Hi guys. I brought the front and rear bushing for my FC. They are both lower control arms.

My question is, if possible, I want to do them myself. I have a machnic friend who can help me, but we don't have any tools (he is a student right now) for suspension jobs.

So for those who have burchase the bushings and install them, did you guys do it by yourselves? or you have it done by someone else? how much does it cost?

If i want to rend the tools and do everything myself, how much will the tool rental cost?

Same for Toe Elimenator too, I read the instruction in Mazdatrix, it even show the pictures. But i afraid that we don't have to tools to take the bushing in and out the housing.

any suggestions?

thanks in advance

 

anyone?

 

I am ready to do the rear bushing job also, but I am not sure how mush work is involved.

 

i need to replace all my bushings sometime soon too
i think i'll probably take the parts off and if i cannot get them take the parts to a machine shop or suspension place that has a press and let them do it

edit: like just take the control arm to the place and have them just press the bushings out and in

 

Well, I don't know about the control arm bushings, but the toe eliminators are a moderate pain in the ***.

Follow the mazdatrix directions for removing the rear hub carrier, and then take the thing to a machine shop. Cost me like 30 bucks, and it saved a ton of time, money, cursing etc. A good machine shop will clean out the bores, and you know the bushing's pressed in straight

 

Ok, front control arm bushings

You need a press. If you don't have a press. Forget reading the rest of this and get a press, or find a shop with a press.

The front bushing on the FLCA isn't too bad. get an appropriate sized socket and press the sucker right out. You can use a vice for this. Same thing for putting in the new one.

The rear bushing on the FLCA is hideous.I gather Mazda has a tool to do this, but I had to bust out the jig saw, to cut away the rubber covering the metal sleeve buried within the bushing. Then I used a die grinder with a cut off wheel to split that metal sleeve. Then, and only then, could I press the bushing off. I tried getting it off without cutting the sleeve but only bent **** that I was using to try and collar the bushing. Not sure what I mean? Don't stress, it'll make sense when/if you decide to get to doing this bushing. You will absolutely need a press to put the new one back on.

Rear control arm bushings, I've heard people just using a vice on this. I used a press. YMMV. Removing the front bushing looks hard, but it's not. Get a hammer and a chisel. The bushing has a metal shell around it. You need to use the chisel against the back of the metal shell to push the shell out with the rubber. Vice or press to insert new bushing.

The Toe control bushing I havent' tackled yet, but it looks like a simple press in press out.

Have fun.

PaulC

 

to get to the rear control arm bushings you need to drop the whole rear subframe with diff onto the floor. not an easy task.

there is a good write up on doing bushings here.
http://www.se-rx7.com/techtips/susp-mods.htm

I plan on geting atleast the front and toe bushings done in march. the rear one just looks like a major pain.

 

Me and a friend were able to do the front without a press. We did have to take an angle grinder to those bastard bushings. WTF was the engineer that came up with that was smoking. PITA bushings. Just go easy on the arms as they are aluminum. Once you get everything off of them, break out the metal polish. Trust me, it's worth it. I normally don't give a rat's a$$ about looks but these look awesome when polished. A few other 7 owners have asked me if they are even stock pieces. Very pretty indeed. Pushing in the bushings wasn't too bad by hand. Now to get to the rears.

jerk_racer@hotmail.com

 

Did it make a noticable difference?

Henrik
87TII