...or "Why Daylight is ALWAYS Better than Artificial Light."

So the Mazda 3 needed new suspension bits after 220k km. Inspired by you lot (yes, really! ) and decided I should try to tackle this job myself. And also I wanted to try before I really get too old to do something I should have tried 20+ years ago.

I mean, I got prepared. Read manuals. Bought equipment. Bought parts and sought advice from suspension specialists, mechanics, workmates, etc, etc. Yet I knew something would go somewhat ludicrously wrong, somehow, at some point.

That happened last night as I was attempting to remove the rear shocks. I needed to remove the lower shock mount bolt and I could see the flanged nut on the end. Now this wasn''t in some dim background, I had a 150W halogen floodlamp on one side and a 20W fluoro work lamp on the other. I got the 17mm socket and ratchet on, it was too tight as expected. I'd sprayed penetrant on them previously so I got the breaker bar out,but they wouldn't budge- more penetrant, wait, try again- solid as a rock on both sides of the car.

I had an inkling something wasn't quite right, it was late and cold so rather than break something I decided to leave it 'til the morning. I've found before daylight and a break can shed a totally different light on things!

In the meantime I reviewed an Youtube of the process and noted the mechanic removed the bolt from the other side, not the nut. Hmmm...

Come the morning...come the answer! As soon as I looked I knew what the problem was as the daylight cast aside any shadow of a doubt (more bad puns). The nut was there... pity it was part of the mount! I'd have to rotate the whole car to get it to move...I acquiesced and tried removing the bolt which immediately complied with my efforts.

So why on Earth would a flanged nut be used for a threaded hole?? I can only assume whoever was designing the mount needed a threaded hole, and the quickest and nearest to be found was a CAD file of a flanged nut which was duly cut-n-pasted into position...Nuts to that!!!

[b]Patrick[/b]

Calling on you experienced persons out there. Is the following normal? Below is a photo of the offending nut-in-place-of-a-threaded-socket for the lower rear shock bolt I referred to above- as you can see it's just spot-welded on (on both sides, you just can't see the other side in the photo). It's not the only one around there, either and both left & right are the same. There's no photo for comparison in the Haynes manual.
[img]http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd490/pitrack_1/2004%20Mazda3%20SP23/Lower_rear_shock_Nut_Weld-on_med_zpsb8ixj1f3.jpg[/img]

Millions of Mazda3's must've been made and this almost looks like the repair of an oversight or a substitute for a run-out of parts.

For comparison, here is a photo of the [i]front[/i] lower control arm rear bush mount- not the proper threaded sockets integral to the part.
[img]http://i1222.photobucket.com/albums/dd490/pitrack_1/2004%20Mazda3%20SP23/LCA_rear_mount_bolt_socket_med_zpsr7bagx3x.jpg[/img]

Thanks,

[b]Patrick[/b]

Hi Patrick. I was about to respond to your first post, to say that it took me an hour to realise that the nuts in the spare wheel well in the boot of the 323, which secure the exhaust shield below, were captive nuts and I had to fasten everything from underneath. DOH!

And that was in daylight!!

Re the shock bolt. I can't say I've seen that, in my limited experience, perhaps someone else has, unless that also qualifies as a "captive nut".

S

Hi Serena, thanks for the reply!

Had a bit of a grin at your wheel-well-nut description until I thought, "hmmm, better have a look myself next time!" So thanks for the heads-up

Actually, you were another one of the inspirations! If you can do bodywork, painting and everything else you've done out in the open in UK weather surely I can manage some underbody work in a carport in Canberra!

It's taken 2-3 months off-and-on but job done. Mind you, last week or two I've been motivated by the arrival of Canberra winter so I had to pick my times...like nice sunny mornings & afternoons

Having done the Mazda 3, I can look forward to perhaps doing the front shocks on the 323 sometime in the future.

Hope Sundance is running nicely!

Cheers,

[b]Patrick[/b]

[quote="pitrack_1"]Actually, you were another one of the inspirations! If you can do bodywork, painting and everything else you've done out in the open in UK weather surely I can manage some underbody work in a carport in Canberra!

Hope Sundance is running nicely![/quote]

Great to know I'm inspiring someone with my guerrilla car maintenance!

Sundance badly needs a clutch bleed, and I need to get it inspected for welding needs ... but otherwise yes, thank you, going like a rocket

S