Suspension bushings & sway bars

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Thu Aug 19, 2004 9:36 pm

Greetings, all

Having just read Norman Garrett's Miata performance handbook (a great read,
by the way), I've been prodded into doing something about my suspension
bushings. Certainly want to do the sway bars now - control arms may need to
wait until an alignment is due.

Anyway - a couple of questions for the collective wisdom out there ...

1) Materials. I'm thinking that urethane may be the way to go - apparently
up a level from the standard rubber but not as firm (read harsh-riding) as
Delrin or similar. Any experiences out there to guide one way or the other
?

2) Suppliers. Where do you get the bits ? I'll need a complete set,
including sway bar link arm grommets. (Or do I have to get new control arms
?)

3) D.I.Y. ? The sway bars are certainly a piece of cake by all accounts.
Anyone done their own control arms ? Trade secrets for getting the old
control arm bushings out & new ones in ?

4) Sway bar upgrade is also a possibility. My car is lowered 30mm all round
(not sure how it's been done yet, although the shocks are definitely
non-standard - may have lower perches) & don't want to bugger it all up.
Anyone installed firmer sway bars ?? Benefits ? Suppliers ?

Regards,
Greg
1990 V Limited

Bob Anderson · Post by **Bob Anderson** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 11:13 am

I get all my suspension work, alignments, etc done at Alignment Specialists
in Penrose, AK. The owner is Ray Mitchell & is very helpful. I've just
installed Bilsteins that were slightly lower than the previous coil overs so
had to re-do the alignment. Ray & I discussed the different types of bushes.
The rubber bushes work in torsion so add substantially to the workings of
the suspension. Bushes such as Nolathane allow suspension members to pivot
relatively freely. Ray commented that you can easily end up with extremely
harsh suspension by over using Nolathane bushes.

Regarding installation of new bushes: I normally remove the suspension arms
etc & get Ray to supply & fit the new bushes. Then I re-paint & re-install.
Then a complete alignment also by Ray.

Re sway bars: I recollect mention of fitting bars from later model MX5's?
I've also seen little adjustable links you can replace the original fixed
length links with. Try Ross Campbell maybe.

Dr Bob

Michael & Kate Cooper · Post by **Michael & Kate Cooper** » Fri Aug 20, 2004 12:33 pm

Hi Greg

We replaced the bushes a few years ago and I seem to recall that it was
tricky to get one of the bolts on the control arms back in - we thought that
maybe the car had been put out of alignment in a prang earlier in it's life,
and this was why it didn't line up correctly. We got there eventually using
a crowbar to lever part of it, ... and a few four-letter words along the
way!!

We looked into using Urethane bushes - I think you have to get them from
Oz - but decided to just stick with some normal ones from Mazda, as that was
simpler.

Kate Cooper

Lou Girardin · Post by **Lou Girardin** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 5:33 pm

Stay with standard bushes, there;s no benefit with nolathanes etc for road
use.

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Thu Aug 26, 2004 9:17 pm

Hi, all

Many thanks to Lou, Dr Bob & Kate - your advice is much appreciated.

I did talk to Ray as suggested by Dr Bob - Ray certainly confirmed the
increased harshness of ride with urethane (despite what you can read on
miata.net). And - for a daily driver, the additional cost & discomfort
doesn't seem to be warranted. Ray also indicated that supply of appropriate
urethane bushings is not easy - several of the suppliers just don't have the
requisite bits.

Replacing with rubber will do me ...

Regards,
Greg