2006 MX-5 2.0 Option Pack
Discussion
Kev_Mk3 said:
Great stuff. I did the swift wishbones last winter with new oem ones as didnt want a harsh ride. When these go I may go poly bushes but I suspect I wont need to replace them any time soon as cars not moved in so long.
Being cast alu the MX5 arms are a bit pricey to swap as a complete part, so I was pretty happy when I discovered I could just buy replacement OE rubber bushes. Shame it didn't work out.mattdavies said:
Great update and good information on the Chinese Cutting blades. Now I need to go find a cordless saw and buy some blades .... ebay here i come.
The blade came from Amazon - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08FQPX2VD/It'll rip through more than you're attempting to cut if you're not careful. I found that stopping just short of cutting through the bolt and then snapping it off by turning it with a spanner worked well and avoided any accidental cuts in the subframe.
The new front ARB bushes turned up...
Having the first order for these cancelled did me a favour. SuperPro sell this style of bushing in a number of different sizes, I'd originally ordered 26mm. My car has 'yellow dot' RX8 rollbars fitted, some further research reveals they're actually 26.5mm thick so the 27mm version of the SuperPro bush is probably a better option.
The car had ARB poly bushes from a company in Russia called Siberian Bushing fitted. They were sold as RX8 bushes, but the RX8 ARBs come in a number of different sizes and the split in these bushes has always gaped. I suspect they were too small. This seems to have allowed all the grease to be washed away with time.
The 27mm bushes were a great fit on the bar, still nice and tight, but not so tight that anything deformed when the brackets slid on.
Another good SuperPro product. Prices for their stuff in the UK seem to vary quite wildly, these were a very reasonable £28 delivered quickly from TDC Automotive.
Having the first order for these cancelled did me a favour. SuperPro sell this style of bushing in a number of different sizes, I'd originally ordered 26mm. My car has 'yellow dot' RX8 rollbars fitted, some further research reveals they're actually 26.5mm thick so the 27mm version of the SuperPro bush is probably a better option.
The car had ARB poly bushes from a company in Russia called Siberian Bushing fitted. They were sold as RX8 bushes, but the RX8 ARBs come in a number of different sizes and the split in these bushes has always gaped. I suspect they were too small. This seems to have allowed all the grease to be washed away with time.
The 27mm bushes were a great fit on the bar, still nice and tight, but not so tight that anything deformed when the brackets slid on.
Another good SuperPro product. Prices for their stuff in the UK seem to vary quite wildly, these were a very reasonable £28 delivered quickly from TDC Automotive.
The tinkering continues. The mounts and spring perches on the Konis were looking a bit rusty (they have thick paint that chips off in big pieces easily). I gave them a coat of Hammerite smooth yellow - it's the wrong shade of yellow but looks better than rust.
The Flo-Flex bushes for the lower shock mounts turned up. I've always been curious about their products, there's a mix of feedback out there. They were £35ish, which was more appealing than £100 on the only other option I could find from SuperPro.
Here's what I got, no grease, no instructions...
No fancy knurling to retain grease inside, and more bubbles in the poly than an Aero bar...
The outer sleeves and inner tubes are aluminium, most poly kits seem to use steel tubes, I assume for good reason. But at least the outer shells won't corrode. The poly isn't bonded to the outer sleeves, it's just pressed in, there doesn't seem to be anything stopping the bush from rotating in the outer sleeve. If that's intentional it's a bit odd that no grease was used to install them, I suspect this could lead to squeaks. Dimentionally they looked to be a good copy of the original.
Things didn't look as good when I went to press in the inner tubes, they're an overly tight fit within the poly. On most poly kits I've used the tubes can be slid in by hand using firm pressure, that was impossible with these.
Once pressed in with the big vice the poly was then distorted and ballooned out of both ends...
Most poly bushes are designed on the basis that the inner tube can rotate within the poly, these are so tight that I can't see that ever happening.
Removing the tubes revealed that the tubes were getting on for 0.7mm over the 25mm OD that was written on them, the other dimensions were correct.
The poly was around 0.3mm under, so there's 1mm of deflection between the two parts, this seems excessive.
I suspect if the inner tube was correctly sized to 25mm they'd be spot on. Measuring some other bushes I had in the garage from Powerflex and SuperPro they all have around 0.2-0.3mm difference between the tubes and poly.
I sent these details over to Flo-Flex and asked for some tubes in the correct size to be sent out - they've so far fobbed me off stating that's an interference fit is intentional. I don't think an interference fit should interfere to the point that it deforms the part. Unsurprisingly, you get what you pay for.
It's at times like this that I wish I had a lathe. I've found a handy business that will turn and send out alu spacers in any size, £12 for a pair of replacement tubes delivered next working day
The Flo-Flex bushes for the lower shock mounts turned up. I've always been curious about their products, there's a mix of feedback out there. They were £35ish, which was more appealing than £100 on the only other option I could find from SuperPro.
Here's what I got, no grease, no instructions...
