Suspension possibly damaged: HALP
 

I was bleeding my brakes and came across this interesting find (see pictures). This is on the front passenger (U.S.) side.

Is this an issue or something that I can ignore?

http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...4&d=1206206145

http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...5&d=1206206151

Oh, and the crack didn't seem to go too deep. Maybe a few mm's that I could see. It may have gone farther that I'm unable to see.

You might want to get new shocks very soon. What you have is rust created from the stress cracks. Yea it might be fine for normal driving, but some track days or hard runs on the dragon may not be a good idea till you get them replaced. If you can try to see if they go all the way thru the shock mount. If it is just surface rust then it shouldnt be to much of a big deal, but should get put high on the priority list for replacement.

Change it ASAP.
If it was just the paint cracking, then it wouldn't be that big of a deal.
It looks like it's rusting, and that's BAD. :(


-Ted

Damn damn damn damn. Looks like I'll be driving very gingerly through the dragon this year considering there's no way I can afford to replace it. :(

In related news, how hard is that to replace with a stock one from a parts car? Is it something I can do without any special tools?

Replacing the shock + spring combo is straight-forward.
No special tools needed.

It's when you remove the spring that requires spring compressors to do safely...


-Ted

Would I have to replace both at the same time (kinda like tires)?

Also, are the struts between models/years the same/interchangeable?

Ok, I'm confused due to my complete ignorance when it comes to suspension. http://www2.partstrain.com/store/?N=...0rx-7%20struts
Which ones would I need?

Oh, and thanks for all the help thus far. I'm completely clueless when it comes to suspension (among other things).

:D :icon_tup:

If it matters, I was also told (and it seems to fit) that it's a Sport model.

No you should be able to change them in the driveway with no special tools other than a spring compressor. Which is for safety and makes it a little easier to swap. The only other major thing is the bolts, they may need some "help" getting loose. With the rust that I see on the shock, I would look at at getting new hardware(bolts, washers, etc) and bushings. That way when you do this you can replace the other stuff all at once and not have to worry about stuff. The only other advice I could give you is after you do the suspension stuff take the car and get it aligned. Yes you may get all the pieces back just like they were before, but you could knock something out just a hair that could eat your tires faster than before.

Bushings... hmm.... sounds like a pain. :)

Bro you have no idea! I am glad I am near a base with a hobby shop that for 3 or 4 bucks and hour has a frame lift and about any tool you could ever need to work on cars. I helped a bubby with a rustang redo his suspension bushings and well about 5 hours later and a few cut off wheels we got them out and replaced. All I know is he has to help me do mine this summer when I get back.

Oh for fucks sake I'm confused. This is why I avoid suspension work like the plague. :)

GAH!!!!!! I feel like a retard tonight.

Ok... what bushings would I need?

Edit: Christ, I just read JL's last post... this requires special tools? I GIVE UP! :seeya:

If this is what I need I'm going to burn the car to the ground. :D
http://www.mazdatrix.com/r-sus-2b.htm
http://www.mazdatrix.com/pictures/h-susp/Energykit.JPG

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.

I'm thinking of springing (hehehe) for some new ones. I can pick up HP's for about $250 or AGX's for about $350. That's pushing my budget, but if I get them I won't have to get new ones again.

Ugh, decisions, decisions.

Heh, I wrote them off so the new rust doesn't matter much. Thanks for the info about the bushings though. :)

Quick update. Got one of the fronts off (had to get mounts so I left the other on for now) and I decided to share the rust filled glory.

Is it supposed to spread like that in the middle of the mounting bracket? :squint:

And yes, the hammer was used. Often...

http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...1&d=1207445058

http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...1&d=1207445230

http://www.rotarycarclub.com/attachm...1&d=1207445230

My suggestion... if you still have the stock suspension on, give it a nice good look over.