Sock's BP-Swappin' 323 Project Thread (Comments Appreciated!)

[bomdoutscort]

super nice

[red rocket]

Just read the whole thread... hurry and finish!!!

[Mazda_Powered]

this is the only occasion where mr sockington won't finish early

mmhmm, i went there...oh i went there haha.

[Sockington]

Just read the whole thread... hurry and finish!!!

Would have been done much sooner, but our Focus needed like $2500 in repairs/maint. over the past month or two. No cash-ola for the 323.

Oh, and damn winter. Freezes my nuts in the garage.

[lepichichi :)]

nice build up, i cant wait to see the final result good luck!

[Sockington]

Time to take the rear suspension apart.


The bushings are toast.




Crossmember separated


Worked the links loose. Time to remove that pesky center bolt.


Somewhat apart


Soaked the bolt in the atf+acetone combo overnight to see if it helped.


Nope









Meh, just another hump in the project.

[Mazda_Powered]

or you can ask jack if he has any spare spindles laying around

i've gone one thats sandblasted with the ttl bolt gone.

pick it up and its your man

[FE3-323]

i laugh when people try to soak parts that are completely engulfed metal/metal & can rust. I.E. a bolt in a rear spindle

your only hope is serious heat cycles

[jumpncrash]

I hate those bolts with a vengeance!!

[mx-3_4evr]

Lots of heat, a center point, a bench vice, and a BFH will do the job!

[FE3-323]

to separate my stock rear spindles to add mx3 TTL's one was heat-cycled 4 times & the other 5 times..... now mind you thats getting it glowing hot & letting it cool- then repeating
the wheel bearings were definitely replaced afterwords i took a sanding stone & cleaned all of the rust out of the spindles & enlarged it a super smidge & put new bolts in from california gotta love rust free stuff's lots & lots of grease helps out in a case like this with reinstall

[Henchman]

to separate my stock rear spindles to add mx3 TTL's one was heat-cycled 4 times & the other 5 times..... now mind you thats getting it glowing hot & letting it cool- then repeating
the wheel bearings were definitely replaced afterwords i took a sanding stone & cleaned all of the rust out of the spindles & enlarged it a super smidge & put new bolts in from california gotta love rust free stuff's lots & lots of grease helps out in a case like this with reinstall

Damn right, that's why California is awesome!

[Sockington]

i laugh when people try to soak parts that are completely engulfed metal/metal & can rust. I.E. a bolt in a rear spindle

your only hope is serious heat cycles

I knew the spindle bolt was ze-****ed. I didn't bother with heat (since my oxy-acetylene won't be here until mid-January) and just soaked it.


I've got some fresh bits hopefully coming from California soon that will replace all my rusted shizzle. (spindles, TTLS, etc)


I've also got four brand new TTL bolts in the garage and have the order ready at MMS for the misc. washers, etc.

[Mazda_Powered]

so when you make a MMS order, are you going to tell me?

also, where are you planning on painting the hatch? your garage? i cant remember.

[323Permin]

I had the same roblem ... took them down to local machine shop and had them press it out with hydraulic press.