suspension install time

[Torinalth]

Well, taking the advice of san man i decided to go ahead and install everything i have had laying around. i am going to be doing my PHB, LCAs, and swaybar endlinks, this will prolly go on till tonight and very likely till tomorrow mid day... depending on how much i drink durring this process.

I will be doing the PHB first, as i can do the LCAs as the same time as i do the PHB (requires you to drop the LCAs... just bolt the new ones up) and after that i will be pulling off the front setup to install the swaybar endlinks i have... the endlinks will be the stock height (only 3/4 drop) endlinks but a bit thicker with poly bushings (the new swaybar blew out the passenger top bushing)

supposidly the PHB install is one of the hardest, so we will see. I am fairly addept and have no qualms breaking my car (still undecided if i want to sell it or not) so i am willing to be chancy. i will be making a picture guide and writeup for each of the three things I will be installing today. even though the LCAs will be part of the PHB install i will make them seperate for those that want to go ahead and do them on a seperate project. start time will be approx 5:30 EST.

wish me luck, and i'll post back when i take various brakes.

Torinalth

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I wish I was there...

 

[Stang|ess]

good luck with the install. don't get too drunk and take naked pictures of your 18 year old girlfriend and post them online :].

 

[san~man]

Bro, I promise that as soon as you take your first hard turn, you'll be smiling when it's all done.

 

[Torinalth]

OMFG... i have never run into so many damn problems durring an install... this has gone from medium/hard to a desaster. my entire weekend is gone i believe...

tip for ANYONE attempting to do a PHB install, let alone LCAs on top of that.... block off the entire weekend. axle rotation is a massive pain. oh, and make sure to have a freakin 20 ans 21 mm socket. OH and wash the damn undercarriage before you even begin to start. sigh.... OH and since its going to take forever, EXTENSION CABLES and the most amount of flourescent lighting you can come up with. sigh... back in the hole.

Torinalth

 

[thomas91169]

PHB = PanHard Bar i assume?

if so, have a good weekend. prolly the first time monday mornings shift will feel like a vacation.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Hmmm, I was just reading the PHB installation instructions at www.maximummotorsports.com

It looks pretty hard and time consuming...

 

[Torinalth]

its really not that bad, but i have had a hell of a time with the fitment of theaxle brace, it was a good amount off... not enough that it required the MM alternate ijnstructions, but enough that i had to use a drill and old ass file to widen the hole to make it work.... that and not having a 20 or 21mm socket for the chasie end of the LCA bolts, well, that was interesting.... and when you fool around with getting the LCA ont he axle end to line up... HAH. if i wasnt this far along i'd stop, jack the car up another 6 inches on all jack stands and start again....

I can NOT stress enough how much ground clearance means. though i will say, you learn a ton by doing it yourself. and honestly, i dont think mechanics get payed enough for doing this kinda ****. i'm going to quit at 1 tonight, then start again at around 9.... hopefully i'll be done around 8 or so tomorrow night. I'm weighing teh odds on continuing after funneling 3 beers vs stone sober....

Torinalth

 

[san~man]

"Rising up, back on the streets, did my time, took my chances."

 

[bakos24]

good luck with the install. don't get too drunk and take naked pictures of your 18 year old girlfriend and post them online :].

Or you can. Whatever you want to do .

Serioulsly, have fun with the install. should be fun

 

[oxfordgt]

If you think lower control arms are a pain wait till you try to do upper. I have never done a PHB but it does look time consuming.

 

[Torinalth]

upper will be different as i will be doing the evo trilink instead of standard UCAs... maybe easier, maybe harder... its prolly going to be another damn PHB experience... think i am going to order it next month and wait till a 3 day weekend for that one

well, i am done for tonight... i got to the drilling part, but seemed to have lost my 1/2" bit... and all the stores are closed, so no through the night install. i'm not quite half way through the install based on steps, however reading through i am a lil more then 1/2 way... from this point on there are a lot of little steps that are slightly more intricate... but less time consuming, plus measuring as steps to themselves. should be done by 4 tomorrow or earlier.

the LCAs were not that bad, the issue was that i had to keep uninstalling them because i had to keep working on axle brace on the PHB. when you have to pull it out over 12 times it gets old fighting the axle.

on a side note, the new LCAs are friggin sweet... they are MM knockoffs, but seem to be the exact same. welds are awesome so i dont believe i will break anything, very thick tubing so i dont see flex being an issue.. poly bearings are solid.... my only quandery comes to the spherical joint... though its good, my only concern is longevity.. time will tell... however, i am kinda planning on road race LCAs from MM later on, so i probably wont see any mechanical failure, even if there was going to be any.

on a side note, i almost have my girlfriend convinced to let me buy a lift for the garage...

Torinalth

 

[tomustang]

If you think lower control arms are a pain wait till you try to do upper. I have never done a PHB but it does look time consuming.

wrongo, the LCA's he's got have sperical ends, stock UCA's are a breeze



I need some scotch, brb

 

[oxfordgt]

wrongo, the LCA's he's got have sperical ends, stock UCA's are a breeze



I need some scotch, brb

I put in steeda UCA's removing the rubber bushings was a pain and cost me 2 drill bits.

 

[tomustang]

I put in steeda UCA's removing the rubber bushings was a pain and cost me 2 drill bits.

bushings are a different story, next time you come around it, drop the axle down, pop a dent on the shell, and saw off the exposed bushing ends to the bolt shell and pop it out

 

[squares98]

$210 labor, or a weekend plus of grief. You know which one my lazy ass would choose. I'd drop off the car, go surf for a few hours and pick it up when I was done

 

[Torinalth]

ok, wow, if you do this install without help make sure you buy a very strong elbow brace.... being on your back and twisting at odd angles really puts on the hurt. time to drill, cut, then drill and mount.

ETA: 4:00

 

[Torinalth]

RIP Black and Decker Firestorm Drill.

Cause of death was broken driveshaft.

we will miss you.

Torinalth

 

[Torinalth]

broken drill and sheared 3/8 drill bit cost me a lot of time..... the chasie mount is now on and secure... time to install the rear springs, shocks, drive to let them settle, then the bar its self. new ETA 6:30

 

[Torinalth]

ok, finally done... going to take it out and see how it does. hope nothing brakes.

Torinalth