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Green•Horn
29-07-2016, 07:51 AM
Hi Everyone,
First time poster to forums anywhere ever so here goes nothing!
So I bought a 1997 BA 323 Astina last Saturday and I've had some time to get to know the little Mazda a bit better in the last week.
I think as I bought it from Newtown, I assume it's seen a significant amount of speed humps in its life. This has resulted in the bounciest front shocks I've seen on any car ever. It's like halfway between chopped springs and 4wdriving... It's not a good feeling haha
So I think because the little Mazda's got lots of life left in her and I got a pretty good deal on it, I can afford to swap out the front shocks as they backs aren't too terrible.
My question that I can't answer is this: can I retro fit the shocks off a different Mazda like a same year 626 or a newer model SP20's with the macphearsons?
Car's on 216kms on the clock.
Thanks guys!!!! Sorry it's a windy one :P

MadazInBris
29-07-2016, 08:17 AM
Why bother dicking round with used crap ?
$109 the pair to your door !!
Description:
A Pair Gas Struts for MacPherson Strut

- Multi-lip oil seal
- Pressurized nitrogen gas
- Hard chromed piston rod

- Left & Right
- 2 YEAR WARRANTY


STD GAS SHOCK Absorber STRUT PAIR FRONT FOR ESCAPE BA ZA MAZDA (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/STD-GAS-SHOCK-Absorber-STRUT-PAIR-FRONT-FOR-ESCAPE-BA-ZA-MAZDA-TRIBUTE-YU-01-03-/301826433183?hash=item464641e09f:g:43UAAOSw~otWb6J 8)

Rupewrecht
29-07-2016, 08:55 AM
Simple answer no - the BA has specific strut tops to the car.

Long answer yes, the strut bases are the same, so will bolt up, but the spring seats are different, as is the height. But you'd need to use the BA strut tops.

Green•Horn
03-08-2016, 05:26 PM
Thanks for the help guys, I knew I was asking the right people.
Rupewrecht, I was wondering about the height difference but your simple answer is enough to make me move on.... Sounds fiddley and for a $50 saving, probably just isn't worth it.
MadazinBris, do mind my limited mechanical knowledge but do worn shocks seem like my issue and will new ones (with the factory springs) fix said issue?
Is it just a matter of using a spring compressor to fit the factory springs on the new shocks with the factory hats and hay presto the problem is fixed?
Thanks again for your help guys :)

Green•Horn
03-08-2016, 05:32 PM
Ps: this will be a silly question but the link for the shocks on eBay are for a Tribute... Are the same shocks used in both Mazda's? No interesting cross-fittinh to make it work in a BA application.
Sorry for the double post!!

MadazInBris
03-08-2016, 08:05 PM
Mazda are weird as for example the front struts from a 89-95 Mazda are the same for a '98-03 but NOT inbetween ! - Just PM the seller 1st to double check, easy peesy ;)

MadazInBris
03-08-2016, 08:17 PM
Whoops my bad.. I didn't read the ad correctly - lol :rolleyes:
Try these - $165.75 on SALE !!

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-Front-Struts-Mazda-323-BA-7-94-8-98-Sedan-Hatch-GT-Gas-Shock-Absorbers-/380439955784?hash=item5893fd0948:g:qiIAAOSw~CRTqki W

PLUS..

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-Rear-Struts-Mazda-323-BA-7-94-8-98-Sedan-Hatch-GT-Gas-Shock-Absorbers-/280882460227?hash=item4165e63643:g:xy0AAOSwo8hTqkm m

MadazInBris
03-08-2016, 08:24 PM
Annnnnnd.... :eek: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/381650705018

Rupewrecht
03-08-2016, 08:34 PM
Stick with BA ones.

There are plenty around
http://www.ebay.com.au/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2060353.m570.l1313.TR11.TRC1.A0.H0.XBA+as tina+shock.TRS0&_nkw=BA+astina+shock&_sacat=0

(or I've got a set of better KYBs with AutoExe springs for sale, if you wanted to lower the car at the same time).

Green•Horn
04-08-2016, 01:31 PM
Thanks for all the links guys... I couldn't probably couldn't justify the best part of $200 just for the fronts as I picked up the car for $900.
Any other ideas as to how to make it less bouncy for less? Otherwise I may have to look into the shocks from another mazda like I originally was thinking as that seems the cheaper option so far.
Rupewrecht, do you know roughly how much a BA's height would lower with the Macphearsons from an SP20.... Or possibly simpler; will a 626 front shocks fit with the BA top hats?
Thanks guys :)

Green•Horn
04-08-2016, 01:33 PM
Oh and I'm trying to keep stock on the outside so lowering it with the Exes you've got isn't an option otherwise that would be the most straightforward fix for my problem!
Making things hard for myself as always haha

MadazInBris
04-08-2016, 02:57 PM
Just buy the actual "inserts" then - Not the whole strut ;)

Green•Horn
04-08-2016, 03:28 PM
That seems simple enough... Sorry I'm advance for all the questions but are just the inserts easily acquired and relatively easy to replace?
Is it just a matter of taking apart the factory shocks/springs, fitting new inserts and then repeating the process in reverse.
Sorry for the blow by blow... I'm still learning the mechanical side of things :)
Thanks!

MadazInBris
04-08-2016, 04:06 PM
Ebay ya goose ! :p lol

https://www.google.com.au/?client=firefox-b-ab#q=How+to+replace+McPherson+strut+inserts&gfe_rd=cr

Green•Horn
05-08-2016, 08:07 AM
I suppose I asked for that :D
Had a bit of a look and just the 'inserts' are hard to come by from Ebay Aus... Will keep looking as there's quite a good guide to changing the inserts, it includes illustrations as well.
I may just end up biting the bullet and getting new ones... Budget be damned :P

MadazInBris
05-08-2016, 08:58 AM
Or you could always RING Supercheap, Repco, Bursons, Autobahn etc etc etc ya wally