Hey guys -

Noticed there are 2 different styles of cam bolt in the suspension for adjusting the alignment. The front has 2 slots down the side of the bolt, and the washer on the other side has 2 triangle "fingers" that fit into the slot.





The rear has a D-shaped bolt with one side of the bolt shaved down and a D-shaped washer.

From initial quick "hold it up to the car" testing it looks like you could use either in either place - the washers are the same size, bolts are the same length, etc. Not sure why Mazda would use 2 different designs.

I checked the parts diagram and it is for sure the fingers in the front, D in the back (that sounds dirty ).

Any reason why you couldn't mix and match? Looks like the D shape is much sturdier. Almost wonder if the fingers are meant to deform on an impact to either absorb energy or as a sacrifice to save the suspension arm or something.

???

Dale

 

interesting. the only thing i know is that the miata uses the single finger ones, and if you put sticky tires on it, it moves

 

The single finger / tang design is old and was replaced with the 2 finger / tang design - for both Miata and RX7 Mazda vehicles.

If you have a single finger /tang part, it's been superceded. I.e. it's very old

 

Check out my post in this thread

https://www.rx7club.com/group-buy-pr.../#post12204349

Mazda updated the design...the part numbers have been updated as well.


Gracer7-rx7 any chances the GB will happen?

 

It's interesting that Mazda used one design in the front and the other in the rear!

Also, I think the RX-8 uses the two finger "newer" design.

This makes sense, machining the bolt to be D-shaped will weaken it and also gives less thread engagement.

Dale

 

They didn't use different designs front and rear. All the initial bolts were "D" shaped...and then Mazda changed them sometimes maybe in the mid 1990's...

I just removed all my camber bolts front and rear and they are all "D" shaped which tells me they have never been replaced.

So if you have the newer bolts in the front that means that the previous owner at some point replaced the front bolts...

 

I was looking at the parts diagram for a 94 and it showed the 2 different designs, fingers in front, D in back. The car I'm working on is a 94 as well. Mazda may have been transitioning at that point.

Dale

 

Interesnig info. Mine is a 1993 and all cam bolts are "D" shaped.

I read on some MX-5 forum that they changed the design in 1994

 

Humm... fingers in the front and D in the back with sticky tires.