I get some clunking sounds while driving over bumpy roads (and it sometimes clunks when its not so bumpy). I am guessing that its the pillow ball bushings. The wheels don't exactly seem loose if i try to move them when they are jacked up though.. does that mean anything? The car does have a loose feel to it while driving, definately not the "go-cart" like handling I've read about.

So does my car sound like its in need of new pillow ball bushings, and if so, where's the most inexpensive place I can order them from? Any places w/ on-line ordering?

thx

 

The cheapest is probably going to be Malloy Mazda (1-888-533-3400). I'm going to be replacing mine as well but I haven't called Ray yet to get a price on them. You can order them from Mazdatrix online: http://www.mazdatrix.com/

I've ordered many parts in the past from Mazdatrix and they are first rate. However, after Ray popped on the scene, he get's all my business.

 

Also if the sound is comming from the REAR it may be the Differential Mounts & not the suspension at all - the loose handeling may also be due to poor/improper alignment so have both checked before investing in new pillow *****.

 

Anything I can check to determine the cause? I think there are only 3 RX7's in this country including mine.. Yes, yes.. it turns heads EVERYWHERE, but the price to pay is I don't have the convenience of taking it to the local rotary expert.. and I know suspension has nothing to do with the engine but IRS on a rear-wheel drive car is pretty rare here too considering just about everything on the road is FWD sub-2 liter 4-banger rice.

 

It could be a few things. I had some minor clunking and did the M2 toe links and trailings arms and that solved it for a little while. When the clunking came back it was pretty bad and I just replaced the pillow ball bushings, diff mounts, alignment mounts, and ppf which solved it again.

I got my pillow ball from a local person but supposedly Malloy Mazda sells them for $42 shipped which is a GREAT deal.

 

If the wheel is pretty loose its most like the toe links. If you have some lurching when shifting or accelerating its the diff mounts. If its neither of those and it just feels a bit loose its your ball joints. They are metal not rubber so you don't notice it quite as much.

 

I called for mine about 10 days ago. Ther were $48.50 each. Malloy has the best prices for shipping too. $13 for overnight on the 6 bushings (to California).

 

The local dealer sells pb bushings to my mechanic for $ 42 each . Ask your dealer for a better price .They can say no or you may save some money,who knows .

 

I just chacned mine a few months ago and it was VERY difficult to get the wheels to make any sound while in the air. Put it on jack-stands and have someone push and pull the wheels while you hold on the various suspension parts. I found that I could feel the movement easier than I could hear it or see it. BTW, check you upper A-arm bushings too, the steel core inside the rubber will get sloppy and it's also difficult to track.

 

Sqtblue is correct, that is the method my mechanic uses .

 

The pillow ball bushings are $38.80 from Mazda Motorsports. You have to be a memeber though.

 

Hey !
Mine does exactly that. Can diff mounts be replaced ? How much are they ?

I also get a clunk from the back at bumps. Bushings or the diff mounts again ?


Thanks!

 

After jacking up the car to take pics of the exhaust, I tried again to wiggle the wheel. I was able to rock the wheel back & forth by about 1/4 inch if that.. Not sure if it should have been rock steady or if some play is normal, but I did get it to move a tad.. so pillow bushings?

 

This is interesting.

When I first bought my car, it had both the clunk (from bumps in the road) and well as the acceleration lurch.

I jacked up the rear end and shook the tires. I could move them left and right (but not up and down). I replaced my toe links ... problem solved.

The clunk and lurch are now greatly reduced, but definitely there. The clunk is very hard to notice, but the lurch is obvious.

Ha ... diagnosis by clunk and lurch very scientific!

So, has anyone done the diff mounts?

 

Ideally, there should not be any discernible movement, anywhere. Even a very small amount of play in one of the pillow ball bushings will magnify and make lots of unwanted noise during normal driving. Try the method I suggested earlier to pin-point where the "slop" is at and address it. My experience: 85% chance it's in one of the pillowball bushing and 10% A-arm bushings. 5% chance it's just roadkill rattling underneath.

 

You can check the bearings by jacking up the car on the frame and take off the wheel and pry on the knuckle and rear subframe. This will only check the inner and outer bearing, since you cant pry on anything to check the trailing arm bearing on the c arm. Mines was so bad that you could acutally see the wheel move back and forth when you pry on it gently. There are three on each lower conrtol arm and one on top of the knuckle.

 

I had the same problem
Had a bad clunking sound on left rear
Gave me nasty wheel hop
I think this led to the failure of my differential
2 years with my FD and I finally replaced all 6 of my pillow *****. The truth I dont know if it fixed my problem because I am waiting on my diff that is getting rebuild

 

I can read the words,
anybody got an rX-rated picture of what parts we are talking about here?

p.s. I have a clunk too...

 

http://www.maxcooper.com/rx7/how-to/...lls/index.html

 

There are more (and better focused) pictures and instructions in my write-up in the Suspension forum...

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...hreadid=211372

 

The Max Cooper write-up is very helpful but I disagree with the later part where he says that it's not necessary to add grease to the bushing. The idea is to keep moisture out, so adding alittle grease to the bushing before re-installing the rubber outer boots is appropriate.

 

I mentioned the same thing in my write-up...

 

Sorry, I should have taken the time to read the whole thread. BTW, nice polish on those pieces.

 

how much would it cost to replace all your bushings and how many are there

 

Bump for this thread!
I was searching for clunking noise and this one seems to be the most appropriate by far.

My symptomps:
Clunking noise from the back everynow and then. Constant noise all the way during driving except really smoooOO00th road. The sound is more like something in the boot is loose and bumping up and down. Apart from the Tein coilovers, I don't know if the previous owner have changed any parts of the suspension.

Another symptomps I notice is that of the 'lurching' when I downshift. I might be wrong in this, probly it's the LSD working coz it only happens in a split second that I couldnt really feel it and I rarely do hard downshift and munch the pedal.

So can this be considered as the pillowball problem? Or more of a diff mount problem? Or even some other problem such as the toe links?

I'm totally lost..help needed.

Yans