Best options for a bushing refresh?
#1
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Thread Starter
Best options for a bushing refresh?
Looking to refresh my suspension bushings, but apparently using urethane bushings on the lower rear control arm bushings is a bad idea, as it can lead to binding.
Also, the prices of Mazdaspeed bushings I see online seem rather absurd. Like, $1200 just for the upper rear wishbones? How much are the OEM bushings by comparison?
Do the competition bushings even make that much of a difference? Do the urethane ones?
Could I maybe get away with just changing the lowers and any loose pillowballs?
I imagine the uppers don't make that much of a difference.
Of course, this will only happen if I can actually get my lower control arms off... Damn things won't budge even with an impact wrench. They're not reverse threaded, right? Hahah..
Should also mention this is for a track car.
Also, the prices of Mazdaspeed bushings I see online seem rather absurd. Like, $1200 just for the upper rear wishbones? How much are the OEM bushings by comparison?
Do the competition bushings even make that much of a difference? Do the urethane ones?
Could I maybe get away with just changing the lowers and any loose pillowballs?
I imagine the uppers don't make that much of a difference.
Of course, this will only happen if I can actually get my lower control arms off... Damn things won't budge even with an impact wrench. They're not reverse threaded, right? Hahah..
Should also mention this is for a track car.
Last edited by Valkyrie; 06-06-23 at 01:12 AM.
#2
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Just curious where you are seeing the $1200 price for the Mazdaspeed upper rear control arm bushings? I did a quick look on Mazda Motorsports and the price of a single F128-28-8C0 part is only about $100, so a full set should run you around $400 max. You can order these directly from Mazda Motorsports, since they are a competition part number, unless Mazda Motorsports is unavailable in your location.
I believe the competition bushings are advertised as 40% stiffer rubber than stock bushings. I don't know if the actual durometer has ever been published for stock bushings to make a direct comparison to polyurethane bushings that have an advertised number.
On my car, I have swapped the rear lower control arm, lower trailing arm, and rear toe link bushings with Mazdaspeed or OEM bushings, since the original were pretty sloppy. I have noticed that the rear end feeling has tightened up noticeably compared to shot bushings, but I don't have any experience with good condition OEM bushings vs new Mazdaspeed bushings.
How much time do you have on track? In my limited experience on track, if the current bushings are in good condition, gains can be made a lot more from grippier tires, dialing in spring rate and damper settings on coilovers and finding ideal sway bar settings, if you have adjustable sway bars and end links, and of course seat time. Swapping out stock bushings for stiffer bushings could help you dial in that last 5-10% if everything else has been maxed out. Maybe someone with more experience can give some more insight on that or has a different opinion.
I believe the competition bushings are advertised as 40% stiffer rubber than stock bushings. I don't know if the actual durometer has ever been published for stock bushings to make a direct comparison to polyurethane bushings that have an advertised number.
On my car, I have swapped the rear lower control arm, lower trailing arm, and rear toe link bushings with Mazdaspeed or OEM bushings, since the original were pretty sloppy. I have noticed that the rear end feeling has tightened up noticeably compared to shot bushings, but I don't have any experience with good condition OEM bushings vs new Mazdaspeed bushings.
How much time do you have on track? In my limited experience on track, if the current bushings are in good condition, gains can be made a lot more from grippier tires, dialing in spring rate and damper settings on coilovers and finding ideal sway bar settings, if you have adjustable sway bars and end links, and of course seat time. Swapping out stock bushings for stiffer bushings could help you dial in that last 5-10% if everything else has been maxed out. Maybe someone with more experience can give some more insight on that or has a different opinion.
#3
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#5
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Thread Starter
Just curious where you are seeing the $1200 price for the Mazdaspeed upper rear control arm bushings? I did a quick look on Mazda Motorsports and the price of a single F128-28-8C0 part is only about $100, so a full set should run you around $400 max. You can order these directly from Mazda Motorsports, since they are a competition part number, unless Mazda Motorsports is unavailable in your location.
I believe the competition bushings are advertised as 40% stiffer rubber than stock bushings. I don't know if the actual durometer has ever been published for stock bushings to make a direct comparison to polyurethane bushings that have an advertised number.
On my car, I have swapped the rear lower control arm, lower trailing arm, and rear toe link bushings with Mazdaspeed or OEM bushings, since the original were pretty sloppy. I have noticed that the rear end feeling has tightened up noticeably compared to shot bushings, but I don't have any experience with good condition OEM bushings vs new Mazdaspeed bushings.
