SPC Ball Joint install question - Mazda 6 Forums : Mazda 6 / Mazda Atenza Forum

kilkenny · 09-10-2009, 10:32 AM

I just installed my new ball joints the other day and already got an alignment. Got my front camber at -1.15 now versus the .2 it was previously at before the ball joints which was eating my front tires up. Going back through the how to, it looks like i might have missed a step in the attached picture. When i tightened the control arms back up, the car was still jacked up, and i don't believe i held them up when tightening them so that they were perpendicular to the car. I think i just tightened them when they were down. I have noticed since the install and alignment, my car seems to be riding a little rougher and i seem to get some more vibration at speeds above 80 than before the install. Would tightening the cross arms in the wrong position cause this? Should i just jack the car up again, loosen the control arms, set them to parallel with the ground and re tighten, or is there a better trick? With the car on jack stands, should i jack up the suspension so the suspension is under pressure, then tighten them? If i do this, will this effect my alignment, and will i have to go get another alignment? Thanks

superskaterxes · 09-10-2009, 04:42 PM

well as long as u dont remove the balljoint and you just loosen the control arm and re tighten it you should be ok. i dont know why that would cause a problem in the first place. your new alignment could be why your feeling some vibes since your suspension has a new and way diff geometry.

Mcfly013 · 09-10-2009, 05:13 PM

If your alignment is too aggressive, that might cause a rougher ride at higher speed.
When I got my alignment, the mechanic said 1.2 would be a little extreme for day 2 day
driving, and better for AutoX. He agreed factory spec wasn't good, but said I'd probably be chewin'
up tires past 1.0. He set mine at about 1.0 and the car rides beautifully, and tracks better too. It seems
each 6 has its own Happy Place when it comes to alignment. Now I need a rear fender roll to
complete the suspension lowering...rubbing=bad.

TopazM3 · 09-12-2009, 03:49 PM

QUOTE (kilkenny @ Sep 10 2009, 10:32 AM)

Quote:

I just installed my new ball joints the other day and already got an alignment. Got my front camber at -1.15 now versus the .2 it was previously at before the ball joints which was eating my front tires up. Going back through the how to, it looks like i might have missed a step in the attached picture. When i tightened the control arms back up, the car was still jacked up, and i don't believe i held them up when tightening them so that they were perpendicular to the car. I think i just tightened them when they were down. I have noticed since the install and alignment, my car seems to be riding a little rougher and i seem to get some more vibration at speeds above 80 than before the install. Would tightening the cross arms in the wrong position cause this? Should i just jack the car up again, loosen the control arms, set them to parallel with the ground and re tighten, or is there a better trick? With the car on jack stands, should i jack up the suspension so the suspension is under pressure, then tighten them? If i do this, will this effect my alignment, and will i have to go get another alignment? Thanks[/b]

When I did mine, I
loosened the control arm bolts on one side and didn't loosen then on the second. There was no detectable difference, other than there was less to do and it was quicker!

kilkenny · 09-12-2009, 07:54 PM

QUOTE (TopazM3 @ Sep 12 2009, 02:49 PM)

Quote:

When I did mine, I
loosened the control arm bolts on one side and didn't loosen then on the second. There was no detectable difference, other than there was less to do and it was quicker![/b]

well, i jacked the car up, loosend the control arms, then jacked up the suspension with the control arms loose, then retightened them with load on the suspension. Car seems to ride smoother now and not so rough, but have yet to test at hight speeds.

kilkenny · 09-16-2009, 02:04 PM

QUOTE (kilkenny @ Sep 12 2009, 06:54 PM)

Quote:

well, i jacked the car up, loosend the control arms, then jacked up the suspension with the control arms loose, then retightened them with load on the suspension. Car seems to ride smoother now and not so rough, but have yet to test at hight speeds.[/b]

i checked at high speeds and still feel like im getting a lot o vibration once i get past about 75mph. Should i take it back in to recheck the alignment?

HefMS6 · 09-16-2009, 03:42 PM

I haven't personally removed the MS6 control arms, but it is a good rule of thumb is to tighten bushing with the suspension at ride height. The reason for this is so that the bushings are in their operating range. It is possible that tightening any bushing while the suspension is at full rebound will create an excessive amount of torsional pre-load which can translate more vibrations into the body.
The vibration could also be a result of the alignment as well. If it were me, I would check the alignment as well as check the wheel for balance and out of round. (I have had lots of out of round vibrations in Detroit, where the road are notorious for bending wheels)

09-10-2009, 04:42 PM	#2 (permalink)
superskaterxes Mazda Guru Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Central Jersey Posts: 3,355 Thanks: 3 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader: 0 reviews	well as long as u dont remove the balljoint and you just loosen the control arm and re tighten it you should be ok. i dont know why that would cause a problem in the first place. your new alignment could be why your feeling some vibes since your suspension has a new and way diff geometry. __________________ 2006 Mazdaspeed 6 GT Black Mica #4126 GT3076R BITCHES ~ TXS BOV ~ Custom 3" MAF SRI w/ giant AEM filter ~ AP PROtune'd ~ MBC ~ Custom Side-to-Side FMIC w/Treadstone TR8 Core ~ CPE DP ~ DNP Mani w/Tial 38mm MV-S EWG VTA'd~ CPE BT TIP ~ TWM Stage 1 Short Shifter ~ CPE RMM ~ TTFMM ~ CPE RDM ~ BC CO's slammed ~ SPC BJ's ~ EBC Red's ~ Stoptech's ~ Technafit SS Lines ~ Autometer Boost & STRI EGT in Custom Built Vent Pod ~ 20% Tint ~ LED Tails ~ Denso ITV-24's ~ Xtra Shorty Antenna ~ Dashhawk ~ CPE Dual CBE ~ Custom Strut tower bar ~ Whiteline RSB ~ PnP'd IM ~ CDFP Internals ~ labonte meth kit ~ VC tapped OCC ~ 320WHP/385WTQ ~ 12.9 @ 107 1.8 60' ~ fastest stock turbo trap speed in the USA

09-10-2009, 05:13 PM	#3 (permalink)
Mcfly013 Track Racer Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Space Coast, Florida Posts: 677 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader: 0 reviews	If your alignment is too aggressive, that might cause a rougher ride at higher speed. When I got my alignment, the mechanic said 1.2 would be a little extreme for day 2 day driving, and better for AutoX. He agreed factory spec wasn't good, but said I'd probably be chewin' up tires past 1.0. He set mine at about 1.0 and the car rides beautifully, and tracks better too. It seems each 6 has its own Happy Place when it comes to alignment. Now I need a rear fender roll to complete the suspension lowering...rubbing=bad. __________________ 2007 Speed6 Sport-Titanium Gray Metallic1)Post your Thread 2)Put in first sentence "I've searched Everywhere" 3)Wait for someone to show you 7 previous identical threads 4)Pat yourself on the back for making someone else Search </span> </span>

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09-16-2009, 03:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
HefMS6 Learners License Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Detroit, MI Posts: 33 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Groans: 0 Groaned at 0 Times in 0 Posts iTrader: 0 reviews	I haven't personally removed the MS6 control arms, but it is a good rule of thumb is to tighten bushing with the suspension at ride height. The reason for this is so that the bushings are in their operating range. It is possible that tightening any bushing while the suspension is at full rebound will create an excessive amount of torsional pre-load which can translate more vibrations into the body. The vibration could also be a result of the alignment as well. If it were me, I would check the alignment as well as check the wheel for balance and out of round. (I have had lots of out of round vibrations in Detroit, where the road are notorious for bending wheels)