Swopping a Mk2 front suspension onto my Mk1

[Bluebell18]

Hi all, new on here and hope that this is in the right place, also my apologies if this has been covered before but my searches have been in vain.
I have a 94 G-ltd with the usual rusty front wishbones etc.

The last MOT flagged the o/side top ball joint and track rod end having slight play, so whilst track rod is straightforward the ball joint is an expensive replacement part and replacing the joint difficult as I do not have access to a press. Bottom arms are unavailable new!

This started me thinking and following some research I believe that the Mk2 parts are dimensionally the same with minor differences i.e. antiroll bar mount on bottom arm is different and ball joint taper on top bush.

The ARB bracket is not a problem as far as I can see and the conversion has been successfully done. The top ball joint can be replaced but again this is an extra cost and we are back to the press, so if I source the Mk2 uprights and hubs etc. these should all fit.

So in effect I would be swopping a Mk2 suspension onto my Mk1. The advantages that I can see are

MOT problems addressed
Old rusty front underpinnings replaced and rustproofed
All four arms from FirstLine for a similar price to one upper arm from OEM supplier.
Hubs could be refurbished now indoors and the rebuild completed outside in the better weather.

So is it feasible, anyone done it before, any foreseeable problems or am I missing something here?

Any help/thoughts gratefully accepted.
Dave

[Mazda Mender]

Reading what you have wrote are you talking about suspension swap/damders or wishbones etc?
M-m

[Bluebell18]

Hi Mm,
Thinking of top and bottom front wishbones and uprights from a Mk2.
Hoping to reuse the shocks and springs as they are ok.
Dave

[Mazda Mender]

Whats wrong with the ones on???whats the dust boots like on the upper wishbone...if it is split and old they will feel slack, replacing the boots can bring them back...
M-m

[Bluebell18]

Hi again, the dust boots were renewed last year following an advisory from the previous MOT and at the time the ball joints felt ok. I trust the garage to be fair and the tester stated that the play was minor hence the advisory. The lower arms are corroded, although they have been treated and painted, I just feel that this year would be a good time to sort the problems and head off any further advisories/fails with a set of new parts, as the car is a keeper.
The interest in using Mk2 parts is obviously for cost reasons, in theory it should work ok but I can't find anybody that has gone down this route who can advise.
Dave

[blackyb]

The only thing I did was swap out the mk1 shocks for a set of mk2s but eventually went back to my mk1s.

I have never considered swapping out the rest of the suspension for a mk2 set up. I just replaced the ball joints when one came up as an advisory, so did both.

Be interested to see how you get on

[Bluebell18]

Hi Blackyb and thanks for your thoughts.

It is beginning to look as though I have asked a question to which at present there is no answer, although you have confirmed the fact that the shocks & springs are interchangeable as I hoped.

I already have the new bottom arms from FirstLine as I have been planning to replace these for a while, the quality looks excellent with good welds so hopefully good to go. They come complete with bottom ball joint and bushes.

Just waiting for two used Mk2 uprights to arrive so that I can get on with reconditioning them ready for some decent weather.

Will update the post with photos when I can.
Dave

[Mazda Mender]

Hi Blackyb and thanks for your thoughts.

It is beginning to look as though I have asked a question to which at present there is no answer, although you have confirmed the fact that the shocks & springs are interchangeable as I hoped.

And i will answer the question.....but life issues come first....i am not on line 24-7....
I guess from your last reply that you have already made up your mind with buying uprights and bones already....
Personally i would of just sourced some good mk1 units simply because it is less hassle and will fit correct...your mk1 drop link will not fit correct to the wishbone lug and fitting the Mk2/2.5 drop links will need the NB sway bar/bushes etc .
On hind sight they should fit ...but for me its a mk1 swap with mk1...mk2 swap with mk2...if i was swapping a mk1 with mk2 ...then it is everything or nothing so it all fits correct and safe,you could try fitting adjustable drop lings off the bay of e as a happy medium.
Full mk2 suspension units are a straight swap to a mk1...just make sure they are off a Mk2 not a Mk2.5 or Mk2/2.5 billies as it will sit high...mk1 suspension units will not fit a Mk2/2.5...top mount will not fit the inner wing cut out...
M-m

[Bluebell18]

My apologies M.m, I did not intend to imply that you would not nor could not answer my question and neither would I for one moment expect you to be online 24/7.

