"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/11/2018 at 16:28 • Filed to: FB rx7
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"MM54" (mm54mk2)
03/11/2018 at 16:28 • Filed to: FB rx7 | 0
| 11 |
I got under the back of the RX-7 today to see what sort of suspension refreshment may be needed (other than the shocks I’ve already got on hand), and it’s just as I feared.
An upper trailing arm
Nothing screams “REPLACE ME!” or is otherwise in very bad shape (save for the endlinks, which are easy enough), yet there’s just enough visible cracking of the rubber that I do not know the condition of the parts. Nothing is loose, but I can twist some links a bit by hand.
The other end of a different, lower arm
The reason I did this investigation was that I ordered everything for the front assuming it was all bad, and it turned out that only like 75% of it was bad. I can get everything for the rear brand-new for about $700 to my door, but I really don’t know if it would be worth it. I’m considering doing the sway bar bushings and endlinks and putting on the shocks I’ve got, and seeing how it is - something was clunking on hard bumps last year, though I don’t know what.
Before you ask - poly bushings are a very bad idea in the rear of this car due to the questionable-at-best geometry. Best case it binds up and handles unpredictably, eventually you’ll just fatigue and tear the mounts out of the chassis. Replacement links are available from Mazda for all of it, as quoted above. Besides, it’s not a race car.
What does Oppo think? $70 and hope it’s good or $700 and hope it’s bad? If I weren’t saving up for the crown vic’s replacement, the “screw it and buy all the parts” approach would be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, I may be better off putting it off and finding out come spring (when daily driving resumes) if I need to swap out all the links.
AestheticsInMotion
> MM54
03/11/2018 at 16:42 |
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My vote’s on all the parts. One less thing to worry about down the road
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MM54
> AestheticsInMotion
03/11/2018 at 17:05 |
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I know, I really want to (plus then, other than springs and the swaybars themselves, it’ll have 100% new suspension) but that is money I probably
shouldn’t
spend on it right now. We’ll see. I like to make bad decisions sometimes.
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AestheticsInMotion
> MM54
03/11/2018 at 18:23 |
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I totally understand. Can you wait a bit and hold off on purchasing anything for now? Then grab it all at once when finances are freed up a bit?
I want to refresh all my suspension components as well, but... Priorities. That said if I spend too much time looking at control arms and bushing kits and sway bars... They will be purchased before I realize what’s happening.
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MM54
> AestheticsInMotion
03/11/2018 at 18:32 |
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My target is to be done working on this once spring arrives and I resume driving it so I can focus on all the work the chevelle needs (also means I can spend more time driving it and less underneath it). The “go to CA and buy a car” trip is my main deterrent from picking it all up right now - I’ve long planned on replacing the crown vic this summer, but hadn’t really expected it to be so early (or come with costs of travel) so savings for that have stepped up.
Window shopping for parts is dangerous!
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AestheticsInMotion
> MM54
03/11/2018 at 18:51 |
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That sounds a lot better than jumping from system to system based on what parts are on sale/just released! Have you picked a replacement car for the trip yet?
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MM54
> AestheticsInMotion
03/11/2018 at 18:57 |
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I haven’t made any specific pick since I think it’s still too early (what’s for sale now oughtn’t be for sale mid-May) but I’m still looking at e36 328iS or first-gen IS300. Backup may be another police crown vic (newest I can get, and in black). Worst-case if I can’t find what I want or I don’t love my pick by the time I get home, I can flip it. Lack of rust goes a long way around here!
nerd_racing
> MM54
03/12/2018 at 07:28 |
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Have you looked on RX7club or clubRX7, not sure which one it is, but they have a writeup on rear suspension that is pretty good. You might be able to get some of the suspension bits on rockauto under closeouts. I agree with you 100% on not going poly on the rear end.
Nibby
> MM54
03/12/2018 at 09:03 |
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your in suspension
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MM54
> Nibby
03/12/2018 at 19:59 |
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you’re*
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MM54
> nerd_racing
03/12/2018 at 20:03 |
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I’ve not seen the whole links on rockauto; the bushings are bonded rubber with the link itself, hence the need to replace the link (or burn out the rubber and jam a new one in, which wouldn’t be a snug as a bonded part). I know just enough about suspension design (and have seen that writeup) that this car makes me scratch my head - I don’t know why they did it this way but it sure could have been better! As a daily (not a race car) rubber is a-okay by me (though I am doing poly for the sway bars).
y_chromosome
> MM54
03/13/2018 at 10:36 |
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Heya! You mentioned in the “best car tricks” article that your RX-7's doors unlock when you push the button on the inside then close the door. You said that it made locking the car a pain. I may have a solution for you.
1) Pull up the OUTSIDE handle
2) push the lock button
3) close the door
4) release the handle.while the door handle is still pulled up.
On many cars of that era, this will lock the door without fumbling for a key.