Reply With QuoteYou are very welcome! Glad you found some things useful that I contributed. Sounds like you've been really busy trying to give someone a nice reliable ride, good luck with it!Originally Posted by speedo66
New member here, first post.
Been busy since I got this 2009 5 Sport w/110K a couple of weeks ago from my daughter. Had new ultra high performance all seasons installed, had the sliders and rear windows tinted dark, put on window/ wind guards.
Personally installed everything else: a Hidden Hitch and wiring, changed the plugs and air filter, blacked out all the emblems, and installed a backup camera.
The last 3 days I've been especially busy: I installed front sway bar end links, rear sway bar bushings and end links, front rotors and brakes, and the dreaded cabin filters. Also installed new serpentine belt and A/C belt. What do you think, not too bad for a septuagenarian?
Read all 212 pages of this thread, wish to thank the people here for all the good advice and how to's, especially Vasy and twintrbo! Local garage wanted over $500 just for the labor, thanks for the savings, paid for my tires.
Last edited by speedo66; 03-23-2018 at 06:53 PM.
You are very welcome! Glad you found some things useful that I contributed. Sounds like you've been really busy trying to give someone a nice reliable ride, good luck with it!
2009 Mazda 5 Touring, Stormy Blue on Sand
Gentex/Sony rear view mirror cam installed 4/28/10
Python 533 2 way remote starter installed 1/10/12
Heated side view mirrors installed 10/17/13
MS3 rear sway bar installed 4/9/14
Totalled by a moron 5/11/16 RIP
You're my boy Blue!
Just got home from 2200 mile road trip through mexico. 6 people. Full loaded roof rack and roof box 21 cubic feet. 24 MPG
Ended the rear end link saga. Short version: clunking from the rear, assumed it was OEM end links, couldn't remove the driver's side one, took to local shop who cut it off and offered to install the Moog endlinks I had with me for free, they royally stripped those because they didn't realize there are two nuts and threads on the studs (fine and coarse), I removed the jacked up ones today and installed some Mevotech ones. Clunking is all gone.
Also replaced my rear struts. OEM ones had 114k miles and were super easy to compress. Replaced them with KYB gas-a-just shocks, strut mounts, dust covers, and bump stops. Sagging is gone and rides much better now.
Last edited by Orangutan; 03-29-2018 at 11:18 AM. Reason: shocks, not struts
Completed mods: 15% tint all around | Class I trailer hitch | JKS Rear Spoiler | OEM bumper guard | OEM roof rack | Thule 872XT fairing | Hella Supertone Horns
Sounds like a fun weekend project.
It was actually fun once I figured out what the hell the shop guy did to the links. The rear shocks were also an easier job than the end links.
Parts I used:
KYB SM5619 rear upper shock mount
KYB SB125 rear suspension bellow and dust cover
KYB 551105 gas-a-just monotube rear shock absorber
Meovtech MS76860 X-Factor rear stabilizer end link
Part that was destroyed:
Moog K80867 rear stabilizer end links
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I'd been feeling a shutter in the car when starting off in first, but especially in reverse. I know how to drive stick so I was sure it wasn't just me. A little reading and it sounded like motor mounts. Rockauto to the rescue, a front right and lower mount ordered, both Beck-Arnley as I've always had good luck with them. I did the thing with filling the lower mount with epoxy for a little stiffening.
So after having read 4 or 5 articles, and watching 6 or 7 videos, today I installed both mounts. Upper was easy, no problem. Lower wasn't difficult, just a little more involved, and tighter space to work in, obviously. I used a wood padded jack under the oil pan for the top one, then changed to under the tranny for the bottom one, to hold the engine in place as I worked on them.
Luckily everything stayed in place and installation was pretty simple. I don't know what the dealer would have charged, but for $89 dollars in parts delivered, I figure I had to have saved at least a few hundred dollars.
If you need them done, consider doing it yourself. Watch some videos and it all becomes clear.
Where'd you get your parts, and which ones were they?
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As mentioned in the post they were Beck-Arnley parts from www.rockauto.com
Upper mount: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...443701&jsn=430
Lower mount: https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo...443701&jsn=426
I filled the lower mount with epoxy to stiffen it, but now getting a small amount of vibration. Not sure yet if that's a bad thing, reminds me of British sports cars I've had in the past, feels kind of sporty. If I decide against it, should be easy enough to drill and Dremel it out. Having now done it, aside from jacking the car up and securing it with jack stands, I think I could change the lower mount in 10 minutes or less.
Today a shift knob I had ordered arrived, so I installed it. Red carbon fiber over aluminum. Nice weight and I prefer a ball shape as opposed to the factory design.
I removed the shift pattern disk off the factory knob, a little double stick tape to attach it to the console.
Replaced the rear shock bump stops and dust covers as the ones I previously received were mispackaged items, so not the right ones (despite the box saying otherwise). Also got the car washed. Need to tackle the front struts at some point soon.
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New steering wheel...
When my daughter bought the 2009 Mazda5 new they only came with stick in the bottom grade, Sport. Stick was more important to her, but it meant a few things were different, i.e., cheaper.
One of those things was the steering wheel, which on the Sport was plastic rather than leather wrapped. One portion on the back of the plastic wheel had split, and every time I drive it, I feel a rough plastic edge a couple of inches long which sticks out from the wheel, annoying me.
So $30 delivered from Ebay got me a stock leather wrapped wheel in very nice shape, annoyance over. I installed it today after watching a few videos, and the installation went smoothly. A quick cleaning and some ArmorAll and it looks brand new. Not worth it to be annoyed for $30. lol
Last edited by speedo66; 04-12-2018 at 06:19 PM.
Installed 2nd gen mat hooks in our 2010 MZ5 so that we could use these 3D Maxpider Liners.
Last edited by Hank3; 04-15-2018 at 09:35 PM.
Had the first H9 die on me today, so they lasted 4+ months. Package says they're rated at 240 hours and H11s at 270. Xtravision H11s are only rated at 150, so I'm pretty happy with my choice. Bought some more H9s and put 'em in.
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