Hopefully this ends up as just a quick question... I've been having a little trouble sorting out the proper rear sway bar bushings for my SA (finally getting around to replacing all the bushings). I measured the bar and it comes out as 16mm, although I can't find any listing for first gen 16mm sway bar bushings. So far I've come across 14.5mm, 15mm, and 17/18mm(?), but no 16mm. Am I crazy? Is there such a thing as a 16mm rear bar for these cars? Any insight appreciated.

For the time being I'll go double check the size, but I'm pretty darn certain I measured correctly.


Edit: Just double checked the bar and it is indeed 16mm. Made sure the spot(s) I measured were clean and free of rust or road grime, so it should be accurate.

 

16 mm is correct size for all 1st gen rear bars.

 

Energy Suspension makes a kit for front and rear bars for 1st gen.

 

Oh. Hmm, ok then.

So then what is the correct bushing size/pn. I see FA01-28-156 and 8871-28-156 for Mazda parts, both of which do not say 16mm. I'm using the Energy Suspension Bushings for everything else (leaving the upper trailing arms and watts link rubber), but their rear bar bushing says 14mm. Is that still the correct one? It's the only one I've found.

 

the 16mm part was either 8173-28-156 or 8980-28-156 both are NLA. i would think you could get the 15mm part to work

 

Thanks j9fd3s for those part numbers. So, as you said, it looks like my only option is to try the 15mm bushings at this point? Can't think of anything else unless there's some NOS hiding parts somewhere.

 

the 94-95 FD's have a 16mm rear bar, but those are NLA too, not a commonly replaced part...

 

I have been using energy suspension urethane bushings frt and rear for years for 1st gen RX7
11.5101 for front
11.5106 for rear
Can’t remember off top of my head what #is for link kits but same can be used on frt and rear.

 

Energy Suspension has urethane 16mm bushings for the S6 cars, although looking at the photos it seems as though they are taller and/or narrower and would probably not fit as intended.


11.5106 is the part I was looking at, but those are listed as only fitting 14.5mm bars in the "footnotes". Someone left a review that says they do not fit the early 18mm bars; maybe they would a 16mm...? Seems strange they'd make a part that isn't listed to fit any first gen bar, or least it doesn't sound like any first gen had 14.5mm rear bars.

 

Please update us on what you finally end up using!

Stu A
80GS (needing new rear bushings)
AZ

 

Energy suspension #s i quoted are THE correct front and rear swaybar bushings for ALL 1st gens. Never had a set not fit,NEVER! Just order a set,put them on and be done with it. Racing Beat has a Prothane endlink kit# 14220 that fits front and rear factory bars. There,you're covered. Next post will be you telling us how more responsive your car is with urethane bushings installed.Get er done!

 

Haha, well not this post but perhaps my next will be such. I've gone ahead and ordered both the Energy Suspension 14.5mm and Mazda 15mm rear sway bar bushings - we'll see how things end up. I've also forgone any poly bushings for the trailing arms (I was originally going to do the lowers) because, well... not sure. But I have and that's that. I have a couple sets of trailing arms from other first gens that may be in better shape so perhaps I'll install those. The watts link is also staying rubber; again, potentially being replaced by a better condition one.

As far as end links go I've decided to try (and I ordered all this minutes before you posted) Moog fronts and Energy Suspension rears. Both are poly(urethane) and are of fairly different designs. Moog does not have a set for the rear, otherwise I probably would have gone Moog all the way around. I'll be curious to see how the two different brands compare.

Speaking of Moog, it would seem they are no longer producing idler arms for the first gen RX-7. Every place I checked they were out of stock and often labeled as "discontinued". I finally managed to pick up a new in-box one off eBay for a pretty good deal, but if I hadn't I believe I would have been out of luck. Seems strange that the go-to idler arm for first gens would be discontinued. Perhaps they're made in batches and are temporarily out of stock...? Who knows. When I tried to order one off Summit (listed as a special order part) I got a refund a few days later stating that they were unavailable.

 

@Benjamin4456 I have a set of bushings available. I used them for less than a year on a weekend car before I came across a RB front and rear sway bar for not a lot. I have an early SA I can measure them if you are interested.

 

Yeti, yeah actually, that'd be great if you could measure them - I'm curious to see how they compare. Perhaps you could measure the old rear bar as well, if it's still around.

 

It will be 16mm

 

@Benjamin4456 here you go.. to add some confusion to the mix. This measurement also matches my order on Amazon. Whiteline w21086g. *Shrugs*

 

Just realized I never got this thread wrapped up either. For future reference it looks like (as j9fd3s posted earlier on in the thread) there are three different rear sway bar sizes, 15mm, 16mm, and 18mm. The bushings from Energy Suspension (listed as 14.5mm) are really best on the 15mm bars.

Turns out I had a 15mm bar from a parts car, so I cleaned that up, installed the new poly bushings and end links on it, and away I went. Getting it reinstalled was bit more difficult than anticipated, but it's been in for about a week now and it certainly feels a little more put together without the old rotted bushings clunking around.

Anyway, that should be it. All new poly bushings (excluding rear trailing arms and the watts link) certainly makes the car handle tighter. I'm definitely happy with the the changes.