How-To: Kill Clunk Cheap!!

wow i just read this whole thread and everyone is claiming the AWRs "fix" the clunk... I will tell you from experience that they are like any of the other bushings out there. They work for awhile and then they squeek/clunk or whatever that noise is and need to be lubed every month or two. The only real fix comes from relocating the mounting spots for the bushings. The reason the bushings go bad so fast is because mazda didnt want to spend the extra time/money to space them farther apart to make it more stable. This would have required them to make a new bracket...but why do that when they can just drill them into an existing piece and save some time? So that's what they did, the only real fix is the Delsing or Evolv's fix because they address the real problem (the location of the bushing, not the material). I like the AWRs i have but even they require lube every month or so. If you think that you solved the prob with longer bolts and AWRs give it some time and you'll hear some noises soon enough. (freak)
 
yea i got the AWRs last longer than the stock bushings, but they don't get rid of the clunk. It came back (too a lot longer though). I would get the AXR clunk fix bracket. I bought them but didn't get a chance to install them before I sold my car.
 
smo0f said:
yea i got the AWRs last longer than the stock bushings, but they don't get rid of the clunk. It came back (too a lot longer though). I would get the AXR clunk fix bracket. I bought them but didn't get a chance to install them before I sold my car.
Click to expand...

you bought the clunk fix you mean? if so, do you still have it?
 
my replacements are fine after round 2 of lubricating them with the lithium grease. All is well in the world of clunklessness.
 
Velocifero said:
I had one of the welded nuts inside the crosmember break loose when I was installing mine, it was my own fault, anyways, you can get a longer box end in the crossmember and i ran a bolt out from inside the member out. let me know if you need some pictures of how I did this. It is possible and you will not need to replace anything or cut any holes in it, just takes a simple tool and some patience.
Click to expand...

Yeah Velocifero or anybody who did this, pictures would be appreciated.

Thanks!
 
Hey guys, I did this cluck fix a while ago, and well I am starting to hear "crunch" and a different kind of clunk sound evverytime I go over a speed bump.

Also it's starting to annoy me especially in the front too, what up with the crinch sounds? I could only think that it was cold out it does it, but it still does a clunk/crunch sound when hot out.

Could my shocks be going bad???
 
just bought em... The dealership I bought my car at (that used to fix this for free... even though I was over my warranty) went out of business. The next nearest dealership said the parts would cost like $20 but that the labor would be an extra $80 LOL wtf? so... yeah, I'm gonna have to do this myself. I've got a major case of the clunk... it's pretty amazing when you think about how much engineering went into our cars and how, overall, the net result was pretty damn good... but somehow, they couldn't figure out a way around this. I've had my bushings replaced 9 times over the course of 4 years... that's just pathetic. To think that, if not for the warranty and a pretty cool service dept, that would have cost me nearly a grand... that's just mind boggling.

Hopefully this does the trick
 
CHICO2003 said:
just bought em... The dealership I bought my car at (that used to fix this for free... even though I was over my warranty) went out of business. The next nearest dealership said the parts would cost like $20 but that the labor would be an extra $80 LOL wtf? so... yeah, I'm gonna have to do this myself. I've got a major case of the clunk... it's pretty amazing when you think about how much engineering went into our cars and how, overall, the net result was pretty damn good... but somehow, they couldn't figure out a way around this. I've had my bushings replaced 9 times over the course of 4 years... that's just pathetic. To think that, if not for the warranty and a pretty cool service dept, that would have cost me nearly a grand... that's just mind boggling.

Hopefully this does the trick
Click to expand...

What I dont get is racing beat knew it was a problem and had a fix yet mazda didnt use it.
 
Bump, any help or info?

I'm thinking I should change back to my old bushings because I really never got a clunk sound before until I changed into these new ones everyone is talking about. Plus my front has a clunck more chrunch sound when ever I go over bumps or speed bumps...

Bump
 
Notorious_V.I.C said:
Bump, any help or info?

I'm thinking I should change back to my old bushings because I really never got a clunk sound before until I changed into these new ones everyone is talking about. Plus my front has a clunck more chrunch sound when ever I go over bumps or speed bumps...

Bump
Click to expand...

You get the crunch sound when the bushings are not lubed well the back can almost sound like a clunk when they need lubed also.
 
lcruz64 said:
Parts needed:
2 AWR MP3 Urethane Replacement Bushings
They are red not black not sure why they are like that on awr.com
Image #1
4 Home Depot Replacement Bolts (Optional)
Image #2

Tools needed:
Craftsman 3/8 in. Drive Flex Head Ratchet (Recomended)
Image #3
14MM Socket standard length and deep
17MM Socket standard length and deep (Home Depot Bolts)
3" Extension Bar

Suplies needed:
Grease
Thread Lock
Click to expand...
how much all together for cost?
 
SpeedBandit said:
Yeah Velocifero or anybody who did this, pictures would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Click to expand...
Sorry Speedbandit for the delay, I had to wait til I was under the car putting my sway back on to take pictures of the repaired broken nut welds on the inside of the subframe piece in the rear. Basically I just reached in the hole labeled and patiently loaded a bolt from the inside so the nut would thread on from the outside. It isn't hard, but it takes patience and you are gonna be uncomfortable with your hand in there. I don't have the hugest hands but they aren't little by any stretch of the imagination, the hardest part was just getting my hand past the opening, I had to fold it in like I was escaping handcuffs, but I got it in there, and the metal is a little sharp so take care when doing it, i didn't cut myself, but I can see how it is possible. you have to use a box end wrench for your best bet, 14mm if you have original sized hardware. I can't reiterate how patient you have to be to get your arm in that hole, but there is proof that you can do it and once you get the positioning down you can do it again and again much quicker, trust me! And go ahead and use locktite so the damn nut doesn't rattle off (happend twice).
repairedsubframe.JPG
 
Hey thanks for that picture Velocifero ! I did'nt even hope my harm would fit in there ! But after some twistings, I finally managed to fit my arm in that hole ... Nice Job Mazda by the way, I would'nt know what to do of my spare time if that bolt was soldered right the first Time.

I hope everything will hold tight for our 1st autoX event of the year in our northern climate ...

Thanks again !
 
hehe i went thru that X-member with my hand and wrench to mount my new bushings ... F-ing weld that tacked that nut in place was garbage.
 
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