steering knuckle fitment

[reedw75]

I have been reading through the posts and can't really find much on the steering knuckle, I am wondering if all the knuckles (non abs) are interchangeable between the model years. I have been researching this for a while now ( I have the Mazda parts listing as well) and the only thing I can find different is the ball joints and I understand that they are slightly different sizes. the lower control arms, outer tie rod ends, knuckles, bearings, struts are all using the same part numbers.


what exactly is different about the ball joints? the size where it attaches to the control arm? size where it attaches to the knuckle?
are the knuckles interchangeable between years and can you use abs knuckles on non abs vehicles?

[Sleeper6]

later model mx3s have different diameter holes for the ball joint at the spindle. Larger then the early years but I could be mistaken. The two mounting bolts on the control arms are the same but the pilot size of the ball joint itself has two different sizes. Also i dont see why there would be a problem using an abs hub on a non abs, just not the reverse.

[wytbishop]

94' and later vehicles use a ball joint with a larger diameter post as Sleeper said. The ABS ring is on the CV joint so non ABS cars use the identical knuckle which just lacks the sensor.

[reedw75]

thanks everyone, thats exactly what I was wanting to know, I need to replace the front hubs and might just do the spindles as well if I can find them at a pick n pull, the car needs alot of work from front suspension, some vent tightening, wiring (interior fan doesn't need the key to be turned on) rewiring aftermarket fog lights, cv axles, blah blah blah yakketty schmackity

[wytbishop]

Unless they're damaged there should be no reason to replace the knuckles. There are no wearing surfaces on the knuckles and anything you get at the junk yard is probably going to have original wheel bearings so you're not really accomplishing anything by replacing them. If you replacing the hubs, you should just clean the knuckles up while you have them apart and put a coat of paint on them to prevent rust.

It's just a big old hunk of cast iron...

[Ryan]

sounds like someone before you had fun with it.

FYI, you can use GS or RS spindles (front).

[reedw75]

not sure if the knuckles are damaged, the hubs, or more specifically the spindle portion (both sides) that the bearings sit on are chewed to SH_T, found this out when I almost changed out the bearings

the extra knuckles would serve several purposes,
1. limited down time
2. if I get junkyard hubs (pick n pull most likely) i am not dragging my press to the junkyard, its too big and heavy
3. as bad as my wife is about telling me about car problems, it's better to be safe than sorry, same reason I am rebuilding her original engine that oil never got changed in and got ran dry

[wytbishop]

well if they're damaged that's a horse of another color...

[nolig2278]

Are there differenet sizes for the inner tie rods?
Different for 94 vs 93?
4cyl vs v6?
Passneger vs driver?

after I pull the boot off the inner tie rod, is it just a bolt that is loosened to remove it?

I had horrible luck with my lower ball joints, as a repair shop put the wrong hub onto my 94,
so when i ordered the ball joint for a 94, it did not fit in the 93 hub.

Thanks

[Ryan]

I believe they're only different between RS/GS, only the inner tie rod...

there is a locknut and then it screws off, I just FUBAR'd the locknut and locktite'd it instead when I put it back on. Once you do it you'll understand why.

[wytbishop]

The Inner tie rod ends are different from RS to GS. The outer tie rod ends are the same. There are different part numbers for the knuckle w/ ABS and without, but this is only because one comes with the wheel sensor included and one does not, but does still have the mounting point for it. The knuckles themselves are identical.

The ABS tone ring itself also differs from RS to GS, but on the front brakes it is part of the axel shaft assembly so the only way to get the wrong one would be to buy the wrong shaft.

There is a thread on clubprotege on depowering the 323 steering rack which is essentially the same as ours and will show you how things go together.

[nolig2278]

i think i looked at some good pictures on club protege but to confirm, no fluid will come out when i pull the tie rod?

any suggestions on where to buy the inner tie rod and to replace it there is no need to remove the outer tie rod right?

thanks

[Ryan]

Lol, no, no fluid will come out.

you don't HAVE to remove the outer, actually I suggest not doing that until you have the inner rod most of the way off, at which point I'd pop it loose so I could work on it on a bench vise.

Unless you do a measuring tape alignment, you'll need to get one right away. I did my own tie rods, and I had over an inch of toe in before I fixed it.

[nolig2278]

I got the lock knot free but not sure if I need to turn the tie rod clockwise or counter clockwise.

Thanks

[Ryan]

righty tighty, lefty loosey.

Its going to be VERY hard to crack it loose, and then it will spin off by hand.