Progress Thread 2nd Fox Body - some window trim work!

[derek1993]

I torqued my lower control arms when the suspension was together under a load. I took my floor jack and jacked up the control arm till the car started coming off the jack stand on that side. I was worried the car would not sit right If I torqued them when it was not under a load.

i have the front suspension assembled on mine, from the sounds of it i need to back the bolts off, jack the side up and re-torque as you described... better safe than sorry at this point.

 

[JasonRP]

Wow!!! How am I just now finding this thread- you're killing it! Really inspiring me to do a MUCH better job of clean/de-rust/prime/paint on my '89 GT.
Question: I've been thinking that HF 12-Ton press would just fit into a corner of my garage. The 20-Ton, not so much. It looks like you have the 12- and have done your pinion/diff carrier rebuild. Is the 12-ton ample for doing this? If so, I'm grabbing one.

 

[Rdub6]

Wow!!! How am I just now finding this thread- you're killing it! Really inspiring me to do a MUCH better job of clean/de-rust/prime/paint on my '89 GT.
Question: I've been thinking that HF 12-Ton press would just fit into a corner of my garage. The 20-Ton, not so much. It looks like you have the 12- and have done your pinion/diff carrier rebuild. Is the 12-ton ample for doing this? If so, I'm grabbing one.

Thanks man. I appreciate you checking in. There’s many threads on here that help keep me motivated, so glad to pass it on.
The press worked like a charm. I was also concerned about space, but it fit nice once I raised the cabinet a little bit, and it’s light enough to move around if you need to.
Definitely watch the Eric the Car Guy videos on YouTube on rebuilding the 8.8. He explains in good detail how to do it with little tips like using parts of the old bearing to help press on the new, and using the old bearing as a “set-up” bearing, etc. I actually watched them multiple times.
Sometimes you have to get creative with the blocking on the press to get the right height in what you are pressing, but like I said, it worked great.
I used the press on my nephews U-joints also, and made that job pretty easy as well.

 

[derek1993]

Today I went back to some painting on my spindles and got my caliper decals in the mail so I got those applied.
Spent some time grinding the two spots on those spindles to clearance the PBR’s. It didn’t take much at all!!

do you have to clearance the spindles regardless? that is the one thing i didn't do, and thinking i might need to do before i button everything up.. Could you point out the spot you had to work on?
THanks.

 

[derek1993]

I was seeing almost $180 for the pair when I was searching.

go to the junk yard and pull some off of a donor car.. i think i paid $15 for both at a u-pull for my 'cores'..

 

[derek1993]

My inspection is due by the end of the month. I don’t even remember when I put it up on stands, but it’s definitely been two months, and I never treated the fuel.
Im debating throwing the front seat in, and the belts, and taking it for a ride to get my safety done. At that point I’ll fill the tank, throw some Stabil in, bring it home and get it up in the air for another few months and get the rest of this floor pan sorted out.
Lots of surface rust that needs a wire wheel, and there’s a spot right under the clutch pedal that will need about a 6x8 patch. Then I’ll POR15 the rest, get some sort of insulation/ sound deadener, and have my interior back together by spring. That’s the plan at least. I’ve heard of this self adhesive “mat” stuff at Lowe’s and HD. I think it’s for the HVAC guys. Anybody have success with that over the Dynamat?

We recently used Mat66 on my son's truck, was a lot less expensive than Dynamat, i think we got 36sq ft for like $50

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

And while I had the paint out, I gave the mufflers a touch up. Can’t have the whole underside nice with crappy looking mufflers.

If only you could paint the “ crappy” sound they make….

 

[Maddene]

Look up Tom Vinal on FB. I believe he is in Connecticut he will have or no how to get what do you need.

 

[Rdub6]

do you have to clearance the spindles regardless? that is the one thing i didn't do, and thinking i might need to do before i button everything up.. Could you point out the spot you had to work on?
THanks.

you can see where the red and blue lines are. That’s what needs to be taken off. I juat ground a little, checked fit, ground a little more, check.... etc etc until I got it where I needed.