Yes I am assembling the components to proceed with the swop and I will ensure that the components are all from the Mk2 as you suggest.

I will post back in the Spring with an update when I have completed the swop or otherwise.

Thanks for your thoughts on this matter.

Dave

[Mazda Mender]

Its the drop link set up that would be my concern if useing a mk1 link with the sway bar....i would look at the adjustment links for a Mk 2 so you can adjust to fit and sercured solid and safe.
M-m

[Mazda Mender]

Pm sent...
M-m

[Mazda Mender]

Ok...i have looked into this Dave....as i knew the bones and uprights would be a straight remove and bolt on...my concern is the drip link connection to the bottom wishbone and sway bar, with the Mk1 bottom bone having a twin U shaped lug for bolting the link to and the Mk2/2.5 only having a L shaped lug to bolt up the link solid and safe although it is a thicker steel...i see issues ,So there is two options...
Fit the sway bar from a Mk2/2.5 and bushes(brackets are the same)...and fit some Mk2/2.5 drop links as the sway bar is thicker which is a bonus in it self any way and is shaped different to take the drop links..i recommend the blue print items as they are far better than the OE items...
Option two....leave the Mk1 sway bar and fit Mk1 links...making sure you fit a thick washer on the exposed side of the link on the bone the same size or over the metal frame that holds the bush in place so it does not push it out over time..
Personally i woul op-ed for option one...second sway bar will be cheap of the breakers with new bushes bought and new links anyway regardless...thicker sway bar will be a benefit for the handling anyway..so a win win.
But there you go is fitting Mk2/2.5 bones and up rights.
Hope that now helps
M-m

[Bluebell18]

I guess that I have also peaked your curiosity about this exercise.

I now have the arms and a pair of s/hand uprights have arrived today, so I am ready to start the refurb asap.
I don't know if you have any experience of First Line products but they appear to be well made and welded, no doubt the bushes will not be OEM quality but there is no guarantee that what I have at the moment is after 25 years.

I have been looking at these, called Rose joints I understand



but would like to find some in stainless steel for corrosion proofing.

I am thinking that some 8mm stainless rod threaded at one end to screw into the fitting and a longer thread at the other end. This could have a nut before the fitting which would lock the length and provide some adjustment. Left & right hand threads would be better but I do not have LH dies. This would also enable angular adjustment of the two ends of the link similar to the Mk2 version. Hope this makes sense.

Will try the Mk1 links first and I take your point regarding the large washer to prevent the bush twisting out.
As I said previously the rebuild is weather dependant so may be some time yet.
Will post when I have something to report.

Dave

[Bluebell18]

Perhaps a little bit of what in modern parlance is called the back story may be of interest and help explain my request for information.
When I bought Bluebell I was told she was in sound condition and the drive home appeared to confirm this. So as a matter of course I started on the usual fettling, beginning with the brakes, shocks & springs. Having taken the front o/side wheel off I was greeted with this.



and on closer inspection this



Now to be fair she was 19 years old but I was a little taken aback with this and the total lack of bodywork protection, I am older and wiser now. Thankfully the body work was sound with a little surface rust.




All responded well to a wire brush, rust converter and some red oxide primer.


I bit the bullet so to speak and ordered new discs, pads, shocks and springs as well as assorted new bolts and made a start. What followed was a new caliper as it was siezed, a new flexible hose and because it would not let go of the pipe I had to make a new copper brake pipe as well.
Eventually it all went back together and looked fairly presentable





and I started on the other side, which thankfully was not quite as bad.

The rear end with its broken springs and similar rust is another story.

Now this was all some five years ago and whilst it still looks ok I know what is under the paintwork and as this car will be my one and only Roadster I now feel that it is time to rectify what I should really have done initially.

Dave

[Mazda Mender]

And how bad are those wishbones and uprights now?
M-m