_Kansei_

that reminds me.. I need to inspect the extent of the bent wheel.. I think it's just the lip that is bent.. holding air just fine, even 3 weeks later, but causing some shakes.

it just needs to last until winter (i.e. until I get new snow tires in and mounted which will be about 3 weeks from now)

_Kansei_

do iiiiiiiiit

it's a friggin simple install too, none of the issues to deal with like the front bar.

demoniam

sounds like a plan...I want one also!

chiefmg

I did a complete suspension install (approx 14 hours over two days) on my car a long time ago. Also installed the rear AWR engine mount since I dropped the front subframe at the time. While it was a pain, it isn't the worst thing I have ever done. That said, Mazda could have done a better job of designing things. That can be said of every car though, there is always some maintenance item that is a killer (I recall my brother-in-law with a GM X-body, changing oil and plugs on that car was a nightmare!).

Hyperion

repaired the wiring that I broke from not securing my sub. and moved some old flourescents I had in the front that I never used to the hatch, and wired them into the light switch so when I open the hatch its blue lol, in the process of moving them I yanked a couple fuses on accident and reset my trip gauge my A/C recirculate switch, the dome lights, and my head unit. that got my heart pumping a bit.

_Kansei_

yeah I'm glad the basic maintenance stuff on this car is crazy simple to do.

It just sucks that by 80k miles or so those front bushings are toast and it's 7 hours of labor to have them replaced. If there was just a few millimeters more clearance between the subframe piece and the chassis, absolutely nothing would have to come off the car to replace the bushings. I think that is what bugs me the most about it.. I can get a socket on the nut on the back of the bracket but it just barely won't fit with my thinnest, smallest driver on it.

and a box wrench is a no-go.. way too tight

I could have my engine out in less time.

and yeah I have a rear AWR mount (95 durometer) waiting for install as well. I really don't feel like working on the car for at least a few hours, I probably won't get back to it until tomorrow.

at least I can say I'm having a 0 carbon day now

demoniam

what if you bent a ratcheting box wrench down to an extreme angle (90*) and then bent it 90* at the opposite end?

[==]==
||
||
=====[==] <-- this end you could attach a piece of tubing for more torque

/\
This end would drop over and down onto the bolt..


just thinkin outside the box...

_Kansei_

I've seen those ratcheting box wrenches, but never bought them because they were always equipped with 12-point sockets instead of 6-point. I'll have to do some investigating (and go on a bike ride to sears probably :P )

demoniam

I guess you could try it with a six point...I just think that you ought to be able to bend the ratchet (with heat/vice clamp/hammer) into a more usable shape..

sumo_Bob

Only Problem with heat bending is that the tool will lose it's temper. Most of your tools are forged, and that makes them have their rigid properties. If you heat it up, then you take away those properties, and weaken the tool. It may still work, but it's more prone to fail.

_Kansei_

ok I now have one side of the steering linkage unbolted.. then had to remove both shift lever rods to get access to the bolts on the other side of the steering linkage... I still need to lower the car down and remove the front motor mount and the brace it attaches to..

but oh wait, there's 15mm of clearance between the bolts holding the driver's side steering linkage to the crossmember and the TRANSMISSION.

I refuse to pull my transmission again unless I'm putting in an LSD. It's a 17mm bolt, and if it's like the ones on the other side I'll need to use my breaker bar on it.. but there isn't at all enough clearance.

WHO THE HELL DESIGNED THIS CRAP??

as much as I'd love to say that I made my car my bitch, it looks as though finally I will have to take it to a shop to have work done. turbo kit, pulling the tranny, no problem. front sway bar bushings? hell no, seriously nobody even try it unless you want to dedicate a weekend to it.

After this experience.. I will research my next car extensively to make sure it doesn't have gremlins like this. Like I'm talking go for a test drive, put it up on a lift and inspect the location of all the components, etc

aMaff

a) all cars have gremlins
b) there's no reason you have to pull the tranny. Drop the subframe doofus

_Kansei_

in response to b: that's precisely what I was trying to do. there's not enough clearance to unbolt the steering linkage from the subframe

.. the bolts are like 3 inches long.. even if I got them spinning, they'd hit the tranny before they were out.

_Kansei_

I think I just finally need to take it to a shop to have something done.. 6.5 hours @ $110 dollars an hour (the only place in/near Rochester I would trust to work on my car).. that is going to hurt my bum for weeks

I don't even have a job lol

edit: found another little thing attached to the crossmember.. the rear motor mount.

aMaff

you don't need to disconnect everything. The sub frame will fall away from the steering column. It's a pain in the *** to get back in, but the easiest way to do what you're doing