David Edwards Fifth gear

Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Dallas 90 Red pkg B, 91 BRG restored Posts: 3,803

Quote: gtxhawaii Originally Posted by The kit o Ebay, from one of our FL forum members, isn't just the two bushings, it includes the proper bit for the screw, IIRC, not a normal tool found in every kitchen house tool box. For those of us with access to drill press and various saws and experience with them, fabbing up the parts is cheap and avoids housework. Others find buying the drill press alone makes the job counter productive? The Star tool kit usually runs a lot more than the plastic, Harbor Freight may have deals.

We also don't really know the quality of the plastic in the Lowes washers, hopefully more than adequate. The kit is from known excellent material for the use. Either option probably is most satisfactory, people in condos with no tools have as good an option as car nuts with tools and time using them.

Those new to the issue may wonder if Mazda sells the bushings. Yes, they do. With window glass attached only!



As I said, cutting the spacer piece was a bit trickier since Nylon is tough and slick, and I didn't feel safe trying to cut it with a utility blade. Realistically if this was a stumbling block, I think it would be fine to just stack 3-4 metal washers in there as a spacer.



For me it was just more expedient to buy the parts locally, so I could get it done that evening. The torx 30 bit sells for about $5 at Lowes. Harbor Freight sells a set of the bits for about $10 and a set of torx screwdrivers for about $8.00.



As far as quality, the Lowes parts are tough looking Nylon. When I secured the spacer piece in a vice to cut it, I deformed it to an oval about 1/2 its original diameter and when I removed it from the vice it sprang back to its original shape with no visible damage. Since the window channel piece is more solid and really only slides up and down a track, I suspect they will last forever. No argument. I used a drill press because I have one, but it could easily be drilled with a hand held drill, as it is really only reaming out a tiny collar of material for the screw head to recess into...doesn't have to be perfect.As I said, cutting the spacer piece was a bit trickier since Nylon is tough and slick, and I didn't feel safe trying to cut it with a utility blade. Realistically if this was a stumbling block, I think it would be fine to just stack 3-4 metal washers in there as a spacer.For me it was just more expedient to buy the parts locally, so I could get it done that evening. The torx 30 bit sells for about $5 at Lowes. Harbor Freight sells a set of the bits for about $10 and a set of torx screwdrivers for about $8.00.As far as quality, the Lowes parts are tough looking Nylon. When I secured the spacer piece in a vice to cut it, I deformed it to an oval about 1/2 its original diameter and when I removed it from the vice it sprang back to its original shape with no visible damage. Since the window channel piece is more solid and really only slides up and down a track, I suspect they will last forever.