Trailing links

[benracin]

Since it's finally warm again, I've started looking underneath the car and decided to replace all the worn out rubber bits. Looking at the trailing links, both upper and lower in the rear I see that the rubber in them is worn out and cracked. Looking at mazda motorsports site I see they have some options for replacing these. One is a bearing kit to replace the rubber bushings with spherical bearings ($263.40), the other is a urethane bushing kit ($62.60).

I've been having some issues with the rear end making some funny noises, don't know if the old rubber ones are to blame but I'd like to replace them. Has anyone used any of these items? Is it that important? Are they actually one package and I'm confused? I'm just wondering if the fix is worth the money.

Thanks!

Ben.

[ddewhurst]

***Since it's finally warm again,***

Ben, ya been in the cold for way to long. Did yer stuff inside yer knoggin not thaw out yet ? It ain't nucking warm outside. Be real, ice fishing goes on in MN untill the middle of July.

Friken Viking fans are all the same.

With the trans oil leak take a little twisty mirror & light ya should be able to take a look see. If ya ain't got enough room & being that it's so nice & warm in the garare mark the driveshaft to rearend flanges, take the flange bolts out, leave the drive shaft in place wire/rope the thing up so that grease wont run out, support the trans cross brace with a jack parallel to the length of the car, take the trans cross support brace bolts out & lower the trans enough so you can see with the mirror. Tuesday after it warms up, remember I am SOUTH of you by say 300 miles I will look at a trans & see how many places it can leak from your description.

Post your e-mail address & we can talk about your other issue. I SHOULDN'T help ya with the rear control arm stuff cause I'll pay dearly for being a nice helpful guy.

Yer darn right Bill I'm a nice guy.

David

[benracin]

That's right David, I've never said a foul word about you either, well, not that you've heard atleast. It will be fun knowing someone with the same car this year. Atleast I'll have a better standard to gauge myself by. Is a new paint scheme included in your upgrades?

You can reach me at [email protected]. and thank you!

[planet6racing]

Geez, I get tied up at work for a couple of days and people start putting words into my mouth!!

I remember when I was in school in Minnesota. Any day when the sun was out and it was over 32º, we were in shorts out at the lake. Sure, the water was still frozen, but the sand on the beach wouldn't get into funky parts of your body!

But, seriously though, Ben, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably just get the urethane and go. It's only $60 (not even one tire!) and I'm sure there are other things the other $200 can go toward.

And David, I know you're a nice guy. Everyone in my rearview is always a nice guy!!

------------------
Bill
Planet 6 Racing
bill (at) planet6racing (dot) com

[benracin]

Trash talkin' baby! Awesome!!! Bill, did I ever get you that clip of you blowing by me when my kill switch went off? Actually, David, you're in there too! That's another thing I should probably replace huh. Giddy up!

And to continue the trash talkin', man did I kick your guys butts last race!!! Tee hee hee. (also funny since our cars are pretty much in different classes).

Ben.

[Hahn63]

Ben,You should stay with new rubber or spherical bearings on the bottom links. On the top links take the old bushings out lube them so they are free and put the old worn out bushings back in. The top needs to be as free as possible. Don't forget to check the watts link for free movement, urethane would work good there.

Roland
ITA 16

[lateapex911]

I thought you had a 2nd gen, but it sure doesn't sound that way. My memory must (IS!) be shot!

Think hard about lowering the car too far, the watts can't take much misalignment without binding. You can change the bushings on it if you want to have better range, or move to a panhard rod.

Mazdas lower links are a good way to go.

If you do lower it significantly after attending to the overall location issues, you might want to try something softer on the upper links. Air is best, but it makes a lot of noise.



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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[ddewhurst]

Jake, please don't lead Ben down an ILLEGAL path with air bushings.

Have Fun
David

[lateapex911]

Originally posted by ddewhurst:
Jake, please don't lead Ben down an ILLEGAL path with air bushings.

Have Fun
David

Quite right...make sure your air is encapsulated by some soft foam!



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Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[theenico]

I like the 1/4" garage door cable that some of the LP prod guys use for their "alternate material" upper links.

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Nico
KCRaceware (816) 257-7305
[email protected]

heres one for ya, hiem joints welded in the lowers with roll bar padding stuffed around them, hmmmm

[ddewhurst]

***Posted by Nico***

***I like the 1/4" garage door cable that some of the LP prod guys use for their "alternate material" upper links.***

Nico, please explain how your statement is legal.

PCS 17.1.1.D.6.c.2. or ITCS 17.1.4.D.c.1.

The upper link IMHJ is a traction control link/bar & "Traction bars used to control axle rotation SHALL be one piece solid bar or tube".

Granted PCS 17.12.1.D.6.c.1 Specs alternate control arms which may mean alternate material for control arms. The item we are talking about & you indicated on the 1st gen RX-7 rear axles are upper & lower control LINKS/BARS not CONTROL ARMS.

Just trying to understand.

Thank you

David

[This message has been edited by ddewhurst (edited March 08, 2004).]

[benracin]

Actually, after tearing apart the watts I found that the rubber busing that the whole thing pivots on was basically in half. I'm pretty sure that allowed lots of bad stuff to happen.

My idea that all the rubber stuff on the car is probably bad and needs replaced just keeps getting truer!

[lateapex911]

yeah but do yourself a favor, if you're going to lower the car.

Take out the springs and shocks. Support the chassis, and put a jack under the axle. Now, raise the axle to racing ride height, while watching how the Watts twists and the uppers bind. Now jack it up further, (as though you are cornering or going through a depression) and watch it all get worse. Basically, the suspension is out of it's design range at the lowered ride heights we run, and it binds up, in a number of places.

It is not unlikely that rubber bushings get torn up by this, as well as old age.



------------------
Jake Gulick
CarriageHouse Motorsports
ITA 57 RX-7
New England Region
[email protected]

[Jim Susko]

Go to www.gforceengineering.com and get the Tri-Link and Panhard kits, and install them along with the Mazda spherical lower bushing kit. The Tri-Link kit comes with foam rubber (air) upper bushings to keep you legal. All your binding problems will be gone as will the snap oversteer. The roll steer will be corrected, as will the excessive anti-sqat. You can hang the tail and never lose it.

Jim Susko