Suspension bushing advice

913kent · Post by **913kent** » Thu May 10, 2007 7:37 am

I am the (fourth?) owner of 95 NA model now equipped with AGX shocks, FM springs, upper shock mounts and sway bars. I enjoy the handling and ride this gives me as my daily driver. Most of my time and money investment has been restoring the car and doing mechanical repairs such as radiators, timing belts, water pump, clutch slave cylinders etc that have been necessary on this 151k mile Miata. This is in addition to the body work it needed to be road ready at the start. As my budget has been constrained for several years I have not undertaken any power upgrades that I anticipated. My question is what is your advice about replacing the suspension bushings. I am considering spending $400 plus for polyurethane bushings and the intensive labor effort it takes to remove and replace these 22 bushings. I hope that this will further increase the nimble "feeling of control". I don't see any indication that any previous replacements have been done. Do you expect this replacement will provide significant noticeable results or at worst prudent due to aging degraded components?

Post by **Brian** » Thu May 10, 2007 8:10 am

Replacing the bushings is a lot of work, but it does a great job of helping make the Miata feel tight and new again.

913kent · Post by **913kent** » Thu May 10, 2007 9:23 am

Brian thanks for your reply. It has been a slow decision whether the handling gains would be worth the trouble to install. In the Powerflex bushing set are there different durometer ratings for the different bushings depending on location/function? I know they are firmer by nature of the material, but I had been told the original bushings had different "firmness" ratings

Post by **Brian** » Thu May 10, 2007 10:25 am

Indeed the control arm bushings appear to be higher durometer than the sway bushings. Beyond that, I don't know.