Must stop the knocking!!!

[Secondtyme]

You can take your pick of online parts wholesalers, there are a million of them. I have had good service and fast shipping from Onlinemazdaparts.com, if that helps. Try a search on FSB bushings in this forum and you will find half a dozen threads discussing the bushings. I believe user Davicho was one person who, upon replacing his bushings with OEM parts found that the bushings had been updated. The old style bushings are dirt simple affairs with a cut line at the 6 o'clock position for the bar to go through when you install them. The position of the cut line was one of the things changed in the update IIRC. I believe your model year would have the most recent version of the bushings as OE, so you would just be replacing old and worn out with new. Versus my 06 where I am replacing old, worn out, and crappily designed, with new LOL.

 

[kw_da]

You can take your pick of online parts wholesalers, there are a million of them. I have had good service and fast shipping from Onlinemazdaparts.com, if that helps. Try a search on FSB bushings in this forum and you will find half a dozen threads discussing the bushings. I believe user Davicho was one person who, upon replacing his bushings with OEM parts found that the bushings had been updated. The old style bushings are dirt simple affairs with a cut line at the 6 o'clock position for the bar to go through when you install them. The position of the cut line was one of the things changed in the update IIRC. I believe your model year would have the most recent version of the bushings as OE, so you would just be replacing old and worn out with new. Versus my 06 where I am replacing old, worn out, and crappily designed, with new LOL.

I just did this - the 3rd generation have the cut at the 3/9 o'clock position and are cross hatched on the inside. (2nd generation had cross hatched "tape" on inside")

 

[Davicho]

Hey Secondtyme, thank you for the shout out but unfortunately I have never had to replace the front bushings on neither of my MZ5 (old one and new one). What I did do on both was remove the OEM rear sway bar/bushings/links and replaced them with OEM 1st generation MS3 rear sway bar, Prothane bushings, and OEM MS3 End links.

 

[andresamia]

Thank you for the info. Another quick question: has anyone ever needed to replace the actual sway bar and if so what are the symtoms?

You can take your pick of online parts wholesalers, there are a million of them. I have had good service and fast shipping from Onlinemazdaparts.com, if that helps. Try a search on FSB bushings in this forum and you will find half a dozen threads discussing the bushings. I believe user Davicho was one person who, upon replacing his bushings with OEM parts found that the bushings had been updated. The old style bushings are dirt simple affairs with a cut line at the 6 o'clock position for the bar to go through when you install them. The position of the cut line was one of the things changed in the update IIRC. I believe your model year would have the most recent version of the bushings as OE, so you would just be replacing old and worn out with new. Versus my 06 where I am replacing old, worn out, and crappily designed, with new LOL.

 

[twintrbo]

So I switched out the MS 3 links for the OEM links and there was still some noise. I replaced everything with OEM, new ms3 bushings and brackets plus the end links and it is completely silent again. Serenity now!

 

[Secondtyme]

Finally got my front sway bushings done as well, sweet sweet silence going down the road. Also I can now enjoy the Konis a lot more without the rattle rattle thump thump LOL

 

[DougNuts]

I swapped out the front sway bar bushings a while back and took these pictures to share:

 

[m5jrw]

What he said^^^ I have been leaving mine to sit and driving my old Subaru to work because I can't bear to listen to it. Even minor road imperfections get telegraphed into the cabin, and God forbid a big pothole, it sounds as though the strut has been torn from its moorings. This is with brand new Koni Sport dampers mind you. My ill-concieved notion that running a 45 series tire on this car was a good idea will not be getting repeated, I assure you.

True, 45 profile tires are not gonna work well in the variety of road conditions most of us deal with. When my Toyo 50s were gone I downsized to 16" steel rims & covers from a new Mazda 6 found on Craigs, and went to 60 profile tires. Handling is not significantly different in my performance envelope and potholes don't pose nearly the risk they did with 50s..

 

[m5jrw]

If you already have the poly bushings in place, I would keep them. I would just get in the habit of greasing them with every oil change since you are under the car anyway.

How does greasing help if the noise around 60K is from hardened bushings? They're not noticeably worn around the swaybar, just dried and hard in comparison with replacments.

 

[m5jrw]

Silentnoise, 2 questions about your 11/19/14 09:45 post:
1. What are the spring & seat photos illustrating? I'm guessing they're OEM parts but pls clarify.
2. After replacing rear swaybar center bushings on my '09 M5, noise continued. I disconnected the outer links and noise still continued. Looking around I see a surprising number of other bushings: trailing links, both ends; and control arms, both ends. Any history of these hardening enough to be noisy, or otherwise failing? I've owned several independent rear suspensions and never known these to fail or make noise.

 

[Silentnoise713]

Silentnoise, 2 questions about your 11/19/14 09:45 post:
1. What are the spring & seat photos illustrating? I'm guessing they're OEM parts but pls clarify.

Yes, both OEM “top” spring perches. The old design (‘06-‘10) perch is on the OEM spring and the new design (‘12-current) is on the aftermarket spring. My impressions: The old perch has thicker rubber in the inner wall and slightly thinner on the outer wall. It also does not cover some sections of the spring on the outer wall. The top design, which I suspect absorbs impact, is different. The new one seems better designed all around and just feels like a more solid part - granted the old part has a lot of miles on it.

