rico05

Seeing as you guys are probally two of the most knowledgeable on this subject, how exactly do I change my broken front diff mount? I have found out that this is broken, but I need some advice on how do this job! What tools, sizes, methods do I need? Thanks, and Unique TII, if you read this, you kick *** too!

Scott 89t2

hey I'm special

sorry never done it. get yourself a factory manual. they will come in handy many times.

I'll be doing mine in a few months

rico05

Looked in factory manual, but it was way too cut and dry! Hope your mount swap goes well, cuz I heard they suck to do! Thanks anyway bro!! You still rule!

ZachSpazz

The Haynes Manual and Factory Service Manual shall become your bibles.

It shouldn't be too hard to change out. Just get the rear of the car up on jackstands, place a jack on the diffy to relieve it's weight and remove the mount. Airtools will prolly help.

Scott 89t2

I'm sure it will be no worse the then front and rear control arm, tranny mounts, and rear toe bushings. doing them all with mazda comp

(already have the motor mounts)

rico05

I just heard that it is a B***H to do! I know where the thing is, I just don't want to do it the long way! Keep the ideas comin guys!

HAILERS

Just now saw this post. In my honests opinion I would rather pull the engine out and then go to the dentist and have a tooth pulled while enduring the claps at the same time. I think about this for a while and write back. I do believe the most difficult thing was getting at the nuts. Both times I've done this I have had to remove the left wheel and drop the subframe on the right and left sides along with loosening the two rear mounts so that when the subframe is dropped down(mostly on the left side because thats where you get access to the bolts that hold the mount on) you can get access to the fasteners on the mount. The BITCHES that are hard to get to are the two nuts that hold the mount to the subframe. See figure 13.7 of the Haynes manual. There are four fasteners. Two hold the mount to the differential and two hold it to the subframe. Don't let those two SLOTS in the subframe attach point fool you. You have to loosen those two fasteners befor you can move the mount up the slots. We're talking about two nuts that were installed by Richard Head who thought they should be torqued to 3000 ft/lbs. And you can't get a straight shot at them even the subframe dropped down. Yeah, give me the clap anyday over a front mount, at least I'd have fun getting it. Now that I've written the above somebody is going to write and say its a cake walk and whats my problem. Bull....... Oh. The two fasteners that hold the mount to the diff are not too hard. Just turn the nut an eigth turn at a time because theres no room. Outside of that ..its a piece of cake. Yeah. I'm pissed just thinking about it. One good thing Mazda did do, was make the front ball joints a piece of cake compared to the 82rx. I do thank them for that. Thirty minutes a side and home free. Hustle.

UniqueTII

What did I do to deserve that?

Node

iTrader: (1)

Wow scott, you're a wanted man. Top two threads are titled Scott89T2 asking for your help. Maybe you should started charging an hourly rate ;-)

rico05

Unique TII, you have answered lots of my threads and questions! I have read a lot of your threads and posts, and know that you know your stuff! Just me "throwin up mad props" to all of the guys who in my opnion know their **** on rotary engines! That's all.

rico05

Hailers,
How long will this take? Should I just get a rental car while I do it? j/k I am pretty new to this, so I should be able to do this w/ hand tools and a day or so, right?!?

UniqueTII

Glad I could help.

HAILERS

Hand tools? Yes, but........you'll first need two jack stands to hold the rear of the car up. You can't put them under any part of the rear end. They'll have to be placed fwd of the attach points of the subframe. Its gonna go something like:
1. Put car on jack stands .
2. Remove left wheel.
3. Place a floor jack lightly under the differential.
4. Loosen both rear differential mounts, just leaving them hanging by a couple of threads. Jacks there just in case.
5. Loosen the r/h subframes attach bracket(a 14mm nut) then loosen the big nut that holds the r/h subframe to the chassis until there are but a thread or two keeping it on.
6. Do the same thing to the l/h side, except remove the big nut.
7. Take the lower bolt out of the sublink (jacks still under the assy, right? Have not moved it have you?
8. Remove the l/h, rear , differential mount .
9. Lower the floor jack. In theory the whole l/h subframe should drop down some. I'm talking just dropping it down six or so inches.
10. This whole above exercise is to have access to the two nuts that hold the broken mount to the subframe.
11. At this time, to the best of my memory, gave me SOME access to the two nuts. You need a long extension, and depending if the Japenese equivalant of Dick Head torqued the nuts, you can remove them. Their are two other nuts to remove but you need little instruction to figure out how. They ain't easy though.
12. No I did not remove the exaust or the driveshaft. I figure a full day of 8 plus hours, begin to end. Might be able to work around the floor jack somehow. Would'nt be easy. I'm sure I forgot somethig big. You'll find out when you do it if I did.

HAILERS

This is a disclaimer for the above post by me. Take the left hand rear wheel off. Stare with a flashlight at the mount and the four nuts that hold them on . If you can come up with a better way to access the two nuts that hold the mount to the subframe...by all means do it. All the things I mentioned loosening had but one purpose. To get access to the two nuts that hold the mount in the grooved slots. I'd count on two days just in case of a troublesome bolt, broken this or that etc. BE sure to put something under the car to keep it from doing you in. Other than the jack stands. Maybe put some wheels or whatever under just in case a jack stand fails, gets knocked over, you name it. I broke a universal trying to get enough torque on one of thoses nuts.

rico05

Thanks man! It's gonna be about 4 weeks till I can do this one, I just wanted to see what i was in for before I get around to it so i can ask off for work and all!