Yes, yet another bushing writeup.

These are the Lube Groove Delrin bushings.
I bought them 2 years ago, and am finally getting around to installing them.

Replacing the bushings is a bit of a chore, and I thought someone might benefit from something here.

If nothing else I can prove I actually installed them.

There is of course the jimlab thread which already contains a lot of information.
https://www.rx7club.com/suspension-wheels-tires-brakes-20/how-remove-replace-suspension-bushings-211372/

The press I used the 12 ton A-Frame model from Harbor Freight, much like the one in the jimlab thread.

12 Ton Press


This has been reaally handy to have in the garage, as it has been used for a few other things now besides bushings.

One thing I learned while using the press to remove bushings: if it feels like you are putting too much pressure on the parts, you may well be. Back off, figure out what is wrong and try again.

With the diff bushings for instance, I found I could position the bushing directly under the ram which made removing the old bushings a snap.

Oh, and make sure you are removing the correct bushings.

I inadvertantly removed the large inboard pillow ball bushings on lower control arms before realizing those weren't part of the bushing kit.
Read instructions more than once!

In this case it was a good excuse to get the MazdaSpeed Parts.

This would also be a good time to replace all the bolts and nuts that hold the suspension together.

I find the the camber adjustment nuts are particularly good candidates for that, as they take a fair amount of stress and abuse.

Also, the original stock bolts take a 14mm socket, and the replacements take a 17mm socket, making it a little easier to tighten them down properly.

Parts list is attached.

 

It seemed a shame to put dirty parts back on the car, and I had this nice $20 craiglist sand blasting cabinet.

Three or four hours of bead blasting cleaned up the parts nicely.

 

There were a few special tools needed to do the job, but not too many.

If you're contemplating doing a bushing job yourself, read the jimlab thread to find out the sizes of the socket you will need to press bushings in and out.

Don't try to go by the socket size, as the internal and external dimensions may vary.

jimlab provided actual dimensions, so take a copy of the dimensions, a set of calipers and visit a few Hardware stores to find the sockets that fit. I found all of mine at ACE Hardware. The are kind of expensive there, but you get what you pay for and they are not junk.

One set of special tools I created out of PVC.

When the clips are installed over new ball joint boots, you will find it a darn near impossible job without some tool to slide the clip down over the boot. Mazda of course has 2 SST's for this, one each for the upper and lower ball joints.

Not having access to the SST's, I simply took the boots with me to Home Depot and found some PVC union fittings that did the job.

Well, nearly anyway. I cut 8 slots in each piece, used a heat gun to soften the plastic and bent the top into a dome shop. This made it possible to get the clips down over the boots. If I had to do this very often, I would make something better, as these were a bit difficult to use, but did the job.

They pieces were 1 1/2" and 1 1/4" unions IIRC.

Another special tool was a metric thread file. This file came in a Craftsman Rethreading kit.
Hopefully you won't need one.
Here's an example: Re-Threading File

During an attempt last year to remove the right front spindle I mangled some of the threads on top of the ball joint, and could not get the nut back on, as the ball joint would just spin in it's socket.

A few minutes of cleaning up the threads, and using the old nut to chase them fixed the problem.
As the threads causing the problem are at the top, they pose no danger as the nut spins down past them.

Finally I had to use a dremel in a few places.

I found that after installing some of the bushings, the fit of the steel insert was just too tight.
The instructions say that it may be more difficult to insert them after the bushings are inserted, but I didn't want to have squealing bushings.

It seemed that on a couple of the bushings the fit would get rather tight just when it was pushed to the edge of the lube groove.
Apparently the bushings puckered a few thousandths of an inch right in the center due to the groove cut in them.

I used a Dremel with a reverse cone shaped bit to slightly camfer the edges of the lube groove on those bushings.

The rear bushing on the right front lower control arm was particularly difficult.
Inserting the steel insert required a dead blow hammer. No amount of grease was going to keep that quiet.
Even worse, I was afraid it would bind badly.

Again, I used the Dremel, this time with a fine grained cylindrical grinding wheel.
Using very light pressure I went around the inside of the bushing, test fitting the insert frequently.
Finally I could push it in and out the other side with hand pressure only, and turn it.

Why was that one so tight? I suspect of perfect storm of parts within their tolerances, but close enough to the edges of tolerance to make a tight fit. Or maybe not, I don't know for sure.

That arm did not give me any trouble during removal of the original bushing, nor during installation of the new one.

Zerk fittings were also installed, one per bushings. These were metric fittings from McMaster Carr, with a 6x1 metric thread.

