Notices
Suspension, Brakes, Drivetrain discuss the wondrous effects of boost and your miata...
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: 949 Racing

Thank god that's done....

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 9, 2010 | 05:20 PM
  #1  
jbresee's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 428
Total Cats: 1
From: Burlington, VT
Default Thank god that's done....

What I thought was a minor project kept the LE on blocks all summer.

I went to put in FatCat mounts and bumps and Energy suspension bushings.

I ended up with new sway bar end links, new ball joints, and all new nuts and bolts. Every single nut I touched was rusted solid. I broke my 3 foot 1/2 drive breaker bar and used up more PB blaster in one project then I've used in my entire life. No amount of heating and pblaster would bust some of these crufty bolts loose.

I will never, ever do bushings again. What a huge PITA.

I still need to get it aligned, but my quick spin around the block was pretty awesome. The ride is much more compliant, without losing any sharpness in handling feel.

I'll update once I have the car aligned.
Old Oct 9, 2010 | 06:16 PM
  #2  
Trent's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (11)
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,651
Total Cats: 39
From: Louisiana
Default

I knew you were talking about es bushings before I even opened this thread. God what a horrible job. Did you use the gorilla jizz grease that came with them?
Old Oct 9, 2010 | 09:16 PM
  #3  
9671111's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (10)
 
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,582
Total Cats: 18
Default

Originally Posted by Trent
Did you use the gorilla jizz grease that came with them?
That doesn't ******* come off of anything no matter how hard your try. Somehow I got some on my face and legs while my hands were covered. Awful. ******* awful.
Old Oct 10, 2010 | 01:49 AM
  #4  
gaius49's Avatar
Junior Member
 
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 99
Total Cats: 0
From: Bay Area, CA and Portland, OR
Default

Originally Posted by rccote
That doesn't ******* come off of anything no matter how hard your try. Somehow I got some on my face and legs while my hands were covered. Awful. ******* awful.
I went through a full box and a half of rubber gloves putting that stuff on. I figured it was easier to replace gloves than deal with poly urethane grease everywhere.
Old Oct 10, 2010 | 01:13 PM
  #5  
jbresee's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 428
Total Cats: 1
From: Burlington, VT
Default

that grease is unreal... its on everything.
Old Oct 10, 2010 | 01:40 PM
  #6  
rbluemx6's Avatar
Junior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 178
Total Cats: 0
From: San Antonio, TX
Default

For me it was a pretty straight foward job. Only took me a full day. The plus side was that my car has no rust, and I used my air tools. A $10 three jaw puller from HF made it go even quicker.

Would I do it again? I don't think I have a choice because my brother needs to replace his bushings too.
Old Oct 10, 2010 | 04:09 PM
  #7  
fooger03's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 4,149
Total Cats: 230
From: Columbus, OH
Default

Originally Posted by rbluemx6
For me it was a pretty straight foward job. Only took me a full day. The plus side was that my car has no rust, and I used my air tools. A $10 three jaw puller from HF made it go even quicker.

Would I do it again? I don't think I have a choice because my brother needs to replace his bushings too.
Get yourself a chair and a beer

Get him a bucket of tools

Supervise

Win
Old Oct 11, 2010 | 03:15 PM
  #8  
inferno94's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 521
Total Cats: 2
From: ON
Default

Originally Posted by fooger03
Get yourself a chair and a beer

Get him a bucket of tools

Supervise

Win
This is what I do with my bro as often as possible, it's called teaching them to not be so f$#&n dependant.
Old Oct 11, 2010 | 03:26 PM
  #9  
thymer's Avatar
Senior Member
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 822
Total Cats: -2
From: VA
Default

That was a ugly task... Now two years later mine are getting dried out and binding. Should have installed zerk fittings. Next time I'll do solids.
Old Oct 12, 2010 | 07:18 AM
  #10  
jbresee's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 428
Total Cats: 1
From: Burlington, VT
Default

I did the flush mount zerks. I have buy a grease gun adapter to get after them, but that's a purchase for next year.
Old Oct 12, 2010 | 08:50 AM
  #11  
webby459's Avatar
Elite Member
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,461
Total Cats: 4
From: Albany, NY
Default

I did mine a month or two ago, and it was actually quite easy. I used the H-F manual press that Emilio lists on his site, and popped in some zerks. With threads like this one, I'm beginning to appreciate just how clean my '90 is. Pretty much every nut, bolt, and part under the car is clean and rust-free. Not my doing, it came to me like that.
Old Oct 15, 2010 | 01:11 PM
  #12  
jbresee's Avatar
Thread Starter
Junior Member
 
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 428
Total Cats: 1
From: Burlington, VT
Default

Just back from the alignment shop.

The results of the FatCat Motorsport mounts and bumps, and the energy suspension bushings are a solid upgrade.

The handling is much crisper, and the suspension is actually more compliant and less jittery over rough pavement and expansion joints.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
mikeflys1
MEGAsquirt
13
Jul 18, 2008 12:08 AM
hustler
Insert BS here
32
May 19, 2008 06:16 PM
01TurboMiata
MEGAsquirt
22
Apr 19, 2008 05:46 PM
1fastmiata
General Miata Chat
92
Mar 10, 2008 09:01 AM
Splitime
MEGAsquirt
11
Feb 20, 2007 06:16 PM




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:08 AM.