My "follow-along" Mazda5 Suspension upgrade

So the sway bar end links are junk.
One trailing arm bushing, I was able to push out with my hand. The other one I'll need to work out.
The upper arms' and camber arms' bushings seem to be in OK shape? The lower arms also seem to be in OK shape. Not sure what else I should replace. Part of me says "everything" since it's only one more bolt to get those arms out. Are there any other components which would cause terrible toe issues?

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Was the 20 wraps of cloth tape and zip tie a factory installed option?
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Started freaking snowing. Again. I'm over it!!!
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So many options for the camber arms. I believe SPC is who most people recommend. I don't think I trust the cheap $90 cast knockoffs. Other option would be Megan Racing. Edited my post to remove the junk.

SPC - $156 @ Amazon & THMotorsports (forged, rubber OE-type bushings)

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Megan Racing - $185 @ eBay (forged, 150% stronger rubber)
https://www.ebay.com (commissions earned)
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Were your lateral links sitting cock-eyed in the mounting tabs like this l/l or were they vertical between the tabs lke this l l l ? If they were sitting crooked i would go ahead and replace them, you dont want to have to tear it all apart again right? Snow, in springtime, stupid damn global warming...
 
Your trailing arm is attached to the car at four points: 1. front bushing 2. camber arm 3. lateral link 4. lower control arm #1 you are already intimately familiar with, #2 ditto #4 is the one that the rear spring sits in. The lateral links are what keeps the whole assembly from shifting in and out (laterally) on the axis of the front bushing. They should be close to vertical in relation to their mounting tabs, not all cock-eyed from stress and the rubber bushings being old and worn out.
 
Dave, I'm real happy with my Topspeed brand camber arms in the rear- cost me just over $100 I believe. Hardrace bushings. AC Delco also sells their own arms on Amazon for about $60 each delivered- I would consider those to be just as good as any other OEM style camber arm that has adjusters on it, since AC Delco makes OEM parts.
 
Secondtyme said:
Your trailing arm is attached to the car at four points: 1. front bushing 2. camber arm 3. lateral link 4. lower control arm #1 you are already intimately familiar with, #2 ditto #4 is the one that the rear spring sits in. The lateral links are what keeps the whole assembly from shifting in and out (laterally) on the axis of the front bushing. They should be close to vertical in relation to their mounting tabs, not all cock-eyed from stress and the rubber bushings being old and worn out.
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Ooh, I ordered new ones of those. Only thing I'm not touching right now is the lower control arms.
 
Secondtyme said:
Yours looks exactly like mine did before I started replacing parts Dave! I replaced the following and the problem is 100% fixed : Trailing Arm Bushings on both sides with OE spec, not poly, Lateral Links, both sides with Moog from Advance Auto, rear shocks with OE Spectrum and shock mounts Moog. I know the OE Spectrums are supposed to be crap but they have done great for the last ten thousand miles on mine. The single biggest contributor to the alignment being so screwy is the bushings on the trailing arms, mine were so bad that when I removed the trailing arm from the car the metal center bar that the mounting bolts use to hold the arm to the car just fell out on the ground! You will have to have a shop press to get the old bushings out and the new ones in if we haven't already covered that ground somewhere in this thread LOL
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Do you have the part numbers for the trailing arm bushings and Moog lateral links? Just replaced rear shocks and mounts with Monroe's but still hear thumping noises when going over bumps. (scratch)
 
Thanks for posting the part number- one more thing to consider if I ever lower the 5. So far, I've got the SPC camber arms installed, bought 18" MS3 wheels, but I'm still at least $1500 from realizing a lowered Mazda5 that doesn't go "clunk" over every little bump. I guess the sway bar bushings are next...
 
Funny thing about the AC Delco arms- when I took them out of the box, they were stamped "SPC" on the side. Alignment guy was NOT amused with how those work (sensors on, read, sensors off, tire off, adjust, tire on, sensors on, read, repeat), but he set them as I requested.
 
So does the new Prothane/Energy Suspension (forget which one I bought) bushing press into that insert? Or does that insert come out and press directly into the control arm?


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You cut out, drill out, burn out, etc. all of the rubber until you have a smooth sleeve remaining. Then insert the bushing and follow that up with the pin. The pin is not easy to get in when under the car but probably not bad when using a press.
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OK that's what I was hoping to hear! The sleeves stay in place. I saw someone with a Focus that didn't look like they used the sleeves so it looked funny to me.

What grease should I be using on all these parts?


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The sticky grease is included. I've never heard a peep out of mine but I live in SoCal. I'm not sure how these will fair in a sandy environment, the factory rubber is probably better for that. Clean the sleeves really well so they are shiny and smooth.
 
No sticky grease came with these unfortunately. I remember it from a few years ago doing the bushings on my Firebird; I may have some packets left over from that.


I got the pins tonight, I'll hit the bushings up tomorrow.

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Did u install the shocks/struts yet? If not, could you please measure how much travel the Konis have? As in, measure the length of the exposed shaft, note number. Press the shaft all the down and note how much shaft is left exposed. Subtract difference. Also, if possible, get the shaft diameter as well. Thansk!!
 
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