Hi all. I’m new to this forum but can’t find the answers I need. I’ve been told that my Mark 2 Mx5 has corroded rear lower control arms. Does anyone know where I can get replacements- not new necessarily? Or, would sandblasting (?) be a way of removing the corrosion? I don’t know how bad it is. Any advice would be great. I live in Glos area. Cheers.
Autolinkuk, MX5heaven etc are your usual sourced of rear control arms/ wishbones. If they have corroded through, you need replacements. If its just surface rust, a wirebrush, treat and paint in situ would suffice. If you want then sandblasted and powder coated/ enameled, then obviously they need to come off, bushes removed, and new bushes fitted, and then refitted.If doing that, I would also attend to the upper wishbones and rear antiroll bar while you are at it.
It’s a common enough advisory because these control arms are not properly treated in the factory to resist rust. Most advisorys on MOT are for surface rust so still structurally sound and fit for purpose - they just look a bit scabby so have to be commented on.
You must make up your own mind to either rufurbish yours(if possible) or buy used/new replacements. I would go the used route because new would likely not have bushes.
Thank you - I don’t know a great deal about car parts so would powder coating be long lasting? Plus, what the cost? I need lower rear control arms for a Mark 2 T reg Mx5. Cheers
Powder coating is the best way of preserving these control arms. The problem is that the usual method of powder coating involves too much curative heat for the bushes, so they will need replacing. This upsets the whole idea as becomes very expensive. If Rob has a low heat cure powder coat alternative that works and the original Mazda rubber bushes still in good order, the way to go.
Most of us just get the wire brush out, clean off the loose rust, apply hydrate 80 or similar to kill the remaining rust and then paint with smoothrite, por 15 or your preferred choice of black metal paint.