No fancy knurling to retain grease inside, and more bubbles in the poly than an Aero bar...
The outer sleeves and inner tubes are aluminium, most poly kits seem to use steel tubes, I assume for good reason. But at least the outer shells won't corrode. The poly isn't bonded to the outer sleeves, it's just pressed in, there doesn't seem to be anything stopping the bush from rotating in the outer sleeve. If that's intentional it's a bit odd that no grease was used to install them, I suspect this could lead to squeaks. Dimentionally they looked to be a good copy of the original.
Things didn't look as good when I went to press in the inner tubes, they're an overly tight fit within the poly. On most poly kits I've used the tubes can be slid in by hand using firm pressure, that was impossible with these.
Once pressed in with the big vice the poly was then distorted and ballooned out of both ends...
Most poly bushes are designed on the basis that the inner tube can rotate within the poly, these are so tight that I can't see that ever happening.
Removing the tubes revealed that the tubes were getting on for 0.7mm over the 25mm OD that was written on them, the other dimensions were correct.
The poly was around 0.3mm under, so there's 1mm of deflection between the two parts, this seems excessive.
I suspect if the inner tube was correctly sized to 25mm they'd be spot on. Measuring some other bushes I had in the garage from Powerflex and SuperPro they all have around 0.2-0.3mm difference between the tubes and poly.
I sent these details over to Flo-Flex and asked for some tubes in the correct size to be sent out - they've so far fobbed me off stating that's an interference fit is intentional. I don't think an interference fit should interfere to the point that it deforms the part. Unsurprisingly, you get what you pay for.
It's at times like this that I wish I had a lathe. I've found a handy business that will turn and send out alu spacers in any size, £12 for a pair of replacement tubes delivered next working day
Edited by Accelebrate on Thursday 1st February 14:39
I know you've spent your money and all, but IL motorsport are showing the genuine ones as in stock:
https://www.ilmotorsport.de/en/mx-5-bushing-bottom...
(disclaimer; never actually bought anything direct from them)
That particular bush is going to be taking a constant beating, I'm not sure I'd trust the lifespan of a poly bush in that location. I also wouldn't be surprised if the original part wasn't actually stiffer than the poly parts you've got there.
EDIT, doesn't look like they ship to the UK, so ignore me.
https://www.ilmotorsport.de/en/mx-5-bushing-bottom...
(disclaimer; never actually bought anything direct from them)
That particular bush is going to be taking a constant beating, I'm not sure I'd trust the lifespan of a poly bush in that location. I also wouldn't be surprised if the original part wasn't actually stiffer than the poly parts you've got there.
EDIT, doesn't look like they ship to the UK, so ignore me.
Thanks - but it doesn't look like ILM will ship outside Germany.
Assuming it looks ok with the thinner tubes I'll try the poly mount for a bit, it's in a position where I can inspect it and press it out/in without removing the arm again or altering the alignment. It's possibly something that a Mazda dealer will be able to order in, they're just a bit of a pain to get to around here.
Autodoc list a couple of aftermarket options, but they've been out of stock for a while and I can't find them anywhere else - https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=F1...
Assuming it looks ok with the thinner tubes I'll try the poly mount for a bit, it's in a position where I can inspect it and press it out/in without removing the arm again or altering the alignment. It's possibly something that a Mazda dealer will be able to order in, they're just a bit of a pain to get to around here.
Autodoc list a couple of aftermarket options, but they've been out of stock for a while and I can't find them anywhere else - https://www.autodoc.co.uk/spares-search?keyword=F1...
Edited by Accelebrate on Thursday 1st February 14:56
Good work as usual. Love the carbide blade top. I always use a slitting disc like you say so this could be a game changer!
Noticed you were using a socket on your press, I invested in a sleeve kit and it made life so much easier. Expensive but worth it. I got this one from eBay (ignore the threaded bar attachment although it might come in useful somewhere)...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374388604070?mkcid=16&a...
Also a little hack if you remove the jack from the press and stand it on the cross beam you can use it to push up onto the top of the press frame, helps with some tricky angles. Mega bodge and probably not safe at all but it's worked for me in the past
Noticed you were using a socket on your press, I invested in a sleeve kit and it made life so much easier. Expensive but worth it. I got this one from eBay (ignore the threaded bar attachment although it might come in useful somewhere)...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374388604070?mkcid=16&a...
Also a little hack if you remove the jack from the press and stand it on the cross beam you can use it to push up onto the top of the press frame, helps with some tricky angles. Mega bodge and probably not safe at all but it's worked for me in the past
waynedear said:
Drove my first mx-5 an hour ago, darker blue than yours, think it's an 07.
A mate treated himself, think he paid over the odds... £6500...
What a fabulous thing though, has me thinking...
They're great fun on a sunny but crisp day like today! If only mine had the wheels connected...A mate treated himself, think he paid over the odds... £6500...
What a fabulous thing though, has me thinking...
drgoatboy said:
Good work as usual. Love the carbide blade top. I always use a slitting disc like you say so this could be a game changer!