2. After replacing rear swaybar center bushings on my '09 M5, noise continued. I disconnected the outer links and noise still continued. Looking around I see a surprising number of other bushings: trailing links, both ends; and control arms, both ends. Any history of these hardening enough to be noisy, or otherwise failing? I've owned several independent rear suspensions and never known these to fail or make noise.

I have not had to replace any other bushing. There is some history on worn trailing link bushing. On earlier cars, this is suspected to be the culprit for rear toe going out of alignment leading to tire wear. This should not be (or less of) an issue for you. I read a bit into OEM tactics of using softer bushing for dynamic alignment, which is great for DD + sporty driving but puts stress on trail arm bushings.

If you are sure the noise is coming from the rear suspension with the rear endlinks disconnected, I would check your rear shocks first.

FWIW. My ’08 has just over 80K running MS3 RSB (poly bushings) with coilovers and it does not make any suspension noises (knock on wood). My FSB is disconnected and I do have aftermarket control arms. Occasionally I hear the rear the poly bushings squeak under stress but it is faint and on very rare occasion of very rough roads. IMHO, a HIGH QUALITY grease will save you a lot of headache too.

 

[Secondtyme]

To answer your question m5jrw, the grease is to get rid of the squeaking sounds that POLY bushings make throughout their rather long life. Poly bushings should never harden or fail in the same way that rubber bushings do, this being one reason for their popularity. As to your second question about rear bushings and knocking/noise. The first thing to look at is the rear shocks as they lead a hard life under the 5, especially early cars 06-07. Next look at the lateral links and finally the trailing arm bushings, especially the end mount up under the plastic cladding. My 06 was DESTROYING rear tires from the inside edge out and when I examined the trailing arm bushings they were alarmingly bad.

 

[trishr]

How does greasing help if the noise around 60K is from hardened bushings? They're not noticeably worn around the swaybar, just dried and hard in comparison with replacments.

I reported this issue with the knocking and noise from the suspension on my Mazda 5 touring 2006 back in 2007 and I bought it November 2006 and crunching and creaking started n January 2007. Had just about everything replaced at least three times - huge arguments with dealer who was aware of the issue but denied it many times and Mazda Canada was not that helpful at all despite the complaint filed with them (open and file a complaint please). Despite numerous TSBs on the subject denial of event went on and on and on. Anyways finally when off warranty, I took it to my friendly neighbourhood service shop - explained the problem - provided them with mounds of TSBs - and asked if they could help and they did. Exactly what they did I don't know for sure - likely greased the heck out of them - they did not follow the TSB suggesting cutting anything (would make the part unstable) but performed magic and I haven't had a problem since them. When it is dry and hot out, I can get a creak in the back and a bounce but then it goes away (once they checked the shocks for me).
It saddens, but doesn't surprise me, that this problem continues today.

 

[dlarkin_dc]

With just 29k on my '07 I was shocked at having had to replace the rear shocks to pass state inspection. The persistent knocking/clonking from underneath has diminished a lot with new KYBs on the rear. The car has been so noisy for so long I was just used to it, but now I want to try resolve it.

I'm dissapointed to learn how problematic the suspension/sway bar systems are on this model. The forum is a valuable resouce for information, so my thanks to all the posters!

Because of "play", not the noises, a dealer quoted $500 to replace the front sway bar links . Now, this seems very high, even for a dealer. That, and while the links do go bad... but after 29k?! I'm not convinced those links are the source of the noise, or the play, as there is so much to overhaul, per the design updates and TSBs, I'd first suspect the bushings, especially with the age over mileage.

I'd be happy to hear others thoughts on this!

Dave

 

[Secondtyme]

Fsb links can be had from any auto parts store in north america for 50 bucks a pair. You can install them yourself in a half hour. That dealer should be ashamed of themselves (but of course they arent) The fsb bushings are the more likely culprit for rattling from the front suspension, replacing them is a pita, but shouldnt prove terribly expensive.

 

[Robotazky]

After 6 years and 64,000 miles, I lubed the bushings, front and rear, twice and replaced them once at about 50K. I've had good results with sway bar noise every time.

End links are really tight and boots look good.

 

[dlarkin_dc]

Fsb links can be had from any auto parts store in north america for 50 bucks a pair. You can install them yourself in a half hour. That dealer should be ashamed of themselves (but of course they arent) The fsb bushings are the more likely culprit for rattling from the front suspension, replacing them is a pita, but shouldnt prove terribly expensive.

Yeah, everything I've read pointed to the bushings. Starting on them first makes sense. As for the dealer... What I was quoted for the rear shocks, I daren't post!

Thanks for the help Secondtyme.

 

[dlarkin_dc]

After 6 years and 64,000 miles, I lubed the bushings, front and rear, twice and replaced them once at about 50K. I've had good results with sway bar noise every time.

End links are really tight and boots look good.

Robotaz,

That info really helps give some perspective on age and mileage regarding the bushings, thanks.

 

[Secondtyme]

Be aware also that the early cars 06-07 were also fitted with bushings that were later discovered to be too soft for the application. There have been revisions to the factory bushings since then, if you go to your dealership for the parts make sure they get you the latest and greatest in terms of rubber bits. If your front struts are questionable the FSB bushings will take a righteous pounding as well, causing them to fail earlier/more severely than otherwise. The holes in my old ones were oval shaped, its a wonder the bar was doing anything at all (other than making a hellacious racket)