Where are we at with parts to use to stop the swaybars from knocking? I have the MS3 rear swaybar with Prothane frame bushings and Moog endlinks, front end is stock and it knocks like my neighbor thinks I'm playing my stereo too loud again. Just curious which replacement parts have been tried in quieting it all down. Now that I have new tires the noise is so much more noticeable. Thanks!
Must stop the knocking!!!
- Thread starter twintrbo
- Start date
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- 2006 Mazda5 Touring
Im pretty sure your stock fsb bushings are the "upgraded" ones. If they are shot that probably isnt a good sign. Check with Davicho, he upgraded the front end hardware on his previous 5 with good results. Fwiw mine knocking like a process server also, its driving me nucking futs lol
I haven't done the research through the mazda parts lists, but it's pretty common for a manufacturer to supercede an old part with a new part intended to countermeasure some issue with the old part. They don't just keep producing the same old part after it has been identified as defective and had some new level countermeasure part developed. So if you walked into a dealer and asked for FSB bushings for your '06, there's a good chance you would get the latest-and-greatest FSB bushing anyway.
chief_wiggum
Member
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- 2008.5 Mazdaspeed3-2010 Mazda5 GT
I replaced the front sway bar bushings on the wife's 2010 5; i just used stock replacement parts.
ok and...? Good or no? Also how was the job itself, I know there a few ways to tackle it.
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- 2006 Mazda5 Touring
I have looked at mine about thirteen ways and all of them look like a huge pain in the ass. I'm taking it to my local tried and true to do it for me. I'm not exactly a novice either, did the entire suspension repair and replace myself in the drive a little while ago. The problems with DIYing them have been covered in detail on here, apparently it helps if you have Sci-fi fingers and innumerable patience.
I got cheap bushings off Rock Auto - bout 2 pair just in case b/c they were so cheap. No problems in the 2 years, and although we have decent arterials and great freeway asphalt, the residential road we live on SUCKS. Modern-day suspensions feel just like a buckboard. So no problems means they are holding their own.
BTW, if you HAVE replaced the bushings, perhaps it could be the spring seats or shock mounts, which, depending on the make/model, can also die prematurely.
BTW, if you HAVE replaced the bushings, perhaps it could be the spring seats or shock mounts, which, depending on the make/model, can also die prematurely.
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- 2008 Mazda5 GT
I replace the front with OEM bushing + Super Lube. I think it was the new bushing design (don't recall). Works for me. Unless you drop the front subframe, it is a painfully slow (not hard) process. No space to work with and disconnecting the end like does not help much...
I can only contribute with my own experience. My 09 Mazda5 with only 30000 miles did not develop a knocking sound until I jacked up the front passenger side to inspect the brakes. if your knocking sound is like mine where it makes a single loud knock when driving over a small pothole or crack in the road and it is specific to only one side, it may not be the bushings to the front sway bar. I have replaced the front sway bar bushings with a pair of red Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings and lubed the hell out of them. Although many reported that this fixed their problem, it didn't do it for me. oh well, it was just $16 for them and I learned how to take them out after 4+ hours of trying. Oh! There's no real instructions to them besides locating them by feeling for the bolts along the front sway bar from underneath. The only bolt to access from the top would be the passenger side front bolt. I was able to loosen that bolt using a combination of extensions connected to my socket wrench. I think the extensions combined to be about 21 inches.
I've also taken off the wheel and wiggled at all of the joints and the end links that attached to the suspension and everything feels solid. My next step is to do what Thaxman suggested and look at the bushings and strut mount. To save me the time and minimize risk of further clunking, I just bought a fully assembled KYB strut/spring/topmount setup for the front passenger side from amazon. I'm hoping that totally fixes it. Totally not looking forward to changing it out in near subzero temps in these next few days...
I've also taken off the wheel and wiggled at all of the joints and the end links that attached to the suspension and everything feels solid. My next step is to do what Thaxman suggested and look at the bushings and strut mount. To save me the time and minimize risk of further clunking, I just bought a fully assembled KYB strut/spring/topmount setup for the front passenger side from amazon. I'm hoping that totally fixes it. Totally not looking forward to changing it out in near subzero temps in these next few days...
