Mazda Rotary Club

Cars by Model Type => 3rd generation RX-7's => Topic started by: SiH on February 22, 2008, 11:23:56 AM

Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: SiH on February 22, 2008, 11:23:56 AM
I\'ve got play in the rear drivers side upper wishbone pillowball - at least, i think that\'s what it is!

It\'s the joint nearest the bottom on the piccy below (ignore the red arrow, i shamelessly stole the pic from another thread!):
(http://www.mazdarotaryclub.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=34273&d=1188977701)

Mazda are about £60 or so each - is there anywhere you can get them cheaper? Overseas is fine, no massive rush :)

And a just quick second question - in the pictures below: is that a stock suspension arm (the ally finish one, looks like it\'s to set the castor?) Or aftermarket? The pillowballs seem to have gone one one of those as well :(
http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r30/Simon_r_hill/?action=view¤t=IMG_5810.jpg
http://s140.photobucket.com/albums/r30/Simon_r_hill/?action=view¤t=IMG_5812.jpg

Cheers in advance for any help :)
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: RobbieRX-7 on February 22, 2008, 11:43:56 AM
Ray Crowe at malloy auto in virginia usa is the cheapest. All in delivered they cost about £190. He knows the fd like the back of his hand, even all the part numbers. I got my rebuild kit off him last year. Email him at hmkparts@aol.com
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: T11MNM on February 22, 2008, 11:54:29 AM
They are solid rather than rubber bushes, looks aftermarket to me. You can buy the solid pillowball part and screw it into the arm for a small amount of money i should think :)
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: T11MNM on February 22, 2008, 12:23:15 PM
http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/ROD-ENDS/c184/index.html (http://www.merlinmotorsport.co.uk/ROD-ENDS/c184/index.html)
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: 20B_boy on February 22, 2008, 12:37:58 PM
Those in the pictures above look standard. Theyre metal spherical bearings (\'pillow balls\' as ppl call them) with a rubber dust cap each side. They are an interference fit.
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: T11MNM on February 22, 2008, 12:40:31 PM
Remember the spherical bearings are Crashy when going over bumps they don\'t have any give in them as opposed to rubber bushes.
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: connor66 on February 22, 2008, 12:54:25 PM
Just bought pillow balls from RX Motors, they\'re £32+vat for both large (upper/lower arms) and small (toe link) sizes

Gary
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: probedb on February 22, 2008, 01:32:27 PM
Quote from: RobbieRX-7Ray Crowe at malloy auto in virginia usa is the cheapest. All in delivered they cost about £190. He knows the fd like the back of his hand, even all the part numbers. I got my rebuild kit off him last year. Email him at hmkparts@aol.com

I\'ll also vouch for Ray, top bloke!! Keep an eye on rx7club.com as he often does offers on there....came in useful for replacing all my coolant hoses :)
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: 20B_boy on February 22, 2008, 01:36:21 PM
Sorry, just checked the pics of yours in the first post :2Rolleyes

Those trailing arms arent standard. The bush in the first picture is normally rubber, not pillow ball. The 2 bushes at the rear end of the stock rear trailling arms are mazda spherical bearings as standard.

The lower most bush in the main pic of the suspension components on the floor is also a bearing type bush as standard.

Hope that clears things up.
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: SiH on February 22, 2008, 02:10:42 PM
Great stuff, cheers all :)
Not sure whether to go for bushed standard items to replace the trailing arms or not - i am guessing these ones are more adjustable than stock :)
I\'ll check out all these sources of the bushings to, then time do DIY, rx7club stylee :D
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: 20B_boy on February 22, 2008, 02:35:48 PM
Quote from: SiHi am guessing these ones are more adjustable than stock :)
They\'re also going to wear out quicker as the joint has no weather/road ****e protection.
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: SmbFD3S on February 22, 2008, 03:51:42 PM
Just bought mine from RX Motors too, seem to be the cheapest in the UK at the minute
Title: Best source for pillowballs?
Post by: SiH on February 22, 2008, 06:45:06 PM
Quote from: 20B_boyThey\'re also going to wear out quicker as the joint has no weather/road ****e protection.
Inded, i\'ve had cheap rose jointed arms in the past and disliked them for that very reason. The joints on these seem to have grease nipples, which is usually a bad sign they\'re not in it for the long run - I\'ll go look for some stock replacements then :)
ta :)