jreynish

iTrader: (2)

Ok so I am checking my suspension and realized that my drivers side ball joint needed replacing... after looking in the fsm for the part number (parts fiche) I find that the ball joint on S5's aren't interchangable.
So I decide it would be cheaper to buy two lower control arms (S4) and two new ball joints. However I have been reading that the S5 sway bar will not fit the S4 lower control arms.
Now after some thorough investigation and searching I didn't find an answer to my question.
Do I need new S4 sway bar endlinks? or can the S5's be fitted to the S4 lower control arms? or do I need an entire S4 sway bar? or can the S4 endlinks fit the S5?

Thanks
P.S. I hate that mazda made it one piece and $514.00 CND Plus a weeks time for shipping!

Wankel7

S4 Sway bar links should do you .

Then if you want you could get some RB adjustable swaybar links

James

jreynish

iTrader: (2)

the racing beat thing actually peaked my intrest whilst I was searching however I need them by tuesday. maybe I will invest l8er on.

But do I need the endlinks or will the s5 ones be adaptable?

Rattaan

S5 links won't fit S4 brackets. At least not well enough to be safe. The S4 type links won't fit S5 brackets either( I tried just to see). Also, S5 mounts and S4 mounts don't interchange on the control arms either. I have two RB endlinks that I couldn't use on my s5's front end, along with the S4 mount brackets, with new bushings in them. One side of the adjustment is frozen but the other side moves to at least 1/4 inch each way to match up sides. If you want them I'll get them to you cheap. Like I said though, you'll need S4 arms and mounts to work properly.

jreynish

iTrader: (2)

Pm Me your price for "cheap",
what mounts are you speaking of,
I already have the ball joints and lower control arms. what "mounts" is it that you speak of.

VietFC

yup, totally not doable without some african engineering.

jreynish

iTrader: (2)

engineering eh?
Rattatan? what mounts are you speaking of.

Davidov

iTrader: (2)

With no intention to hi-jack, jrevnish...
How did you determine your ball joint was bad, or what were the symptoms of it failing?

Rattaan

The mounts are what the links attach to on the control arms. The S4 have a two bolt mount(not sure if these are called anything special) and the S5's are a sinlge bolt design. Their locations are offset I think at least 1/2 inch between the two making it almost impossible to interchange them. If you got S4 arms they are probably already attached as they were nearly impossible to detach my S5's. If you are looking at the arm, it looks almost like a stamped peice of metal that the original links attach to on the S5 or S4 control arm, with one or two bolts respectively attaching it to the arm. I would also be certain that the ball joint is the problem, or was the problem, but since you have all the other parts, what the heck. I'll PM a cheap price.

jreynish

iTrader: (2)

davidov,
I took my car in for safety,
and they said the left front ball joint needs replacing,
As far as I know they simply did the "pull on tire" test. and it does move a very minute amount.
are there anyother things that can cause this movement. pull in and out on the tire and you can feel a little amount of in and out movement.

Rattaan

If the whole wheel moves, there are other possibilities. Wheel bearings, loose control arms(bad bushings), worn strut. I'd check those to make certain. I had a similar problem on my S5 with movement up there, the two causes I was able to locate were the bearings and worn struts. I fixed the bearings, but I need to replace my 100k+ mile original struts . Soon though, very soon.