The 6x1 taps were from, you guessed it, ACE Hardware.
It isn't necessary to use a 5mm bit as the instructions say, a 13/64 bit works perfectly.

All the zerks were tested for proper operation before the parts were installed back on the car.

 

Here's a picture with all bushings installed.

It's a lot of work, now just to put it all back together and see how it drives.

BTW, don't bother warning me of the evils of Delrin bushings.

I've read all the pros and cons, and frankly don't care how they ride on the street.

This car is driven 99% autox and track day driven, so the ride quality on the street doesn't really matter too much.

 

Thanks for posting this writeup...Very useful...

 

I have recently done the SuperPro bushing in the rear. (I'll do the fronts when the weather gets warm again.) I just wanted to mention that I also read the jimlab thread suggesting various sockets for the job. Well I looked around but didn't want to spend tons of money on single use sockets that wouldn't even be used as sockets. I figured what's the point to get a socket that is exactly the right size? The answer. There is no point. Yes, the bushings are really stuck in there good but unless you want to keep the old bushings then just ram them out with any size socket. The center will give a lot as the rubber stretches and then BAM, they pop out. Well some slide out slowly too actually.

One thing is for sure, you need a press. My vice wasn't up to the job.

As for putting the new bushings in, the SuperPro ones have all slid in by hand.

 

Hey me too! Lol. I think I'm going to go with some whiteline polyurethane bushings for that spot. I spent about 2 hours going over what bushings I had...and I still managed to mess up something haha. I contacted Corksport and Derrick suggested the whiteline bushings.

 

[QUOTE=dis1;9785829 I figured what's the point to get a socket that is exactly the right size? The answer. There is no point. Yes, the bushings are really stuck in there good but unless you want to keep the old bushings then just ram them out with any size socket. The center will give a lot as the rubber stretches and then BAM, they pop out. Well some slide out slowly too actually.

[/QUOTE]

That would not have worked in my case.

Some of the bushings have an outer metal case.

I tried starting the bushing with a socket that was too small, and all I succeeded in doing was making a bit of a mess.

The bushing was tearing apart, and the metal casing was staying put.

Getting just that metal out without the rest of the bushing would have been tough.

I went to ACE and found a socket that was an exact fit, and it did the job.

YMMV.

 

I didn't even think to give Derek a call.

Through MazdaMotorsports the MazdaSpeed bushings were $52.00 US each, which seemed a pretty good deal.

 

Yeah I found on the forum that Corksport was a source of the mazdaspeed bushings back in like 2008. I gave him an email and said that because of 4-5 week shipping times and costing about $125 for the pair he goes with the whiteline bushings now. The poly bushings are $75 for the inner lower bushings.

Interesting since I had never heard the name, and still can't find much on the forums about them. They have poly bushings for all the rear arms and diff bushings for the FD. I think whiteline is what the nissan guys use.

 

Just curious, how much is the Whiteline set?

http://www.globalperformanceparts.com/

 

That is all I know. I couldn't find prices online anywhere. Derrick said they aren't on the website and you have to call in to order them.

 

Wow! No kidding. Guess I was lucky. I hope my fronts go well too.

 

As mentioned, this will definitely not reliably work either installing or removing the bushings with the metal sleeves. It is crucial to get a socket of pretty much exactly the correct size. I destroyed a Mazdaspeed bushing by using a slightly too small socket.

Jimlab's writeup lists the sizes for each bushing.

 

Well it worked for me and saved me a lot of time and money. Sure, if you are removing MS bushings that you want to keep then my way isn't an option. If not then I see no reason not to try.

 

Very nice job Jared.

 

Thanks Marc.

 

Nice write up. Wish I could find some lub groove bushings and do this.

 

Very nice write up OP! One questions for you guys though, have any of you all heard of Drop Engineering bushings?

Pic:


Link from where I stole the picture from:
http://www.dropengineering.com/mazda...-bushings.html

 

Those are spendy

 

No, I haven't, but that doesn't mean much.

From the offset in the bushing I would guess the name 'Drop' comes from bushings for lowered vehicles.

Looks interesting, though if your car is used for SCCA autox (mine is) these couldn't be used as offset bushings are expressly forbidden.

 

$300 US! Ouch!

I love the text in the description:

 

I've read preiously that you need to wait awhile after the new bushings are installed before you get an alignment....true?

 

First time I have heard that. I don't know why it would be true.

If it were true, I would be suspicious of the material used in the bushings.

But then, what do I know? I'm just a database nerd that likes to play with cars.

 

Those are FC.