How much time do you have on track? In my limited experience on track, if the current bushings are in good condition, gains can be made a lot more from grippier tires, dialing in spring rate and damper settings on coilovers and finding ideal sway bar settings, if you have adjustable sway bars and end links, and of course seat time. Swapping out stock bushings for stiffer bushings could help you dial in that last 5-10% if everything else has been maxed out. Maybe someone with more experience can give some more insight on that or has a different opinion.
I believe the competition bushings are advertised as 40% stiffer rubber than stock bushings. I don't know if the actual durometer has ever been published for stock bushings to make a direct comparison to polyurethane bushings that have an advertised number.
On my car, I have swapped the rear lower control arm, lower trailing arm, and rear toe link bushings with Mazdaspeed or OEM bushings, since the original were pretty sloppy. I have noticed that the rear end feeling has tightened up noticeably compared to shot bushings, but I don't have any experience with good condition OEM bushings vs new Mazdaspeed bushings.
How much time do you have on track? In my limited experience on track, if the current bushings are in good condition, gains can be made a lot more from grippier tires, dialing in spring rate and damper settings on coilovers and finding ideal sway bar settings, if you have adjustable sway bars and end links, and of course seat time. Swapping out stock bushings for stiffer bushings could help you dial in that last 5-10% if everything else has been maxed out. Maybe someone with more experience can give some more insight on that or has a different opinion.
I mostly want to do the bushings as maintenance, since they probably haven’t been changed since 1996.. OTOH, I have pillowball toe rods and pillowball front lower arm bushings, so maybe the previous owner actually changed them.
#6
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Here are the mazda competition bushings for sale on atkins. Also following as I will be doing this job after my clutch job. I'm not sure of the total number of bushings needed but it seems like they they have most of the rear bushings.
Rear toe link inner: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-42Y.html
Rear lower control inner: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-460.html
Rear trailing link: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-52Y.html
Rear upper inner: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-8C0.html
Rear toe link inner: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-42Y.html
Rear lower control inner: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-460.html
Rear trailing link: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-52Y.html
Rear upper inner: https://www.atkinsrotary.com/Race-Pa...28-28-8C0.html
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#8
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Thread Starter
I don't know which is which. Are some of these the pillowballs?... I know they're about $80-90 a piece.
Also, the prices I can see in Japan for MC bushings are 3-4 times higher. Weird.
Also, the prices I can see in Japan for MC bushings are 3-4 times higher. Weird.
F128-28-460 is about the same price in the US as in Japan. I don't get why MC is so much cheaper.
You can find the durometers of the bushings here: https://www.hirano-tire.co.jp/mazda-s/mazda-12.htm (use Google Translate)Last edited by Valkyrie; 06-06-23 at 07:17 PM.
#9
Rotary Freak
Originally Posted by Valkyrie
Could I maybe get away with just changing the lowers and any loose pillowballs?
#10
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Thread Starter
But my money would probably be better spent elsewhere… I know that new pillowballs are actually quite stiff (stiction) and old ones will articulate easily with finger pressure. I’m not sure what the difference between used and bad is though.
I replaced the ones that were obviously bad years ago. The others only have minuscule amounts of free play, if any. It’s kind of like ball joints… borderline cases are hard to diagnose.
I replaced the heim joints on my toe rods years ago and they seem fine still.
I have pillowball front lower bushings, but I don’t really have any issues with the front suspension.
#11
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Here are my overview when buying them from Atkins two years ago (note: trailing arm is only available in comp)
Here is one of the sheets that contain the most parts numbers both comp and regular, but with pre-corona prices:
Here is one of the sheets that contain the most parts numbers both comp and regular, but with pre-corona prices:
Last edited by Zepticon; 06-07-23 at 07:15 AM.
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#12
needs more track time
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I don't know which is which. Are some of these the pillowballs?... I know they're about $80-90 a piece.
Also, the prices I can see in Japan for MC bushings are 3-4 times higher. Weird.
Also, the prices I can see in Japan for MC bushings are 3-4 times higher. Weird.
F128-28-460 is about the same price in the US as in Japan. I don't get why MC is so much cheaper.
You can find the durometers of the bushings here: https://www.hirano-tire.co.jp/mazda-s/mazda-12.htm (use Google Translate)
#13
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in 2023 you really need to check both, and add the shipping in, cause that costs a lot a lot
#14
Eats, Sleeps, Dreams Rotary
Thread Starter
They're also not quite as strict about race results as they used to. For years, they sent me reminders to submit race results even though I hadn't been in the country...
I can buy from them, but I have to factor in shipping to Japan, which is not cheap, but won't be too bad for someone as expensive and small as bushings.
I think the best option for a track car is SuperPro offset bushings for everything but the rear lower arm and toe links. It also ends up being slightly less money?
Really, labor is the big expense here... maybe I should buy a press. Haha.
Last edited by Valkyrie; 06-07-23 at 05:18 PM.
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