Nathan's 626 - Suspension Work Part 2 of 2

This post will be part 2 of 2 on the front suspension work that has been done to the 626. This post will cover front strut removal, building, and replacement. This will be my final post on the blog. 

The 626 has had a lot more work done to it than I have posted here... If you would like to check them out I have a work log thread online here: http://mazda626.net/topic/45237-ndh795s-2000-626-5-speed-worklog-tons-of-pictures/


Started stockpiling parts to re-do the front struts, replaced everything in this diagram except the upper spring seat and the spring itself. Everything was OEM except for the shocks themselves which were KYB:

^ You can also see the front swaybar bushings that we bought.


Installed the struts, massive improvement in handling, and the car corners flat now! There are also no more squeaks/rattles/noises from the struts…

Disassembly:

Old struts out:

Lots of Parts!

Compressed the springs:

^ Thanks to our friend Mike for bringing up his air compressor and impact gun!

Upper spring seat that we were re-using (only these and the springs themselves were re-used, everything else inc. bolts/seals/etc was new). There was no rubber on them, therefore they can't wear out:

There was a huge difference in the old bearing and bump stop compared to the new stuff 

For some reason there was a big difference in the design of the mount compared to the old ones too:

Old:

New:

Installing the new struts:

Installed with the help of our friends who own the other 626 (from earlier when we did the rust repair)

You can see my car in the background (in the garage)

The old stuff:

A video of the old shock, barely rebounds half-way:

Trusty eBay $20 spring compressors worked great:

All torqued down! The next few weeks later went and re-checked everything with the torque wrench:

The struts were the last major work that’s been completed on the car. As of 1st Oct 2014

Next for the car:

- Buy and fit new starter motor (current one is dying)
- Fix boot lock that doesn’t open (can open it from inside the car but not with the key in the boot)
- Paint rotor hats (as they are ugly and surface-rusted at the moment
- Fix little clutch fork rattle (just needs a little more grease in there)
- Buy new tie rod ends, the ones we put on earlier in the blog already have cracked dust boots
- Figure out where some crossmember washers go... (oops)
- Buy a new drivers side CV axle and fit it and maybe a new joint shaft too (there is play in the splines)

Thats it from me!

- Nathan