Eastman51

Hello everyone!
I'm finally getting to the point where I've done most of the major maintenance items, and will be coming up on having to change the suspension bushings. I want to say right now, that this car is going to be remaining pretty much entirely stock and will likely never see the track.

Ok, onto the meat and potatoes. From the research I've done online, mainly on this forum, putting poly bushings in the rear makes the binding caused by the watts link worse; this increases oversteer, from what I understand (I don't know anything about suspension). However, I cannot seem to find hardly any rubber bushings for the rear suspension anywhere online. I'm also in a Discord, that is almost all first gen owners, that tells me that they all run full poly bushings and have not noticed any more binding than on their old, stock bushings. They are also claiming that Energy Black bushings do not squeak (kinda nice to have in a street cruiser).

I've also seen on here that removing the rear sway bar can reduce binding, therefore reducing oversteer. The people on Discord are saying that its more of a personal preference thing in how it feels rather than really doing much.

However, I haven't been able to see anything definitive or geared toward what I'm looking for (discord is fairly conflicted as well). A lot of the bushing and sway bar related posts seem to be seeking faster lap times, but I just want to not end up in a tree while cruising on the street. This being my first project car, and knowing virtually nothing about suspension, I'm super lost on what I should be doing. Do I scour the depths of the internet for rubber bushings? Or do I just get poly and deal with it? As for the sway bar, I'll probably just test drive with and without on the new bushings; whichever feels nicer is what I'll stick with.

7aull

iTrader: (2)

I have never seen rubber bushing replacements available for the rear suspension. The OE components only come with the suspension arms as a unit. I have heard (and read here) about certain components that you CAN/SHOULD replace with the poly/eurathane versions. Reports posted here recommend NOT changing the bushings in the UPPER arms, just lower and the Watts, FWIW.

RotorBros that have actually done this will chime in here. Look forward to the discussion...

Stu A
80GS (original bushings. for the moment...)
AZ

8_turbo2_8

I'm interested in the discussion that I hope will happen in this thread. I know a lot of people are going to say GoD wHy DiDn'T yOu UsE tHe SeArCh FeAtUrE, but lets get some people who have some road and/or track time with old rubber and new rubber/poly bushings.

Another thing that will probably come up in this thread is the TTT upper and lower arms. I have heard they bind, but I believe it is just the uppers? Some people have moved the uppers outboard and had success. I have noticed on the TTT site that they don't talk about it, but they have since offered the arms with the needed hardware to move the upper bars outboard as well.

tommyeflight89

iTrader: (4)

I would just go OEM. Your local dealer can order replacements for every single piece... uppers, lowers, watts link, watts link bracket. And I believe new OEM hardware is about as good as you can get because it will restore the rubber to the factory softer state. It hardens with age.

I have not yet installed my full GSL-SE rear axle swap... so no real feedback yet. I have all OEM hardware with the exception of lower T3 links.

OEM parts catalog here:
Foxed.ca - Mazda RX-7 Manuals

Bring part numbers to your local dealer. I brought them this list and they had everything in a week. Not shown is the lower links because I went T3...





A more recent thread:
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...-arms-1143261/

And the original really long thread:
https://www.rx7club.com/1st-generati...utions-876479/

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

the lower links are parallel, but the upper links are not, so the upper links need soft bushings to let the axle move. if you make it solid, the axle might go up and down a little, but it wouldn't be able to roll without pulling the arm out of the body or something.

its not a T3 problem, its just basic geometry

Eastman51

So what I'm hearing is that you have to get entire chunks of the suspension system, rather than just individual bushing kits; AND, Mazda dealers can order/supply these parts? If that's the case, I'll head over to my local dealer once quarantine ends here with a list of part numbers. Interested in hearing about what I should replace with poly, though I may just get everything OEM.

Ckforker

I did poly all the way around. Now I don't drive it like I stole it. From spirited driving, I don't notice any real difference, but again I'm not driving to the absolute limits, never spun it around on a corner or even felt uncomfortable.

Just my .02. I suppose I may find differently after my trip down the dragon in May!

I will say, it's got way better manners on all surfaces than before. My uppers were rock hard and crumbled when I drilled them out. I used lock nuts on the Watts to give a bit more freedom of range (not a recommendation). Just experimenting.

8_turbo2_8

Completely agree it’s not a T3 problem. As with anything, it can be redesigned. T3 determined they want to mount the upper arms outside of the OEM mounting location.

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

my local parts manager said "...our infected zombies would be happy to help..."