Noticed you were using a socket on your press, I invested in a sleeve kit and it made life so much easier. Expensive but worth it. I got this one from eBay (ignore the threaded bar attachment although it might come in useful somewhere)...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374388604070?mkcid=16&a...
Also a little hack if you remove the jack from the press and stand it on the cross beam you can use it to push up onto the top of the press frame, helps with some tricky angles. Mega bodge and probably not safe at all but it's worked for me in the past
That's a useful-looking kit, thanks. I've been using/abusing a bearing install kit as well as sockets, but it's aluminium and they're not enjoying being used in a press.Noticed you were using a socket on your press, I invested in a sleeve kit and it made life so much easier. Expensive but worth it. I got this one from eBay (ignore the threaded bar attachment although it might come in useful somewhere)...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374388604070?mkcid=16&a...
Also a little hack if you remove the jack from the press and stand it on the cross beam you can use it to push up onto the top of the press frame, helps with some tricky angles. Mega bodge and probably not safe at all but it's worked for me in the past
The replacement bushing tubes turned up quickly...
They're a nice snug fit, but not so tight that excessive force is required to install. No deforming or ballooning on the bushing with them installed...
Compare that to using the supplied tubes...
I know it's not a complicated piece, but I find it quite cool that there are companies out there who will make a custom part to your specifications quickly and cheaply. Hats-off to Ultraturn in Manchester.
They're a nice snug fit, but not so tight that excessive force is required to install. No deforming or ballooning on the bushing with them installed...
Compare that to using the supplied tubes...
I know it's not a complicated piece, but I find it quite cool that there are companies out there who will make a custom part to your specifications quickly and cheaply. Hats-off to Ultraturn in Manchester.
I got quite a lot done on the car this weekend. Starting with finally getting the lower arm bushes assembled...
The cheap bushes had no knurling or similar to retain grease. I've tried a thin wrap of PTFE tape along with grease on the tubes, some people seem to swear by this technique to avoid squeaking poly.
The caliper carriers had been painted at some point before I owned the car, but they were looking scruffy. The calipers have both been replaced during my ownership but the zinc coating on them was starting to fail and they were beginning to corrode. I'm not mad keen on painting floating calipers, so I picked a boring graphite VHT paint to tidy them up.
Onto reassembly. Lots of new hardware for the lower arms...
Putting it all back together didn't take very long at all. This is the first time during my ownership of this car that the front axle doesn't have any perished rubber.
I took the lazy option and masked and painted the calipers on the car...
New discs and PBS ProRace pads...
Looking good!
I've left the calipers off to give them chance to harden a bit. I've got an alignment booked for tomorrow afternoon. I'll try and eyeball it beforehand so that the journey over isn't too awful.
The cheap bushes had no knurling or similar to retain grease. I've tried a thin wrap of PTFE tape along with grease on the tubes, some people seem to swear by this technique to avoid squeaking poly.
The caliper carriers had been painted at some point before I owned the car, but they were looking scruffy. The calipers have both been replaced during my ownership but the zinc coating on them was starting to fail and they were beginning to corrode. I'm not mad keen on painting floating calipers, so I picked a boring graphite VHT paint to tidy them up.
Onto reassembly. Lots of new hardware for the lower arms...
Putting it all back together didn't take very long at all. This is the first time during my ownership of this car that the front axle doesn't have any perished rubber.
I took the lazy option and masked and painted the calipers on the car...
New discs and PBS ProRace pads...
Looking good!
I've left the calipers off to give them chance to harden a bit. I've got an alignment booked for tomorrow afternoon. I'll try and eyeball it beforehand so that the journey over isn't too awful.
Coat them with this and you'll never had a issue with them going black from heat.
I used buzzweld high temp paint then this still like new 2 years later and they take a pounding!
https://www.buzzweld.co.uk/clear-high-temperature-...
I used buzzweld high temp paint then this still like new 2 years later and they take a pounding!
https://www.buzzweld.co.uk/clear-high-temperature-...
Thanks. I should have thought about Buzzweld, I like their primers.
I used E-Tech VHT - https://e-tech.uk.com/e-tech-xht-paint-xtremely-hi... the instructions state it needs to be baked at 160c for an hour. That wasn’t a problem for the carriers (although my wife wasn’t too impressed with the house being full of paint fumes), but I couldn’t be bothered to remove the calipers to do the same. Hopefully, the heat of the brakes will cure them at some point. They were hard enough this morning that winding back the pistons using a clamp and block of wood didn’t damage the paint.
I used E-Tech VHT - https://e-tech.uk.com/e-tech-xht-paint-xtremely-hi... the instructions state it needs to be baked at 160c for an hour. That wasn’t a problem for the carriers (although my wife wasn’t too impressed with the house being full of paint fumes), but I couldn’t be bothered to remove the calipers to do the same. Hopefully, the heat of the brakes will cure them at some point. They were hard enough this morning that winding back the pistons using a clamp and block of wood didn’t damage the paint.
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