Miata Suspension Bushing Options

[paultg]

So, I am starting to research this a bit and there seems to be quite a few options. I am planning to doing all control Arm bushings and rear diff mount bushings. The rear sway bar is going to be removed; already replaced the front and did end links.

1. Stock Mazda Bushings
2. Spec Miata Factory Competition Bushings (40% stiffer rubber)
a. Rubber
b. Urethane
c. Delrin (?)
3. Energy Suspension "Hyperflex"

The car will have 205/50R15 Falken Azenis tires; Bilstien NA struts, new NB style top hats and bushings, and flying miata springs (318 lb/in front and 233 lb/in rear) too.

Since this car will primarily be a street car I am sort of town between the Stock, Spec (rubber); or Energy Suspension. What do you typically use/recommend for a street car with some autox/hpde use? Are there other options I should consider?

Thanks,
Paul G.

[WillM]

Hi Paul,

How many miles on the car? Are you sure you need bushings? Or do you "need" bushings?

Stick with stock or go with the MC 40% stiffer option. Any other type of bushing is going to add a level of maintenance and/or aggravation you probably do not want to live with on a daily-driver.

Also, unless you change the engine mounts (to the MC stiffer ones), I would not change the diff mounts. Keep the engine and diff mounts the same (either all stock or all the stiffer MC version). Remember that the diff and engine mounts are doing the same thing. Each suspend one end of the entire drivetrain (engine/tranny/driveshaft/powerplant frame/differential).

I'm sure you can get away with running just the stiffer engine mounts or just the stiffer diff mount, but I wouldn't bother to do one without the other.

- Will

[paultg]

Thanks Will, I did some more research after posting this and you information is pretty much spot on in regards to what I found. The ES stuff is noisy and needs grease fittings, etc. etc. Of course the price is hard to beat.

The reason I am considering this is because I got a rear clip from a '94 Miata with a torsen cheap and local; I was planning to clean the subframe, control arms, spindles, rebuild brakes calipers, etc. while off the car and thought it would be a good time to do the bushings. The car the diff came from had 145K miles on it (mine has 112K).
Pic: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v215/ ... G_5966.jpg

From what I have read the old stock are more stiff than new "stock" to begin with; most don't bother changing them.

If I go this route I was only going to do the control arms and thought depending on budget it would be MC or stock; planing to stick with stock for the diff and engine as the car is a daily driver.

Is it April yet!

Paul G.