A Few Quick Questions Regarding Strut Replacement...

[PowrSlave]

I actually replaced my struts at 127,000 miles for the first time in 2007 based on this awesome post:

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123674157-HOW-TO-Protege-5-Strut-and-Sway-Bar-install

I am now at 188k miles and after 70k miles I am surely overdue to re-replace them (boom08)

My questions mostly regard what else I should replace aside from just the four struts.

1.) Should I replace the cream coloured bumpstops? They will more than likely be disintegrated right?

2.) Does anyone know the length/pitch of the 14mm abs sensor bolt. One of the rear ones is sheared off and I don't currently have the car up on stands at the moment to measure. Can't find a part number or specs in the downloadable catalog.

3.) I am not sure if I will be successful in getting the rear swaybar endlinks off without cutting them. I've never been able to get them off before and have replaced them twice when the allen heads rust off. Do you guys think the strut springs and the top mounts will be re-usable this time around? They look ok and the car doesn't appear to be sagging. I am sure the struts are bone dry though.

 

[katapaltes]

If you didn't replace the bump stops before, they will likely be dust by now. I think they're cream-colored up front and pink in back? Anyway, they're different in the front and back. I saw no-name ones on Amazon and should have tried them out. Ended up paying $80 while my car was apart to buy four KYB accordion boots that I didn't need just to get the bump stops.

Spray the end link nuts with PB Blaster daily for a week and use an impact wrench, not a regular wrench, to try and take them off. That's my novice advice. $40 for an electric impact wrench at Harbor Freight.

Your mounts and springs may well be reusable. Mine surely were at 110,000. One of my rubber spring seats had warped and was uncooperative and I never got it to "nest" quite right when compressing everything back together, though.


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