Anti-roll bar linkage ball join dust cover

Technical Area Steering & Suspension
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  1. My model of MX-5 is: 2002 (NBFL)
  2. I’m based near: Cheam
  3. I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: Drop links

My Arizona has just passed it’s MOT, but with an advisory for the Anti-roll bar linkage ball join dust cover, which is certainly something of a gobful.

From talking with the garage, I was told that it could do with some new drop links.

Strikes me that if I’m going to do one, that I should change all 4, including their bushes.
I see that MX5parts sell aftermarket version seemingly very cheap, i.e.
https://www.mx5parts.co.uk/anti-roll-drop-links-aftermarket-front-pair-mk2-25-p-4559.html

I’ve absolutely no intention of taking my car on track, so a few questions if I may:

  • Do you recommend that I’ll need anything else besides bushes and the drop links (e.g. should I change the anti-roll bars aswell)?
  • Any views on whether to go with the aftermarket units as listed, or with the genuine Mazda versions, which are x4 as expensive
  • As my car will be for road use, do you recommend rubber bushes?
  • Post have the work done, is it prudent to the have the suspension re-aligned?
  • I see that the bushes are for different diameter AR bars. As my car is a 1.8 Arizona, any idea what diameter I should be buying?

My thanks in advance.

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I replaced the ARB bushes on my NC, not because they needed doing, but just because they are potentially 15 years old, it was a cheap job and pretty painless to perform.
If all your’e doing is normal everyday driving, then in my opinion OEM buches should suffice.
If not, why would Mazda fit them.

Unless the bars are rusty as hell, or you intend to stffen up the car, the bars should be fine.

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