I did my control arms a couple of years ago and it was a pain in THE ass. They're after market parts and it took a whole lot longer. Getting those nuts back on that bushing was a pain. I salute you.
Little tip. When you do this disconnect both sway bar links. The bar will move a lot more easily. Maybe he did that in this video but I’m not sure. Just a humble tip
It is most certainly annoying, but on the bright side, this design avoids using the smaller bracket bolts that go directly into to the subframe, then snap off when you finally go to do this job after 10-15 years.
Heads up people this does not I mean repeat does not work on a 09 Mazda 3, only 10 and up I guess. 09 sway bar brackets have their own bolts and they screw in from the top down 🙄. They don't attach through the control arm which has its own bolts also. You can always replace the control arm if it needs it. You will have more room to work with too. Just make sure your car is in 09 or older.
I'm going to spray them a few times with lubricant for a couple of days here and there before I even attempt to take those bolts off, I have a 09 Mazda 3,😢 not the same configuration, the sucky one.pray for me.
I did check all those things. Turns out it was the passenger side ball joint, which is what I had originally suspected, but wasn’t able to confirm through regular testing.
So, here's what happened. Years ago I bought a control arm for this car, which was branded Nascar Advantage but actually a Moog part, and it came with a lifetime replacement warranty. Late last year the ball joint finally wore out, so I took it back for a replacement and they gave me a DORMAN arm. The Dorman ball joint lasted about 5000 kms.
@@416diy Yeah, it's a hit or miss with some of the Dorman brand parts. I start to question some of these parts "lifetime warranty" because of the amount of times you need to replace them. I just got a set of similar MOOG control arms and only one of them is clearly marked with Moog logo. Putting anti-seize grease on bolts and _under_ the rotor for next time. :)
It was the ball joint, more specifically the hole in the lower control arm that the ball joint presses into. The spines on the arm rusted away, allowing it to move around the ball joint, causing the clunk. It was a dorman arm, and it wasn’t even a year old. I didn’t buy it, it was what I was given as a warranty replacement. Anyhow, that got fixed and the car is sold, no more Mazda3 videos from me, unless it’s somebody else’s Mazda3.
What did it end up being? I have a 2010 Mazda 3 with 206,000 miles on it. A few years ago i replaced the struts. It was clunking something awful before I did those. I'd suggest that is maybe whats going on with yours, but I think you said youve replaced the struts and the control arms/ball joints? I feel like you've addressed everything. Maybe the top bolt and bushings of your steering knuckles? Im soon going to do the tie rods and the control arms. Theyre badly worn and it is way overdue.
Ball joint moving in the control arm. The ball joint itself was fine, but the splines on the arm had rusted, causing movement between the two pieces (ball joint and control.arm)
@416diy Can we assume your car is on a jack on one side for this repair? Or do both sides need to be simultaneously suspended? Sorry if you mentioned this in the video…
I was doing both sides, so I had the whole front up on jack stands. Also makes it easier to disconnect the sway bar links when all the pressure is off them.
What brand replacement bushings did you use? I just went to replace rear swaybar bushings with moog and could not get the bracket over the bushing. Now i'm hesitant to replace the front bushings.
I did my control arms a couple of years ago and it was a pain in THE ass. They're after market parts and it took a whole lot longer. Getting those nuts back on that bushing was a pain. I salute you.
Was it cuz the points bended 🤣
Little tip. When you do this disconnect both sway bar links. The bar will move a lot more easily. Maybe he did that in this video but I’m not sure. Just a humble tip
👌
Good video. Exactly what I needed to see. Looks like one of the most tedious bushing jobs ever.
It is most certainly annoying, but on the bright side, this design avoids using the smaller bracket bolts that go directly into to the subframe, then snap off when you finally go to do this job after 10-15 years.
This blows me away. I did my control arms in 2022 and thought there was NO WAY to get to those bushings. But he's given me hope.
Cheers great video! Any idea on what it could be? Thanks again for documenting the search and sharing your work.
Tight and awkward access.
But you nailed it.
👍
Heads up people this does not I mean repeat does not work on a 09 Mazda 3, only 10 and up I guess. 09 sway bar brackets have their own bolts and they screw in from the top down 🙄. They don't attach through the control arm which has its own bolts also. You can always replace the control arm if it needs it. You will have more room to work with too. Just make sure your car is in 09 or older.
I'm going to spray them a few times with lubricant for a couple of days here and there before I even attempt to take those bolts off, I have a 09 Mazda 3,😢 not the same configuration, the sucky one.pray for me.
Read your reply to somebody else about them possibly snapping off after 10-15 years.😳 I'll be wide awake all night. 😆
@allencavenaugh9227 good luck dude, those ones look like a bad time.
Have you checked on the motor mounts for the possible noise?
Did you preload the suspension before tightening down all the bolts ?
Thank you for the video. Have you checked the subframe and the top hat (not sure if you replaced it with loaded strut)?
I did check all those things. Turns out it was the passenger side ball joint, which is what I had originally suspected, but wasn’t able to confirm through regular testing.
@@416diy You mentioned that you have changed the control arms already. For around $100 for MOOG Control arm and ball joint is not so bad.
So, here's what happened. Years ago I bought a control arm for this car, which was branded Nascar Advantage but actually a Moog part, and it came with a lifetime replacement warranty. Late last year the ball joint finally wore out, so I took it back for a replacement and they gave me a DORMAN arm. The Dorman ball joint lasted about 5000 kms.
@@416diy Yeah, it's a hit or miss with some of the Dorman brand parts. I start to question some of these parts "lifetime warranty" because of the amount of times you need to replace them. I just got a set of similar MOOG control arms and only one of them is clearly marked with Moog logo. Putting anti-seize grease on bolts and _under_ the rotor for next time. :)
Continuation video?
It was the ball joint, more specifically the hole in the lower control arm that the ball joint presses into. The spines on the arm rusted away, allowing it to move around the ball joint, causing the clunk. It was a dorman arm, and it wasn’t even a year old. I didn’t buy it, it was what I was given as a warranty replacement. Anyhow, that got fixed and the car is sold, no more Mazda3 videos from me, unless it’s somebody else’s Mazda3.
What did it end up being? I have a 2010 Mazda 3 with 206,000 miles on it. A few years ago i replaced the struts. It was clunking something awful before I did those. I'd suggest that is maybe whats going on with yours, but I think you said youve replaced the struts and the control arms/ball joints? I feel like you've addressed everything. Maybe the top bolt and bushings of your steering knuckles? Im soon going to do the tie rods and the control arms. Theyre badly worn and it is way overdue.
Ball joint moving in the control arm. The ball joint itself was fine, but the splines on the arm had rusted, causing movement between the two pieces (ball joint and control.arm)
@416diy
Can we assume your car is on a jack on one side for this repair? Or do both sides need to be simultaneously suspended? Sorry if you mentioned this in the video…
I was doing both sides, so I had the whole front up on jack stands. Also makes it easier to disconnect the sway bar links when all the pressure is off them.
What part number of bush?
Nice video 🫡
Swaybar Front link
What brand replacement bushings did you use? I just went to replace rear swaybar bushings with moog and could not get the bracket over the bushing. Now i'm hesitant to replace the front bushings.
Amazon, sort price low to high, first result, $10 CAD for the pair.
Thanks