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I just did front and rear at 156k miles. The rears were original and I did the fronts about 75k ago with OEM bushings. It seems that even the upgraded bushings only last 75k and that's in relatively nice Southern California. My front and rear end links are Moog.
This time around I installed Energy Suspension bushings with the hope they'd last longer. Moog also sells a thermoplastic bushing.
Buy a thin 18mm crows foot socket if you're going to install Moogs on the rear. They are a more durable design but the upper ball joint is captive inside the control arm so you'll either need the crows foot or to get your impact gun in there.
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This time around I installed Energy Suspension bushings with the hope they'd last longer. Moog also sells a thermoplastic bushing.
Buy a thin 18mm crows foot socket if you're going to install Moogs on the rear. They are a more durable design but the upper ball joint is captive inside the control arm so you'll either need the crows foot or to get your impact gun in there.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
chief_wiggum
Member
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- 2008.5 Mazdaspeed3-2010 Mazda5 GT
that was last year and so far so good. as for the job...not so easy. Luckily i have a friend with a lift, tools and know how. I think we had about 70K miles on it at the time, FWIW.
So Ive been dragging my feet on this the past few weeks but I wanted to start ordering parts. It seems the 12+ has different parts than my 09 so does anyone know if the parts are interchangeable? I cant see any reason why not but figured I would ask anyway. I really need to get to this asap and also check the rear struts for other problems that could be the knocking as well. I'm just glad this is happening to my Mazda and not my Maserati lol.
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- 2010 Mazda5 GT
We have a 2010 that has 17,900 miles and just had the front swaybar bushings replaced under the Mazda TSB today at our local dealer. Went for drive after the replacement bushings were installed and so far no clunking going over the bumps that usually caused the annoying noise. Hopefully the new bushings will hold up better and the dust cover does what it's intended to do by keeping dirt and water from drying up the grease in the bushings. The TSB link is below:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=205781&d=1388737888
CC29-34-156C Front Stabilizer Bushings (2)
CAY1-34-158A Dust Cover (2)
BPYK-34-153 Band (4)
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=205781&d=1388737888
CC29-34-156C Front Stabilizer Bushings (2)
CAY1-34-158A Dust Cover (2)
BPYK-34-153 Band (4)
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- 2010 Mazda5 GT
Do you have an extended warranty? I thought a tsb was only valid under warranty but I had no idea about this obviousl. Does it matter this one is from Canada? I see you are from Florida so slightly confusedThanks for clarifying!
I do actually. We purchased a Certified Pre-Owned Mazda5 and certain suspension components are covered under the warranty. I figured yours was probably out of warranty but wanted to post the info regardless. The parts are not that expensive, so you can order them and probably tackle the job in a couple of hours. With it being the front, it's a little more involved due to a lack of space to work around the FSB bushings, but many have done it. Do some searches on here about swaybar clunking and you'll find various threads and how people were able to take some shortcuts on accessing the bushings.
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- 2010 Mazda5 GT
As a general rule of thumb, Mazda dealerships do not perform TSBs for free when the vehicle is out of the 3/36 warranty. However, depending on the relationship you have with your dealership, they may do it as a good faith type of thing...it's very YMMV.
As far as costs, it depends what part of this TSB you're having done. The front sway bar bushings (2), bushing covers (2), and clamps (4) probably do not cost more than $30 or $40. And then an hour or two for labor. It took them 1.5 hrs to complete the job. The new rear swaybar and bushings costs about $50 - $60 and takes no longer than an hour to do it on your own.
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- 2008 Mazda5 GT
is it really 18mm (that's pretty big). For MS3 rear moogs it is 14mm and you can insert a standard open/box wrench. There's a slot towards the middle of the rear control arms. It is perfect for inserting a wrench to catch the nut. Tighten till the wrench is lightly firm, pull out, and tighten the rest. What you should have is a ratching wrench (no space) for the top nut!
It is really 18mm because that's what I bought to tighten the links. The MS3 is a different part number. I didn't see any slot but I'm happy to look under the vehicle and take a picture. It's possible I missed the slot but I was under there for a while.
