NB wishbones on a NA?

[Hugeness]

Will the front upper wishbone listed as for a 1.8 Mk2 98-05 fit on the mark1, also a 1.8?
I was wondering because they’re £180 a corner from MX5Parts and I can get them for £60ish on eBay brand new. My Ball joints are jiggerd (oo’er misses )

[blackyb]

No idea but will be interested to know.

[Zed.]

top front wishbones are dimensionally identical.

NA & NB / fl have diferent top balljoint lengths, this is the tapered pin & thread length. otherwise interchangable in the wishbones BUT to use an NB balljoint in an NA upright you need a spacer-washer (~3mm thick?) for the nut to tighten & splitpin to align with the nuts castellations - obvously you could use a nyloc nut

https://supermiata.com/SuperMiata-Upper-Ball-Joint.aspx
^^ as example.


NB & fl have a strengthening brace that can contact some dampers / springs.

lower wishbones differ in their arb link mounts although NB lowers are sold by Mazda as fitting '89-'05 so...

http://racetrackdriving.com/tech/miata/ ... terchange/
some light reading?



NA top balljoint, NB lower balljoint.
from
https://mighty5s.com/post/41142/thread

Rich.

[Hugeness]

Great info @Zed, thanks very much. I’m really just trying to avoid having to get the all joints out of the front uppers as I haven’t got a press. The bottoms are just bolt on (from what I can see).
As long as the taper angle is the same, using a spacer will probably do the job. The advantage of new arms in they come with bushes fitted making it more cost effective.

I’m guessing getting the old ball joints out of the uppers is a bit of a job?

Ta

[Zed.]

guessing getting the old ball joints out of the uppers is a bit of a job?

I used a hydraulic press but some thought & a bench-vise should do the job

I'd be carefull if using a hammer & sockets though as the wishbone is a bit 'thin' so could deform in the 'bore' that the balljoint fits (balljoint is 'splined' to grip the wishbone)


I'll probably be getting new wishbones for my '91 just as they're not rusted as opposed to ease of balljoint replacement (even though I've just sandblasted some spares )

Rich.

[Bluebell18]

Been there, done that got the tee shirt. Look at Swopping a Mk2 front suspension onto my Mk1!

[Hugeness]

So I just need a spacer, oh, and Spot on Bluebell!