I got a new Miata!

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09-08-2008, 01:16 PM
black roadster

I got a new Miata!

Well it feels like it anyway.

I just got my car back from BAM!

He installed new upper a-arms with ball joints, lower ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, and all new Super Pro bushings I got from Gary including rear differential mounts.

The car is a completely new car again in regards to handling! I was worried about the bushings causing a harsher ride but it is actually smoother! The car now feels more solid, controlled, predictable and just over all tight!

This made a HUGE difference and if you have over 100k miles and plan on keeping you Miata, this is a very worthwhile but expensive upgrade. I'd be willing to bet on a car with a lot of miles this is as significant as going from blown shocks to Tein coilovers.

Y'all start saving your ::2Dollar:, you will not be disappointed with the results.
09-08-2008, 01:48 PM
trickyrix

Did it cure the snap oversteer? ::Banana::
09-08-2008, 02:44 PM
Miatamaniac92

How much was it, Part and then Labor?

Chris
09-08-2008, 03:14 PM
Sharpie

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miatamaniac92

How much was it, Part and then Labor?

Chris

Yeah how expensive???
09-08-2008, 03:25 PM
black roadster

The bushings were $400 and labor was $600. (The diff bushings are $130 + additional labor)

After seeing what was involved, I decided A.J. was the man for the job. He has now installed bushings on four Miatas.

Not cheap but seeing as these bushings should last the rest of the cars life and shouldn't deteriorate like the stock rubber bushings it is a good investment in my eyes. Heck, Teins would be an additional $400 + labor!
09-08-2008, 03:27 PM
black roadster

If anyone wants to drive it Wednesday, I plan on making it out to the get together if it's in Plano.
09-08-2008, 03:29 PM
Titus

Did your new a-arms come with new stock bushings that then were removed for the Super Pro bushings? If so, I might be interested in them.
09-08-2008, 03:43 PM
black roadster

Quote:

Originally Posted by Titus

Did your new a-arms come with new stock bushings that then were removed for the Super Pro bushings? If so, I might be interested in them.

If they're in good shape from being pressed out, they're yours if you want to pick up my tab Wednesday night. ;)

I'll dig through my box of old parts to see if I can find them.
09-09-2008, 07:53 AM
Miatamaniac92

So why'd you replace the A-arms?

Chris
09-09-2008, 08:15 AM
Titus

Quote:

Originally Posted by Miatamaniac92

So why'd you replace the A-arms?

Chris

The upper ball joints are not available by themselves. The only way to get new upper ball-joints from Mazda is to buy new upper a-arms (as they come with the new ball joint pressed in.) Some have speculated that it wouldn't be hard to press the old ball-joint out and put a new one in, but you would then need to find a ball-joint that worked.
09-09-2008, 09:09 AM
trickyrix

So what's the service life of the stock bushings/ball joints/tie rod ends? Were yours pretty thrashed at 175K?
09-09-2008, 09:12 AM
POS Racing

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickyrix

So what's the service life of the stock bushings/ball joints/tie rod ends? Were yours pretty thrashed at 175K?

Remember BR's car is a lot heavier than you normal Miata! ;)
09-09-2008, 10:00 AM
mk2tmr2

I had the Super Pro diff mounts put in by AJ about a week before BR did. I will echo the praise of these things.

With the lightweight flywheel and the touchy big throttle body, putzing around a parking lot in 1st gear would cause the car to lurch and bounce a lot as the throttle tipped in and out. The new bushings took ALL of that slack out of the drive train and it's as smooth as silk now. Feels good on hard acceleration and launches.

I'll be doing A-arm bushings next as I was told mine are on their way out at 135k miles :-P
09-09-2008, 03:32 PM
black roadster

Quote:

Originally Posted by trickyrix

So what's the service life of the stock bushings/ball joints/tie rod ends? Were yours pretty thrashed at 175K?

Not trashed but had some play in them and the boots on my tie rods and steering rack were torn. I did the ball joints as good measure while A.J. was working on the front end.

My suspension bushings looked to be in ok shape but I can tell you they had lots of play in them because I immediately noticed a difference while pulling away for the first time in 1st gear.

The car feels a lot better. I'm still amazed at the difference.
09-09-2008, 03:34 PM
black roadster

Quote:

Originally Posted by POS Racing

Remember BR's car is a lot heavier than you normal Miata! ;)

Nuh uh! I filled the tires with helium. ::Banana::
09-09-2008, 03:43 PM
MiataMike

Quote:

Originally Posted by black roadster

Nuh uh! I filled the tires with helium. ::Banana::

I said it back when I had mine done. It was the single most noticable difference I ever made to my suspension. The car feels so much tighter than it did on stock bushing, it has great feedback. The ride isn't squeaky as some have described in the past. If I had to do it again I would. BTW: AJ did my install as well back in feb/mar.

To bad my car died in April :(
09-22-2008, 06:03 PM
BAM!

Quote:

Originally Posted by black roadster

The bushings were $400 and labor was $600. (The diff bushings are $130 + additional labor)

After seeing what was involved, I decided A.J. was the man for the job. He has now installed bushings on four Miatas.

Not cheap but seeing as these bushings should last the rest of the cars life and shouldn't deteriorate like the stock rubber bushings it is a good investment in my eyes. Heck, Teins would be an additional $400 + labor!

the bushings were 500 to install, an extra hundred for the inner and outer tierods with bellows boots, and upper control arms... the rear differential bushing installation was tossed in free (prolly wont do that again, i cant find what sort of labor time that runs but id imagine another $100)

if anyone wanted to do bushings AND coilovers, ill toss those on the car for $50 since the control arms are all off the car! ;) ;)im glad you like them William, thanks for the praise!