I def want to do this mod, but I am just uneasy about having to drill out my control arms to fit the new endlinks

 

you shouldn't have to drill anything unless your car is already damaged in some way..

edit..

Sorry, yea silly RB endlinks being fatter than others. I'd say just pass on the RB endlinks and get a different set or even just use the oem ones. There are other choices that don't need you to drill that work just as well.

 

Good deal, I was actually thinking that, but arent the ends of the rb front sways bigger to accomodate the rb endlinks? I thought thats what the OP indicated (granted this is an old thread and things may have changed). If so, wouldn't that cause some problems if i were to use with OE ends

 

no the bars have the same 10mm hole, if you want to use RB endlinks you need to enlarge the sway holes yourself.

 

Got it, thanks ffor the tip!!

 

I want those things badly. my R3 is rolling like a boat.

 

IMO, the sways are one of th the best upgrades to do and should be one of the first.

 

You can do the front sway with one man, but you need to take note of MazdaManiac's and Team's notes on that.

Remove all the front pan plastics.

You need to jack the car up high enough you can remove the plastics.

I needed to use PB Blaster on the right side to get it loose. I live in AZ and I feel sorry for anyone dealing with winter salt and trying to get these loose. Use anti-seize!

Use anti-seize on every fastener. Torque them to spec when tightening them.

You need to drop the steering links at the wheel to get the bar into position. When putting it back together the manual calls for 43 to 50 ft lbs.

I tried to install the front bar the Racing Beat way. My hat is off to anyone who can get that to work. Trying to get that to work removed a lot of paint off the sway bar. Also made me worry about how much damage I might be doing to the steering and pulleys on the engine.

I installed the rear and a Racing beat exhaust faster that I got the front in. The front would have gone in faster if I had listened to Team and MM right away.

Now is there a source for the plastic fasteners? I am running a few short now.

 

check autozone or advanced auto parts (or any chain store)

They have a large assortment of fasteners in different sizes and types.

 

1. yes

2. inside (stops go inside, bushings out)

 

it's fairly easy to install the front bar if you drop the lower radiator mounts off and install it from underneath and in without dropping the steering links, though I managed to get in prior to realizing I had been doing it the "hard" way by snaking it in through the side

you don't need the larger endlinks either, never had them and I've run much heavier bars

 

Yup, freaking hard as all hell. Its mainly because the lower radiator hose gets in the way and is hard as a rock. I spent a solid hour and a half swearing and cursing till it finally sat in there properly.

 

I want to give a huge thank you to this thread. I installed the Progress Tech Sway Bars on Sunday, and it was not a piece of cake for me but this thread helped me wonders.

I disconnected the sway bars from the endlinks, and on the last endlink (the driver side), the nut just would not bulge (I wasn't able to keep the hex key from moving with the nut). I put WD-40 and let it rest for a few hours and tried again but I just ended up rounding the nut. I decided to hammer things a little bit and I screwed up the HEX bit at the end of the bolt. So, I drilled and chiseled the nut away, hammered/screwdrivered the hex end of the bolt and now it fits the 5mm hex key again. I put anti-seize and re-torqued everything.
When I get to buying the Fat Cat Motorsports coilovers, I will definitely buy some adjustable endlinks and apply anti-seize everywhere lol.

Big thanks to all of you, this was a huge undertaking for me but I am still glad I did it and got to learn a lot more. That weekend, I also did transmission/diff flush, brake pads on all four corners, air filter (ahhh something stupidly easy ), brake fluid flush. I am all ready for the track now!

 

thanks for the helpful diy. and also thanks to team for suggesting removing the tie rod ends. it went from extremely frustrating to done in ten minutes