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Replace trailing arm bush difficulty?

72K views 65 replies 21 participants last post by  cjmolhoj 
#1 ·
Wanting to replace a bunch of bushes on the car this year as it's certainly growing of age.

Has anyone replaced these before? And how difficult was it?

 
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#2 ·
I've had luck with other bushings/cars using a cheap Harbor Freight ball joint press to push bushings out and into control arms. Not sure if it'll include a cup/receiver big enough to do that one though....

May help to put the bushing in the freezer, and heat up the trailing arm for installation so that thermal expansion works in your favor. Removing the old one you may have to resort to a torch to burn it out.
 
#3 ·
I used the Free Loaner kit from Pep Boys years back when doing the front suspension on my Truck and The Yukon. Had a good selection on cups and caps and worked perfectly for a 4x4,safe to assume it should have the correct size for the trailing arm too. And yes,heat and the freezer played a helpful role for the control arm bushings...
 
#4 ·
Lube too.
 
#16 ·
^^^^^^^^^^^This...

I had the exact same question. I've seen a few you tube videos where guys manage to muscle the trailing arm down just enough to get the bushing down below the frame to a workable location.

I'm not sure if buddy was working on a Mazda 3 or not though...

Regardless, has anyone been able to pull this off?
 
#6 ·
I haven't done it on a 3,but judging by the size of the size of the press,though it's not too large, may be too bulky to orient it and the bushing correctly while still on the car. I removed the arms from the truck and held it in a vice while battering them out. Foul language helped also...lol
 
#7 ·
I have done that one. Took the whole trailing off though. Much easier. Didn't take six hours either lol

Edit:
Damn I have changed a fair number of bushings on this damn car lol
You can do it Andrew. I have faith in you.
 
#8 ·
Is it really that difficult to remove it? I'm just trying to process in my head how much work it would be, and the only real issue that would annoy me would be removing the whole brakes. I might just wait until I need to replace my rear pads to do any other bushes on the rear arms.

Only other bushes that would need replacing in the rear would be on the actual control arm. RSB bushes are only like 20k old, toe bushes are 1 week old, camber arms are 10k old, really just the LCA and that TA bush are the only ones that have 100k of use on them.

As for the fronts I need to replace at least one side's axle (but would replace all of it), but would rather do that when I get my clutch replaced as that just makes the most sense.

But I figured I'd replace my front LCAs at that point at well (would like to go to some better bushes but from what I can tell not something that can be easily done without a press and some fabbing to pull them out.

But I can replace my steering balljoint easy.

looking at MOOG stuff mostly, dealt with them on a Speed3 and everyone seems to be happy overall with MOOG and another company I can't recall, but MOOG has everything for good prices that I need.
 
#10 ·
No complaints from my Mevotech arms. Dimensionally identical to stock, looked like good quality out of the box, damned reasonably priced, and other members here have had good luck with them.
 
#11 ·
I don't actually recall the process or how difficult it was or what it looks like under there :p but I don't remember it being hard if that's any help to you lol.
 
#12 ·
http://www.mazda3forums.com/showthread.php?t=412980&highlight=trailing+arm+bushing+replacement

This is the guide that I used. Notice it isn't complete after removal. That's not a big deal, because it just goes back in the reverse order. I did mine a couple months ago. I don't think it could (or possibly even should) be attempted while on the car. After I did those bushings. I ended up getting a set of SPC camber arms, and then MOOG everything for the front and rear. I am very happy with MOOG after comparing them side to side with the FoMoCo stuff on there. You seem to know your stuff, so replacing these bushings should be fairly easy for you. The only "trouble" I ran into, was getting the rust to let loose. Grab a can of PB Blaster and hit whatever you want to and let sit to soak for a little bit. A press would be helpful for pressing in the bushings, but I bet a couple clamps could get the job done in pinch. I would also recommend keeping the bushings in the freezer until ready to install.
 
#17 ·
I can't decide if I want to try; that's right, I still haven't done it LOL
But the car is in literal bits right now so I might as well?

I think I should give it a shot, see how it goes.

That is, if I can do it without removing to much. If I can undo the shock, camber arm, and the bushing mounts and access it, then other than finding a way to press it out, I think I could handle it.
 
#19 ·
I literally just finished reading the procedure and spraying down bolts I will have to move with penetrating oil. It is definitely an intimidating job since it involves tearing the whole rear end apart but really, it isn't THAT bad. As for pushing out the old bushing and putting in a new one, there are some genius home made tools out there doing it pretty easily. My favorite one that I saw online, either in this forum or another similar one, involved drilling a hole through two pipe end caps, using a piece of threaded rod, a socket or two and some nuts for a make shift bushing press/removal tool. Seemed to work pretty well and could be easily adapted for different bushing sixes... I'll let you know how I make out in a couple weeks when I do the job! I might even make a thread about it depending on how faithfully I can take pictures throughout the process.

just send it in to your mazda dealer BUT make sure they have a press. I have actually spoken with 2 mazda dealers who stupidly did not have it....(being that it's such a common issue with our mazdas)

have them replace the bushing. It's cheaper and no headache what so ever, rating than trying to do it yourself
I was quoted $600 labor at my local Canadian Tire. I don't even want to know what the stealership wants....

