Thud in the Rear: Bushing choices

[StorMp3]

I just recently purchased a used MP3 and really like it.

HOWEVER, there is a loud clunking coming from the rear suspension on bumps and uneven surfaces. I've been able to isolate it to the rear sway bar bushings. (Which, I find here, isn't an overly rare occurrence) The sway bar is the stock Racing Beat one, which will remain for now.

For those of you who have done this with the stock sway bar, do you have any recommendations for what type of sway bar bushings to use?

I have found the following:
*Stock (from Mazda) - most expensive, of course
*OEQ
*"OE Service Rear Sway Bar Bushing"(uhm)
*Street Unit (Performance Warehouse)
*AWR

Others?
Thanks muchly!

 

[tprouty]

Buy the clunk fix... thats what i did... and its amazing.

 

[crashkelly]

Buy the clunk fix... thats what i did... and its amazing.

+1...you can do that or upgrade to awr bushings...but without the clunk fix the clunk will always come back no matter what bushings go in. The clunk comes from the fact that the brackets arent put far enough apart, rather then it being a bushing problem. However if you lubricate your bushings every few months they will not clunk until they dry out again(which takes a few months)

 

[StorMp3]

And where can I find this... "Clunk fix"?
(apologies, I'm new to mazdas)

 

[crashkelly]

And where can I find this... "Clunk fix"?
(apologies, I'm new to mazdas)

if you do a search you'll find plenty of threads with info. They are called AXR clunk fix brackets. In fact there were recently several used ones for sale in the For sale section.

 

[crashkelly]

http://www.msprotege.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123676933&highlight=axr

 

[crashkelly]

http://www.autoxracing.com/

Evolv makes and sells these and other dynamite suspension pieces. PM him and maybe he can give you a deal on a new set. And he can give you install info.

 

[StorMp3]

That just might be a good option! Thanks again.

 

[crashkelly]

That just might be a good option! Thanks again.

anytime, I always have to show love to the MP3/MSP family

 

[CulRidr]

It's not a good option, it's THE option! This product rocks, and you won't find anything better. If you need to know anything it's this: this product was made to copy the design Racing Beat had in mind when they designed the MP3, but Mazda cut it for cost reasons: http://www.racingbeat.com/FRprotege.htm.

That just might be a good option! Thanks again.