 

[Rdub6]

We recently used Mat66 on my son's truck, was a lot less expensive than Dynamat, i think we got 36sq ft for like $50

I ended up going with the Kilmat, which was pretty reasonably priced.

 

[derek1993]

you can see where the red and blue lines are. That’s what needs to be taken off. I juat ground a little, checked fit, ground a little more, check.... etc etc until I got it where I needed.

Thanks. I didn't see any issues with mine but maybe need to look a little closer, will poke at it today.

 

[Rdub6]

Thanks. I didn't see any issues with mine but maybe need to look a little closer, will poke at it today.

I’ll see if I can grab one from my plastic bins where I have them stored, and a get a pic of everything together. It wasn’t a lot, but it definitely needed to be shaved down a little.

 

[derek1993]

I’ll see if I can grab one from my plastic bins where I have them stored, and a get a pic of everything together. It wasn’t a lot, but it definitely needed to be shaved down a little.

No worries. Just wish I would've thought about it ahead of assembling everything. Should be able to take a grinder to them as they sit though. To conform you have 94-95 spindles?
Thanks again. So close to getting this back together to drive again (until the next project).. you're experiences with learning how to welder has me looking at my first welder purchase as well. A skill I'd like to learn...

 

[Rdub6]

No worries. Just wish I would've thought about it ahead of assembling everything. Should be able to take a grinder to them as they sit though. To conform you have 94-95 spindles?
Thanks again. So close to getting this back together to drive again (until the next project).. you're experiences with learning how to welder has me looking at my first welder purchase as well. A skill I'd like to learn...

Yes..... 94-95 spindles.
weldong was definitely something cool to learn. Biggest thing I found that helped was having some scrap the same thickness as the project to help get the settings right. That way you’re not messing with it on the actual work. My welds aren’t the prettiest, but I’m confident they’re strong and solid.

 

[derek1993]

Yes..... 94-95 spindles.
weldong was definitely something cool to learn. Biggest thing I found that helped was having some scrap the same thickness as the project to help get the settings right. That way you’re not messing with it on the actual work. My welds aren’t the prettiest, but I’m confident they’re strong and solid.

Ok, not seeing why I would need to do this with my setup.. am I missing something? **edit** are you using 11" or 13" rotors? I think that is where the difference is here.. I have 13" rotors which set the caliper out further from from the ears.

 

[Rdub6]

Ok, not seeing why I would need to do this with my setup.. am I missing something? **edit** are you using 11" or 13" rotors? I think that is where the difference is here.. I have 13" rotors which set the caliper out further from from the ears.

Yes, I’m using the smaller GT rotors.

 

[Rdub6]

@derek1993 Here it is with the GT calipers. I have about an 1/8, maybe 3/16 now, but it was hitting before I ground it down.

 

[Rdub6]

I finally got the rear end off my workbench, and now I can start final assembly on my front calipers.
Eibach Pro kit should be on its way soon. Max Mtrsprts said it would ship the 9th, but haven’t heard yet. No big deal..... still have to order lower control arms for rear, and CC plates for front.
I have officially emptied the bedroom closet of “parts in waiting”, so I feel like this is getting close!! Can’t wait to get it back on the road!!

 

[Rdub6]

I know the Hawk brake pads are the “go to”, but does anybody have any other recommendations? This car is not getting pushed to its limits by any means....... but I’d rather keep the brake dust to a minimum if possible.

 

[derek1993]

I finally got the rear end off my workbench, and now I can start final assembly on my front calipers.
Eibach Pro kit should be on its way soon. Max Mtrsprts said it would ship the 9th, but haven’t heard yet. No big deal..... still have to order lower control arms for rear, and CC plates for front.
I have officially emptied the bedroom closet of “parts in waiting”, so I feel like this is getting close!! Can’t wait to get it back on the road!!

looks sharp! did you use an undercoating in the wheel wells?