Tools needed:
Torque Wrench
3/8 ratchet, 12mm and 14mm 6pt sockets.
(If the 14mm nuts are too tight and spin the bolt, you'll need a 5mm Allen wrench, and a 14mm box/open end wrench)
1. Jack the car up and support it with jack stands. Make sure to block the front tires.
2. Remove the 14mm head nuts that connect the sway bar to the links. Use a 6 pt socket. I was lucky, the nuts on my car weren’t seized at all and came off easily. If you’re not so lucky, you’ll need to use a 5mm Allen wrench and a 14mm box wrench to remove.
3. Remove the sway bar clamps. The head nuts are 12mm. There is one clamp on each side, two bolts on each clamp.
4. Take note of the bar orientation. Remove the sway.
5. Racing Beat sends two sets of bushings with the kit. Mazda changes the bushings in late 2005. Just use your old bushings as a guide to choose the correct RB bushings. Lube the inside of the pivot bushings. RB supplies small grease packets with the kit. I just used my own.
6. Install in the reverse order. Make sure you install the bar right side up. Some people use the RB sticker as a guide, but I didn’t. Why? Had I used that method, I would have installed the bar upside down. Just take a look at the pics if you’re confused.
7. The head nuts for the clamps should be tightened to 19ft-lbs, and the end link nuts should be tightened to 44ft-lbs.The rear sway is pretty simple. Including jacking the car, taking pictures, etc…it took me about 40 minutes overall.
If you happened to do the rear bar first, take a break before you tackle the front. While overall it isn’t difficult, it is a pain getting the bar out. Check out the difference. Old and new:
