2006+ Mazda5 Rear Shocks Replacement

[phunky.buddha]

Those sound like the same part- there's only one thing back there that could actually be the sway bar link. The other parts to the sway bar system are the bar itself, the clamps holding it to the frame, the bushings within the clamps, and all the bolts/nuts. Not much to it.

Other parts to replace- check the bushings in the suspension arms themselves. Those can wear out over time. If you see airspace or excessive play, plan to replace (probably won't be an issue). Check your shock mounting hardware- when you replace your shocks, you'll reuse the stock hardware- but sometimes it's broken. They're not exactly lifetime parts from the factory.

No idea about Parts Geek.

 

[vprtal]

Is it necessary to replace the struts for the front when you replace the shocks in the back?

 

[phunky.buddha]

No, but it's generally a good idea to replace them all together.

 

[Olde English 5]

Well, I finally did it: Replaced the original rear shocks with KYB Excel GR2 at 56000 miles. A pretty easy job, the only tough part was when I actually tried to tighten the lower bolts to the final torque with a torque wrench with the wheels on the ground. There's no room to work under there unless the back end is lifted up, so with the back end up on jack stands I lifted each wheel a bit with a jack to compress the spring as it would be with the wheel on the ground, then tightened the bolts.

Now it feels like I'm driving a completely different car. The rattling noise from the left rear is gone, and best of all the vibration and noise from the second row seats are also gone. The old shocks were so bad that all the vibration was getting into the inside of the car making the seats shake. One of the old shocks I could hardly compress it at all by hand. The other was almost like a pogo stick - you compress the rod into the shock and it rebounded out immediately. Nothing at all like the brand new shocks. I've had these problems with the car for about a year, so it seems that the old shocks were worn out since about 40,000 miles or even sooner.

 

[Mntnbkr]

Olde-

Olde-
I'm wondering if you could weigh in on your rear shock job after a year on them. I'm about to replace mine due to pogo-ing and a clunk I heard going over a speed bump while sitting in the middle row last weekend. I have always experienced the middle row shake as you describe - I was hoping new tires a few months back would resolve - not so much as it came back. Now I'm hoping new shocks (and mounts) will. Do you still have relief from the middle row shake??
Thanks,
Dave

Well, I finally did it: Replaced the original rear shocks with KYB Excel GR2 at 56000 miles. A pretty easy job, the only tough part was when I actually tried to tighten the lower bolts to the final torque with a torque wrench with the wheels on the ground. There's no room to work under there unless the back end is lifted up, so with the back end up on jack stands I lifted each wheel a bit with a jack to compress the spring as it would be with the wheel on the ground, then tightened the bolts.

Now it feels like I'm driving a completely different car. The rattling noise from the left rear is gone, and best of all the vibration and noise from the second row seats are also gone. The old shocks were so bad that all the vibration was getting into the inside of the car making the seats shake. One of the old shocks I could hardly compress it at all by hand. The other was almost like a pogo stick - you compress the rod into the shock and it rebounded out immediately. Nothing at all like the brand new shocks. I've had these problems with the car for about a year, so it seems that the old shocks were worn out since about 40,000 miles or even sooner.

 

[slbenz]

Olde-
I'm wondering if you could weigh in on your rear shock job after a year on them. I'm about to replace mine due to pogo-ing and a clunk I heard going over a speed bump while sitting in the middle row last weekend. I have always experienced the middle row shake as you describe - I was hoping new tires a few months back would resolve - not so much as it came back. Now I'm hoping new shocks (and mounts) will. Do you still have relief from the middle row shake??
Thanks,
Dave

I can tell you on my 2007 Mazda 5 GT, when I replaced the front struts and rear shocks myself, all my noises and vibration issues also went away. It has been 7 months and 8,000 miles later with no problems to report. I replaced with KYBs all around. Both my rear shocks were bad. When I compressed them, they stayed compressed. Once I replaced all four shocks, the car drives better than new. I also replaced the soft sway bar bushings front and rear with poly bushings. Haven't had any noise issues with the poly bushings. Only better cornering and handling. Hope this helps.

 

[Mntnbkr]

slbenz-
That does help - thanks. Going to do the rear shocks this weekend - I'm looking forward to having the new ones installed and hopefully no more clunk and middle row shake. The rears sound easy to do at home in the driveway, but I'm not finding much along the lines of a front strut DIY. How does it compare to the rears in complexity and are there any how-to threads out there?
Thanks.

I can tell you on my 2007 Mazda 5 GT, when I replaced the front struts and rear shocks myself, all my noises and vibration issues also went away. It has been 7 months and 8,000 miles later with no problems to report. I replaced with KYBs all around. Both my rear shocks were bad. When I compressed them, they stayed compressed. Once I replaced all four shocks, the car drives better than new. I also replaced the soft sway bar bushings front and rear with poly bushings. Haven't had any noise issues with the poly bushings. Only better cornering and handling. Hope this helps.

 

[SonicBoy]

Had a bobbling noise in the rear passenger side. Took the car to the dealership and they told me the rear bushings, shocks, springs and rear sway bar bushing had to be replaced. (Talk about shot gun approach to hitting your target).

Took the 5 to a shop that was highly recommended by Toronto Mazda 3 forum members and they identified that it was the shocks.

Replaced both shocks along with shock mounts by KYB and all the bobbling noises have stopped, the van rides really smooth and most noticeable is that the 2nd row seats no longer shake when empty and going over the bumps.

Having done research here, the shocks are a common failure on the Mazda 5. There were no sign that the shocks had failed. They did not show any leaking, were not bouncy and overall the van had extremely low mileage.

When we removed the old shocks, we compressed both and found that one would rebound faster than the other. We shock the shafts and there were no movements signaling any type of failure. Overall, I believe the factory shocks were just crap.

I like how the KYB's were sealed with a steel flange where as the originals were just plastic.

 

[Olde English 5]

Olde-
I'm wondering if you could weigh in on your rear shock job after a year on them. I'm about to replace mine due to pogo-ing and a clunk I heard going over a speed bump while sitting in the middle row last weekend. I have always experienced the middle row shake as you describe - I was hoping new tires a few months back would resolve - not so much as it came back. Now I'm hoping new shocks (and mounts) will. Do you still have relief from the middle row shake??
Thanks,
Dave

Yes, a year and 12,000 miles later and the middle row seats still don't shake and the rattling noises are gone. When I replaced the rear shocks I was actually surprised that it fixed the seat shaking as well. How many miles do you have on your 5? Are your rear shocks still the originals? If you're in the range of 40 to 50,000 miles there's a good chance yours need to be replaced. Hopefully it will fix your seat shaking issue also.

 

[Mntnbkr]

Yes, a year and 12,000 miles later and the middle row seats still don't shake and the rattling noises are gone. When I replaced the rear shocks I was actually surprised that it fixed the seat shaking as well. How many miles do you have on your 5? Are your rear shocks still the originals? If you're in the range of 40 to 50,000 miles there's a good chance yours need to be replaced. Hopefully it will fix your seat shaking issue also.

Thanks for the update. I have 106,000 on the car - both were "original" - one of the rear shocks had been replaced by the stealership many years ago as the OEM was blown.
I did the replacement in Sept...installed KYB shocks along with new mounts (HIGHLY recommend new KYB mounts (cheap) as mine were highly corroded and suspect looking), and am much happier with the ride. Much smoother and more comfortable, and the middle row shake is improved. Not completely gone, but very much improved. Three or so hours (I'm slow and meticulous) well spent, spent $120 for all and figure I saved $300-500. Happy camper.
Can't wait to do it on my 12 year old Jetta.
Now, has anyone done the 5 fronts and is there a DIY? It is a coilover strut and looks like more of a PITA. Is it/can it be a driveway job.
Thanks all for helping to improve my 5's ride comfort and performance.

 

[a10thunder]

OP here. I ended up replacing the front pair as well. It is possible to DIY but you'll need lots of patience. The strut goes into a tight sleeve at the front-wheel knuckle, which is held on by two bolts. It is a PITA to put the strut back into the knuckle sleeve. I had to repeatedly raise and lower the lower control arm with a floor jack in order to get the strut to seat properly into the sleeve. I don't know why the front mount is designed this way.

I got KYB dampers and used the original springs. You can rent spring compressors from places like Advanced Auto Parts for free.

 

[GBean]

How many miles on the car when you replaced the fronts?

 

[a10thunder]

How many miles on the car when you replaced the fronts?

At about the 75,000 mile mark.

 

[GBean]

At about the 75,000 mile mark.

I'm right there with the mileage. Front struts seem good still, but the sway bar clunk has reared its head. Hopefully the d-bags at my local stealership won't be jerks about the tsb for that...

 

[ShadowCruiserNB]

I just want to say to the op that your detailed procedure and pictures caused me to register to this forum. After a rear driver's side top shock mount failure, I was forced to perform my own repair on the weekend. Not only did I save a lot of money, I am very satisfied that I did the work myself. I also have a much better appreciation for what the suspension is doing for me and how it affects the ride.

I also discovered that the shock itself was leaking and had virtually no control. What a difference in the ride! My wife is also much happier about the ride.

Now I will have to become involved with this forum.

 

[j3nsmz5]

For those looking for front shock/spring DIY, I found this. For those that have already done their front shock/spring, is this an accurate DIY?

 

[foxhound1979]

For those looking for front shock/spring DIY, I found this. For those that have already done their front shock/spring, is this an accurate DIY?

the front removal process seems accurate
i haven't done mine yet,still on the to-do list

 

[Bluesideup]

I've done the fronts on mine twice. The biggest pains are going to be cleaning/reassembling the upper strut mounts and freeing the bottom of the strut from the knuckle. Installing coilovers like the person in the link did will cut down on the time significantly. At that point you're removing and replacing full assemblies.

If you're just replacing struts I'd consider new upper mounts. You'll need a spring compressor to get the old strut assembly apart.

Bed of luck getting the strut separated from the knuckle if you live in a salt area.

 

[vesko_m]

Changed my rear shocks

I changed my rear shocks. Just to share my two cents.
The detailed how-to of the OP is great and enough to do the job.
The video on youtube from GarrettsSubaru channel is great for visual as well.
Everything with mine went smooth.
I replaced the original OEM (almost leaking) shocks on about 60 000 miles with KYB 551105 GasAJust

 

[Secondtyme]

As a heads up to folks with higher mileage 5s. When replacing your rear shocks take a minute to examine your lateral links and rear control arm bushings. These two components are made more prone to fail by driving with blown rear shocks. On my 06 which has 167k on the clock my bushings were completely shot. Just an fyi...