Q: Why not remove suspension arm on an FD?
 

I need to change my pillow ball bushings. I've read up on a few threads the different approaches to changing the bushings.

I haven't heard why some people don't want to remove the suspension arm to remove the pillow ball bushings. Any reasons? Difficult putting back in? Suspension difficult to get back in? I read Max Coopers excellent write-up but I kept wondering why not take out the suspension arm? Any help would be appreciated.

Also, any other bushings or components I should change. I don't have any side to side play on the rear wheels so I don't think I need any toe-links. Car has about 62K miles on it.


Thanks

Victor

Read my write-up -

http://www.clubrx.org/default.asp?id...ntent=32&mnu=5

I removed the suspension arms. It went VERY quickly and smoothly, but I did have air tools, which makes the job a MILLION times easier.

I don't see any reason to not remove them, save for there's more tough bolts you have to loosen. IMHO you save way more time being able to manipulate the parts off the car than trying to fight inside the wheel well of the car.

Dale

I've replaced all but the pillowball bushings on each toe-link and always removed them. It's not a tough job and agree with DaleClark, I can't imagine replacing them while on the car.

Sgtblue: First off, I love your avatar (my dad is a sgt for pd too). Replacing the bushings is something that I need to complete sometime in the future. I have read previous threads about the bushings, but I was wondering how much the replacing set you back. Which bushings did you use? Open to any comments. I want that clunk to be gone before my fd is in comission again.

edit: ok, so I just read the linked write-up, and saw prices and what not. Still open to any comments though. :)

Robbyah,
I'm far from an authority, but when I first got my car the rear suspension was making alot of noise. After searching here everything pointed toward the pillowball bushings. Since then I've replaced four of the six rear bushings which cured about 75% of the noise. Still have a little clunking which seems to be at it's worse when the rear is the lightest (< 1/4 tank of gas) and at slow speed. I hope that by replacing those last two in each toe-link helps. With the other bushings I took off the suspension pieces and had a local shop press the old out and new in. Wasn't too costly but I've got a balljoint press and may try DaleClark's method with these last two.
There are tons of threads on suspension noise and pillow-ball bushings.

Tell your Dad to be careful and good luck. ;)

The pillow balls are easy enough to replace with the a-arms in place, removing them is just extra bolts to pull. If you have air tools it may be no big deal but I cant imagine it making things much easier.


To know if it is the toe links grab a rear wheel and see if you can get it to clunk by steering it side to side. For me the toe links were about90% of the noise.
You most likely wont be able to use a press to get the pillow balls out of the toe link with a press, they will need to be cut out. The shape of the toe link just doesnt give you a good place to steady it on the press. No big deal, just have a hack saw available when you get there.

http://home.gci.net/~jimlab/images/B...Bushing022.jpg

http://home.gci.net/~jimlab/images/B...Bushing023.jpg

http://home.gci.net/~jimlab/images/B...Bushing024.jpg

http://home.gci.net/~jimlab/images/B...Bushing025.jpg

http://home.gci.net/~jimlab/images/B...Bushing026.jpg

Tom, I haven't taken a close look at it lately, but I was referring to the smaller bushings, the ones at the opposite end of the toe link from those being changed in JimLab's pictures. Those don't require the hacksaw...or do they?

So, I go to change my pillow ball bushings and take a hold of the toe-link and what do you know... I can rotate it along is long axis. I can't move it back and forth but I can rotate it clockwise and counter clockwise a bit. I assume this also means I'll need to bushing for these

Anyone have part numbers.... do I just get a new set of toe-links? I suppose I'll do a little searching after I replace the pillow balls. :)

Victor

No, they don't.

Not necessarily. The nature of the bushings themselves allows the link to twist a bit.
https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...ight=toe+links

There are aftermarket toe-links available or the bushings at either (or both) ends can be replaced.

Guys, a little help here, I think I fucked up my control arm. I was using a pillow ball clamp to push in the bushing and I over tightened it... the bushing pushed through to the other side. So, I pushed back in to about the right position but the "ridge" that was there isn't structural sound anymore... NEW ARM?

Thanks

Victor

yep.

I thought he meant a ball joint press as in the big c-clamp thing you can rent at the parts places. Most people dont have direct access to a big press like that other than going to a machine shop and if you are going to the machine shop you arent going to press them out yourself any way so it doesnt even matter.

what bushings do you guys reccomend?

Just replace them with stock bushings. No one makes aftermarket pillowball bushings anyway, except for Mazdamotorsports and you have to be a member -- something I would think nearly every FD owner would do.