Yes and no on the specail tools. For the shocks go rent the spring compressor for the day at advance or auto zone. And have a big hammer, PB and a big breaker bar to get some of the the bolts loose on the shock mounts. With all the heat from the breaks and the years of salt and road slime they will be hard to break loose. Thats why I recommend getting new hardware. That way you won't have as much trouble if you have to do things again. Now if money and time permit I would change the bushings. Because if you pull the shocks and spindle you already have done the hard stuff to change the bushings in the control arms and the dog bones in the front. The control arms might need a press to get them back in but I havent done them myself yet so I dont know for sure. So first just worry about getting those shocks changed out then onto the bushings and other bits on the front end.

I read on the evil forum that if you don't change the bushings at the same time as the struts/shocks then it can cause damage to the new components. I think I can replace a strut fine, but a bushing, not a clue. :(

Changing the bushings on the front is relatively easy. I think I did both sides in about two hours. (But it was years ago.)

What all do I need to replace if I'm just doing the struts?

4 Bushings (on vert), two on each arm. 1 is u shaped, the other is a doughnut.

I went looking for a picture and cound this one...

http://www.mazdatrix.com/rmounts.htm

I said two on each arm, but aparently, one of the 'two' is a two peice job. They say it is a bear to get the old bushings off. I don't remember it to be a PITA job. But then again my memory of this job is not fresh.

This is the kit I purchased...

http://www.nopionline.com/nopistore/...ZDA%20RX7&vn=0

I need a press don't I? :(

Getting a used stock replacement for now is looking better by the minute.

Is this the set you're referring to? http://www.mazdatrix.com/pictures/racing/r15-1.jpg

My kit looked like that, but it was made by Prothane and is molded in red.

As I said, I don't remember having to press the bearings. But even if so, it takes a few minutes at the local machine shop and should not be an issue.

Personally, I would not go buy a new arm just to get a bushing on it.

Where'd you buy your kit? I don't feel like paying about $200 for the fancy shmancy ones.

I bought my kit at Nopi. I don't know where you can get just the front kit.

You won't need a spring compressor if you change the entire assembly.

And you won't need any bushings.

You won't need new bushings. Thats absolute rubbish.

Just grab a junk yard/parts car strut assembly and change it. Its much safer then the one on the car currently.

You'll need to un clip the brake line off the strut, undo the two bolts near your rusted portion (they go through the steering knuckle) then the four bolts ontop of the strut tower. Thats it.

It's not a hard job at all. You're talking it into being a hard job in your mind, but it's actually really simple.

As far as new bushings go, you can get an entire Energy Suspension bushing kit for the whole car on Ebay for something like $150 or so shipped.

EDIT:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/86-91...em300210243252

Make that $120.

That doesn't look too bad. How is the ride with these? I'm not for a bumpy/stiff ride or anything and I'm wary of aftermarket companies that use scary words like polyurethane, impregnated, box, and graphite.

:p

I can't find any junkyard cars around here. :( But I'm looking into getting some HP's or AGX's so it's all good.

Well... apparently I'm blind.

I got a chance to look under there again and sanded/chiseled some of the rust away. That's right, I said chiseled.

Anyways, I looked and the previously pictured rust ended up being somewhere around .25 inches deep (picture 1). However, I, in a genius move, decided to look on the other side of the strut and, to my unending surprise, I found the exact same thing (picture 2). Then... being a genius again, I deduced that I may want to look at the front left side. YAY, same thing!

The rears were rusty but I didn't see anything rusting through like they are on the front. Regardless... time for some replacements for sure.

Also pictured are some of the other parts in that area (picture 3, and the other attachments). Of special note is my dust boot (picture 3)... how does it look? I do love the shiny shock (?) showing through. Makes me feel special... like there's something actually new on my car.

1
http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...1&d=1206491399

2
http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...1&d=1206491399

3
http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...5&d=1206490176

Ugh. All you did now is open it to new rust. You definitely need to replace them.

As far as the bushings go, no, they won't make your ride noticably more bouncy or stiff. You'll notice the car will stick better in the corners, but it won't jar you around that much.

Switch to coilovers and lower it like my 'vert, then you will scramble your brain. Just the bushings? No biggie.

You don't HAVE to replace any bushing or that bullshit to replace the struts. Its not a big deal. Look on eBay or some other sites. You can pick up a set of factory struts with springs for under $40 sometimes. A few bolts at the bottom, a few nuts at the top, and you're done. I do however fully recommend an alignment afterwards though.