedge' style, the '80, which is conventional and the '81 and up which are also conventional.
Note that the '79 and '80 have coarse-pitch hydraulic lines while the '81 and up feature a fine-pitch hydraulic line.
As for struts, Doctor.Jekyll is right on, there are three different strut assemblies:
'79-80. These assemblies are about an inch longer than the '81 and up and feature small-bearing spindles and different strut top blocks.
'81-83. These assemblies are shorter than the '79-80 models but have the same bearing diameter and share the strut top blocks with all 81-85 struts.
'84-85. These assemblies are the same as the '81-83 in terms of length and strut-top blocks, but feature large-bearing spindles, which are evidently quite a bit more resilient.
All calipers and backing plates should interchange between struts, but this is something that I've never tried, so there may be some difficulties there that I'm not aware of.
Full Member
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 180
Likes: 0
From: Alberta, Canada
Originally Posted by rx7doctor
I just checked the kyb website www.kybshocks.com and they list the front strut part number for the 79-80 as 363003.
Originally Posted by kgray
ok i will upgrade but until then i NEED some. Tires with 2500 miles on them are almost to the cord on the inner portion. Scott, hurry up! My car will be in pieces. I wonder what new suspension feels like! lol
Originally Posted by Sgt.Stinkfist
edge wear is caused by alignment (too much toe out or neg. camber), not old struts. get your alignment checked next time you replace your tires.
Badly worn struts can cause scalloping when the tire bounces too much due to the loss of dampening. Inner tread wear is usually due to badly sagging springs that changes camber or dmaged/worn tie rods. Caster/camber is set by the postioning of the strut tops, toe-in is set by the tie rods.
My wife bought me 2 RX-7s
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,328
Likes: 3
From: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Originally Posted by t_g_farrell
I got some KYBs for my SA from mazdatrix and they are fine. Not a bad price either if I remember right.