I am also going to be doing rear shocks and the lateral links while I am in there... So, what the hell right? >:)
 
#18 ·
just send it in to your mazda dealer BUT make sure they have a press. I have actually spoken with 2 mazda dealers who stupidly did not have it....(being that it's such a common issue with our mazdas)

have them replace the bushing. It's cheaper and no headache what so ever, rating than trying to do it yourself
 
#20 ·
I typically have ended up using sockets (very large ones for old flywheels lol), and C clamps, if I can't use a bench vice.

Having the proper tool of course would make the job twice as easy at least!

If you're taking apart half of those things anyways, IMO you certainly might as well; maybe even do camber arms if you haven't.

If you do, and are successful, mind taking pictures??
Even maybe writing up a how-to?
 
#21 ·
I'm hoping to make some what of a how to article depending on whether or not I have the patience to take photos at each step. Now that you asked though I have a little more motivation :wink2:

I am curious though, I don't see any component in the service manual called a camber arm. Is there another name for what you're talking about?

You got me thinking now, I wonder if I should replace the control arms while I'm in there.... Most everything looks not TOO bad but it all has 110,000 km on it (Google tells me that is about 68k miles) so how much more life can I really get out of them?

I'm also concerned about getting the car to the shop after I finish all the suspension work.... I'm also doing struts... I'm hoping I can get it close enough for the 2k ride to Midas for an alignment.
 

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#22 ·
item #4 in that picture; it's the curved arm. The toe links are the one low and rearward, that are straight.

It might be hard to say, as suspension components truly depend on where you live, seriously. Weather life is just as important as mileage and street conditions through the life.

But I'm willing to bet most people have pulled over 150k miles out of them or more before really having any issues.

I just want to replace mine with some energy suspension bushes I purchased last year lol
 
#24 ·
I just did this repair last weekend. Took me 2 half days since I am a novice and had issues taking bolts out of chamber and lower control arm. I replaced with Energy Suspension Polyurethane. Part is for Ford Focus but the trailer arm is the same part on both ford focus and my 2008 mazda 3 GX sedan. You can confirm on rockauto if the trailer arm is the same part number on the 2004 ford focus and your model mazda3..

the part number is Energy Suspension 4.7124R (which is red)

you can also use Energy Suspension 4.7124G which is Black. As far as I know they are the same

But i also have the black version for my front sway bar and I remember reading that the black versions for my sway bar had more oils inside of poly so I went black. But for the 4.7124R it was $10 cheaper so I went with them


The steps I took to replace was:

***first off always watch for spring. I didn't have to secure it but I was paranoid about it coming out and killing me. LOL

Remove tire/rim,
Disconnected ABS connector and also the clips that attach it to trailer arm
disconnect clips attaching hand brake cable
removed plastic shield
Removed bolt from bottom of strut
Removed outer bolt from control arm
remove trailer arm bushing bolts
remove bolt from outer chamber arm
******At this point watch out for the chamber as it can bounce upward and will yank on the no hand brake, brake line!!!!!!

At that point you should be able to pull down the trailer arm to get access.

The energy bushing requires you to reuse the pin, so I sat on the ground and put my 2 feet on the trailer arm and used both my hands with a vise grip and ripped the pin out. This wasnt so bad because the original bushing was so damaged. I used a hammer to chip off as much as i could and then an air tool to clean up the pin.

then I removed the old bushing with a long bold, nut, washers and a 6 inch plate of metal which had a hole for the bolt to go through.
With the bolt going through the bushing, nut and washers on far side and plate on front side I was able to use impact gun/wratchet to get the bushing out.

Then greased up new bushing and using same tool I pushed in bushing 90% of way and then used a control arm bushing tool set i rented from auto part store to get the last 10% in.

Then the hard part came. which was to get the in back in. This took my buddy's help and we pushed the pin back in with a clamp and all 4 of our hands to steady it while it slipped it.

Also don't try using an air hammer to push pin it. The Poly just absorbs all the force and it simply would not go in. Slow and stead is the way with the pin.

Hope this helps!!
You have helpped me out many time on this forum!
 
#25 ·
FYI, no need to remove rear brakes by my method!

Also you will want to torque the lower control arm while the car is sitting on all 4 tires.
If possible chamber to.

all bolts were 75ft/lbs
trailer arm is 95ft/lbs

I always pick higher spec torque.

Let me know if you want a diagram with torque specs. I have it somewhere.
 
#28 ·
Sucks u had to put the pin on I got moog proble. Solvers and they seems really nice and with the "pin" in been waiting till winter comes and I'm laid off. To do this job along with speed 3 brakes mew controls arms new shocks, oranges to yellows. Maybe new toe arms, and maybe new camber arms if they don't need torched off, if they don't I'm gona be upset because I got an alignment and I specifically told them to adjust camber and they didn't, Re adjustable toe arms really worth it?
 
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