AWR needle bearing control arms for FC
 

Anyone have them, and how do they compare to hard bushings like delrin in the control arms.

And how do they change the car. Do they make it act differently in anyway?

Thanks,
Ben Martin

Needle bearings
 

Let me first say that anything AWR is the best you can buy for any Mazda. I live near Tony's shop. My company actually did the plumbing in his building! He is a stand up guy, and a second generation race car engineer and fabricator I've had all of AWR 's suspension on my car for a few years now. There is no more rubber or urethane in my suspension. I can compare these to urethane as well. The difference is night and day. There is absolutley NO binding whatsoever and they can only articulate on one plane. I did install the full urethane kit from, you know who, when I first bought my car as a stop gap. I ran almost a full season autocrossing with them and several trackdays untill I saved up the funds for the AWR stuff. When the urethane control arm bushings were originally installed the arms pivoted like butter. But when they were removed to install the needle bearing arms. They were bound up almost as bad as the 15 year old stock units! These are definetly worth what he is selling them for. The turn in feel that you'll get is night and day from stock or urethane. The turn in is smooth and easy like it's on rails.
Remember he only sells the S4 units with the replacable ball joints so if you have a S5 you'll need ball joints. He may want a S4 core as well. I'm not sure if he is still doing this or not.

Well, this is for my daily driver streetcar. I wanted to do all of the mazdaspeed 40% stiffer rubber bushings to have it a little stiffer, but still dampen a lot of the noise/vibrations. A friend told me to not even bother w/ those and do delrin for the control arms because its not a huge noise/vibration part like the diff mounts etc.

I'm not afraid of the cost, and what the steering and handling to be uncanny. I'm going w/ zeal function xs, awr rear camber links, and not sure of what else.

I think I'm going to stick w/ stock swaybars and just do the mazdatrix adjustable swaybar links.

For steering feel I'm having hte 15.7:1 s4 PS converted to manual (welded quill tabs, and grease packed) like the FD guys do.

I'm also going w/ same sized tires all around.

This will be a total street car with occassional track time, and my daily driver, but I live in the mountains w/ 15 miles of mtn roads until I get into civilization.

I'm planning on 235/40R17 or 245/40R17s all around so I can rotate them and have a nicely balanced car. I don't see any reason not to do 245 since I'm fairly positive they will clear up front. On some nice light 17x8.5's



I'm also looking into bracing for the chassis. I am going to hold off on swaybars and strut tower bars and just use those to tune the understeer/oversteer.

Sounds like these are right up my alley :)

Should be a liveable extremely capable handling daily driver.

I should end up around 280-320rwhp depending on the boost, being realistic. It's a smaller hybrid turbo and high compression w/ a aluminum flywheel. It will be a rocket out of turns :)


Which other bushings should I do hard/solid that won't make it loud/huge vibrations.

I'm keeping stereo, keeping ac, ditching ps for the steering feel and sparkplug access, and keeping sound deadening. It will have a high flow cat too.
So it will be a near full weight car. I do focus on weight loss when available, but my only hardcore weightloss is from the wheels/brakes. I'm going to lose 50lbs from all 4 corners combined w/ my planned setup over the mega bloated stock t2 wheels.

Big project, but the motor is almost together and I'm doing all of the suspension when I drop in the motor. Wheels/brakes will be later.

Fun fun fun
-Ben Martin

Noise?
 

Do AWR's stuff and just get a louder exhaust! you won't here a thing! There is noise transfer but if you are like me once you do a few track days you'll be so hooked and noise won't matter.

have pics of your car? is it a streetcar

pics
 

You can view my garage for some old pics. It is registered but not really "smog legal" ;) I really don't need to drive it on the street and it soon won't be practical. It has been wide bodied and RE Amemeya side skirts installed since those pictures were taken and it has new shoes. 57S Gram lights 17 x 9.5 & 17 x 8.5 w/ 275/255 Toto RA1 s. It is being built up right now for a track only car with all the safety items like a AFF fire system. This year its NASA time trials (TTS). Then maybe the performance touring in 08. It has been gutted and will be getting the roll cage installed after the first of the year. I'm currently fabricating the Wildwood pedal mounts and the fuel cell well since I have a few extra days off for the holidays. All the seam welding, sound deadening removal, seat mounts, and body work has been done in the last couple of months by me and my 6 year old son. Since NASA's new rule changes for 07 are based on a power to weight ratios , I'll need to get the weight down to 2400 lbs w/ driver to make the power to weight at or above 5.5-1. it will be right on the upper edge of the TTS class. If that can be accomplished. Doors will be need to be gutted and lexan for the windsheild and even a lexan hatch (no frame). I think with 393 hp (11 psi) and weighing in wet with driver at 2400 lbs it should be fun. The plan is that my son and I will be track rats for the forseable future (He loves it as much as I do.) We'll use next year to sort out the car and if things go right wheel to wheel in 08. At least thats the goal!