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After 122K chassis miles my FD just feels too soft handling and steering-wise. I'm interested in a full bushing replacement and am weighing poly vs OEM. I've done some searching but this is far from my area of expertise so would still like a more definitive answer, if I go for poly bushings is it also imperative to install zerk or grease fittings? Are they required on some (control-arms for example) and some not (steering rack would seem an obvious "no" but what about say, trailing arms)?
How about for Durometer rating? I hear that Powerflex can special mold some yellow70A bushings rather than the regular purple 80A, and I read somewhere that if the bushings are soft enough, grease fittings are not needed. Can anyone confirm or rebuke that statement?
Thanks lots, I'm excited to tighten up the car's feel!
I've been veeeery tempted by those. The only downside I see to Mazdaspeed is the cost. But after all this back and forth "Should I? Shouldn't I?" there's a point at which I think "do you want to do this right or what?!"
I think I'll end up going Mazdaspeed if I can, even if it means buying and installing one set at a time as I save up.
I have a combination of the Powerflex purple, J-Auto pillows, M2 Heim-joint trailing and toe arms, and Mazdaspeed comp bushings in the 360-degree locations, which I installed on my recent rebuild. I like the combo. I used the high-end waterproof poly grease on the Powerflex bushings and greased the living hell out of them, inside, outside and along the metal internal rod. No squeaks at all so far but time will tell.
Mike
I did all my bushings with mazdacomp recently. If you have a Mazda motorsports avcount, it’s not AS expensive. Be very careful pressing them in too. Some of them are tricky ie rear upper control arms and front LCA metal ones.
Take your time. After I mushroomed one because it went crooked, it was 3 months before I got another one.
Im still waiting on the alignment to really see how it all feels. But if I were to do it again, I would heavily consider a poly kit with select mazdacomp bushings. Poly won’t do this when you try to install a $100 bushing.
There's an extremely thorough write up on a miata forum about this. What I got it from it was yes, zerks are needed and the inside of the bushings needs modified to uniformly accept the grease. Honestly, I don't see a reason to not install zerks. The arm is off and right there with the bushing out. It would be a few minutes to install the fitting. Even greasing them to infinity and beyond, it will wear out eventually. I guess it just depends if you want to play the time game or not. Even if you never use the zerks at least you have the option down the line. Once they start squeeking, you can ignore it or do something. If you have zerks installed then a solution presents itself.
Take your time. After I mushroomed one because it went crooked... Poly won’t do this when you try to install a $100 bushing.
Matt
I’ve given out the same warning for the stock (IIRC) inner bushings on the toe-links. I managed to stop in time and saved it, but those sleeves are really soft. I reamed the inside if the case nice and clean and used a tiny bit of grease which seemed to help. Doing the MAZDASPEED differential bushings this weekend and was relieved that they had a more substantial steel sleeve.
Thanks all for the responses, I've talked to Ray Crowe who gave some sage advice and suggested against replacing all of them at once as I was going to do, but instead prying on each and looking for play to find just what bushings need replacing. I'll be doing that first off. I'll also be having mine pressed in by a shop that, fingers crossed, knows what they're doing and can prevent damage while pressing.
Well keep in mind, once you beef up the other bushings the old ones will have more of a load on them and fail premature...... or right on time. As much life as we got out of our bushings, I would say mazda got their money worth out of them. Just something to think about......
I redid every bushing, front and back, myself on my recent rebuild. It is enough work getting everything apart, back together, and then realigned to do it bushing by bushing. I totally agree with cr-rex, they all go out around the same time give or take a few thousand miles and anyone that is left over will go out quicker due to the added stress. I have redone mine 3 times since I have had the car which I bought brand new in 1994 and I have only 78,000 original miles.
Mike
I think it depends on what shape the suspension is in when you start. I had a lot of play on the rear pillows but the other bushings were not as bad. Also, mine is a street car with only a little track time once every 1-2 years for fun. I saw a significant improvement in cornering, Straight line not so much. Also, I switched from old Tokico shocks with Racing Beat springs to FP Spec Ohlins coilovers set for more street 8/10kg. That made a huge difference on rough roads.
Mike
I purchase my Mazda or Mazdaspeed parts through Mazda Motorsports, but you have to sign up for their sponsorship program (race at least 2 races a year).
I also bought the MS diff bushings thru Mazdamotorsports...not sure if that will work though if you’re overseas. I’m thinking that’s for North America...but you can check.
And I lean toward OEM and Mazdaspeed whenever I can but damn...$780 for engine mounts? Ouch.
Also, I don’t see a problem in replacing bushings gradually. I see no reason you couldn’t replace front suspension and then replace rear or conversely. MAYBE the only caveat is if the car is tracked. And it’s common to replace the rear pillow-***** separately from everything else.
Running all poly at the moment and if i were building a street car, would use mazda comps for the control arms and keep the diff and engine mounts poly.
Zerks arent that hard. Key is you need to get the lube to the inner race. Some instruction...
And I lean toward OEM and Mazdaspeed whenever I can but damn...$780 for engine mounts? Ouch.
Yeah.
I bought stock stock engine mounts ($500 with the sponsorship) because in my racing class I can have stock mounts and a torque brace or aftermarket mounts and no torque brace. I had already tried aftermarket mounts and no torque brace and I knew that didn't work well.
For my application, I am happy now with the stock engine mounts, aftermarket poly diff mounts and banzai 2 point transmission brace.
This snubs the torsional force of the engine at the transmission before it can wind up the power plant frame. Very little wheel hop now and really no shift turret movement with no noticeable vibration at low rpm/cruise though quite alarming drivetrain vibration at high rpm (used only when racing) and the poly rear diff mounts provide a thump from the rear when going over bots dots or sharp bumps.
I have the IR Performance poly engine mounts. I like them a lot. They are stiffer than stock but are not as rigid or stiff as typical polys that I have experienced with others cars(whole car shakes some at idle). Ihor from IR Performance added a second small softer poly bushing below the subframe than takes up some of the vibration typical of poly mounts. Good compromise and smart idea I believe. Fair price too, check out their website.
Mike
Running all poly at the moment and if i were building a street car, would use mazda comps for the control arms and keep the diff and engine mounts poly.
Do you find the ride too rough with the poly bushings in the control arms?...in the case that it would be a street car...
I believe mazdatrix and Atkins also sell mazdacomp bushings. Wowza those mazdacomp motor mounts are pricey. The price of those make poly look like an attractive offer. I have the banzai street motor mounts (with the bushing on the other side of the subframe) and they’re okay. There is more noticeable vibration with the AC turned on, but my shifter is nice and solid. I might consider the Mazda comp mounts and the banzai crossmember as a good alternative to reduce vibration but keep that shifter from moving around.
