GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

R1 until early 2002, then Tanabe sustec Pro S/S coilovers, which I absolutely LOVE by the way. I had the first set into the country installed on my FD as a test fit and they've been 100% perfect for the last 5 years----on the street, strip and track.

Mr3plus1

iTrader: (5)

I have 155k miles on the chassis and the only bushings Ive replaced were the diff ones. No creaks or clunks and although i did inspect them very breifly, most of them look to be just fine.

coneklr

iTrader: (2)

Suspension Mr3plus1?? Perhaps a harder suspension is the culprit for destroying pillow *****.

Mr3plus1

iTrader: (5)

Stock touring suspension (and shot I might add). The thing isnt noisy. Well, you hear road noise, but no clunks or bumps or anything. It used to make a bad clunk noise when i romped it, but that was remedied with new diff bushings. Dunno. Im one of those drivers that memorizes roads and where all the potholes, dips, and cracks are and avoids them, so maybe thats why. Might not be original either. I didnt really inspect them for anything more than obvious tears.

neofreak

I only get a minor clunk on take off, and only sometimes. I think if I baby the throttle I tend to get it more than if I am driving normally. (ie, it happens when putting around in a parking lot)

It does not clunk at any other time. Maybe motor mounts?

53k chassis miles.

wanklin

iTrader: (2)

That's funny I purchased mine in 2002 as well. Good choice ;o)

DaveW

Remember that even a "to-spec" driveline has some slop built in. With all the gears, splines, etc., it's impossible to have an absolutely tight (no play) driveline. Maybe you're just hearing that looseness, and nothing is wrong.

Dave

airborne

97k, konis (softest setting), eibach's, kaaz diff. all stock, original bushings. no clunk. massive wheel hop though.

neofreak

My previous FD had no such problem. It's actually quite pronounced when it does happen. It's obvious that something is wrong, unfortunately. It is a minor problem though, since I know how to avoid it by changing my driving style. If I can figure out what the problem is I don't mind fixing it, but I don't want to just go and replace tons of bushings/mounts blindly when the car has only ~50k miles.

vtakk eg

135,xxx and no clunks or creaks,but i dont know if they have been replaced or not

DaveW

OK - where is the clunk? Rear? If so, it shouldn't be engine mounts. If it happens only on startup and slow piddling around parking lots, I'd guess either toe-link or trailing-arm pillow *****. IMO, those are most likely to allow rotational (as either viewed from the side or the top) motion of the rear upright under those condititons.

Dave

GOTBANNED?

np here got about 120 on mine

neofreak

Rear. At first I thought it was the exhaust banging on my FEED reinforcement but I changed all those hangers and that wasn't it.

Thanks for the tip.

bajaman

96K on mine and no clunking (crosses fingers, pours quart of oil on ground in pentagram form.....)

DaveW

The trailing-arm pillow ball is in the lower transverse a-arm, and doesn't actually allow the upright to, literally, rotate, but, if loose, allows the transverse lower a-arm and the bottom of the upright to have some fore-aft slop. It's the same effect, and this is only semantics, but I thought I ought clarify. (Too bad we can't edit posts after 1/2 hour...)

Dave

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

Update, mine died at approx 115k while dueling with the Tail of the Dragon at Deal's Gap Rotary Rally 2007

Full Superpro bushing set being pressed into a spare set of arms I picked up along with some nice shiny OEM pillow *****

rotarypower101

iTrader: (1)

Can anyone comment on the difference they felt after changing their bushings?

Whether you felt the car needed the bushings replaced or not, and what was you feeling on the matter both before and after the change?

Mileage on car?

Which bushings did you find to have incurred the most wear to least wear?

Which bushing brand did you end up going with? Superpro,powerflex,mazda comp,stock replacment, or other? And why did you choose the bushing you did?

TIA

j9fd3s

iTrader: (3)

doing the pillow ***** took the car from normal clunky, to smooth and quiet, its definitely one of those things where you go "why did it wait do long!?" when its done.

its actually easy to do, and its not even expensive....

Slevin77

iTrader: (9)

my fd has 115k on the clock and i recently did the rear pillow ***** on the car and replaced the toelinks and trailing arms. the whole rear end feels much more stable and solid now, car doesn't creak over bumps or bounce around. very well worth it.

my rear end use to feel like it was wandering, it feels rock solid now.

MrNizzles

iTrader: (5)

I have 133k now, replaced all the pillowballs and bushings in the rear around 125k.

I have zeal b2s, car is lowered, springs rated at 9kg/11kg and on softest settings.

Bay area roads are extremely rough with cracks and pot holes everywhere.

Prior to replacing, car had significant "clunking" and "shifting", in parking lots, around corners too. I remember one time exiting a fwy, making a left hand turn, about 35 mph, and suddenly the rear end "clunked" and "shifted" and slide out, then grabbed again. It was freggin nutz, I literally thought something "big" had fallen off the car. And I've heard even worse stories due to bad pillow *****.

Inspecting the pillow ***** shows ALL of them were bad with substantial play in them, and some were barely holding together.

After replacing (all OEM), it was a HUGE difference, almost like a new car again in terms of handling, much more planted, secure, stable, etc, mostly around corners, but at low speeds too. Now clunking sounds are just the hatch making noise or the zeal shock bushings that need lube.

Now I think I want to do everything in the front. I dont feel clunking or shifting, but I wonder what the difference would be anyway, especially since the rear was such a dramatic difference, obviously since they were in such bad shape.