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Suspension Replacement/Upgrade- Culminating Project


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Took a break from homework and got in the other side. Still need to attach the frame/sway bar bushings. Right now everything is attached except the swaybar frame bushings so the sway bar is hanging there and doesnt want to be pushed up to the mounts. Will it work to just set the car down once everything else is together and then bolt it in? Im guessing when the suspension is compressed all the way the sway bar will lift and be easier to bolt on.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looks like you're on the same boat as me, only you've got tokico springs, different dust boots, and my stuff is blue. Hopefully I can hold off buying the bump steer spacers until I get my new wheels though. Seems trivial to buy the 14" ones now and then have to get another set for the 17" wheels that I want to get.

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Yeah I went ahead and bought the 15" and larger ones since Ill be buying them in the near future.. hopefully.

 

Also today I atleast bolted the rear shocks into the shock towers, and prepped the spindle pins so they go in and out smoothly. Tried to get the spindle pins in but couldnt fit the base of the spindle into the control arm. Ill have to shave down the bushings to give it more wiggle room if they are binding.. still have to get it where the holes line up.

 

This is taking alot longer than I thought... like everything. :(

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  • 1 month later...

UPDATE!!!!

 

Well I decided to drop out of school so I can work on my car.... really wanted to put in the rear suspension.

 

Finally got the bushings out of the outer control arm to shave them down so the spindle would fit in, took awhile but both of them are bolted up.

 

I went ahead and bolted it in so tomorrow I can try to get everything tightened and lined up to where it will be permenately.

 

After this is complete Ill work on getting all the brake rotors cleaned up (they were turned when the car was on the road, should be fine) look at possibly new pads on the back and get the calipers painted red.

 

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Yeah I was going to add a little note at the end saying just kidding but I forgot. :)

 

PROGRESS

 

I was able to get all the rear suspension bolted in and everything tightened down. I seem to be missing a bolt to the front control arm mounting crossmember so Ill have to find one. Also was able to get the disc brake brackets bolted on and now I realize their on backwards...grrrr.

 

Also was able to get the calipers dissasembled, having to decide what to do with them now. Does Shucks carry rebuild kits?

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PROGRESSISH-

Well shucks wanted $30 each for rebuilt calipers minus the pads which I have. Went ahead and got those.

 

I also took the rear rotors and calipers to a brake shop for inspection (turned out most of the guys had Z cars at some point) and one rotor was to thin... :( So shucks got more of my money... Ill be taking the rear calipers to be rebuilt hopefully for less than the $80 wanted for new ones. Ill go ahead and add in the prices for these like I did earlier so its easier when I have to present this.

 

Brake Parts-

 

Front Rebuilt Calipers- $60- Replaces the original pistons, rubber seals and pad related hardware. Will make assembly alot easier then taking them all apart myself and trying to refurbish them.

 

New Rear Rotors- $65- Replaces the piece of junk rusty, thin ones I bought used... look nice and will last for a long time.

 

Caliper Paint Kit- $18- Increases braking performance by up to 40%, in some cases actually adds hp to a stock motor... :) Will be red which will look nice.

 

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Took a break from homework and got in the other side. Still need to attach the frame/sway bar bushings. Right now everything is attached except the swaybar frame bushings so the sway bar is hanging there and doesnt want to be pushed up to the mounts. Will it work to just set the car down once everything else is together and then bolt it in? Im guessing when the suspension is compressed all the way the sway bar will lift and be easier to bolt on.

 

Well with persuasion of a jack and a little elbow grease the front sway bar is installed! Im going into the last few weeks of school so Im going to be limited on my time but tomorrow after school Im going to try and drop off the rear calipers to be rebuilt by a small shop an old guy runs. We had him do some brake work on the car 4 years ago (I dont remember it but my dad does) and he said hes a nice old man and is reasonably priced. I also talked to some guys up the road from him and they said when I get the calipers back theyll look brand new. :)

 

Once those are done Ill finish up painting them and get them mounted.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Most excellent detail! I'm partial to this setup as I have 16x8 RBR's as well.. but they're +04mm offset, which I guess means I'll clear the strut seat better than the +10's. Do you anticipate any rubbing problems with the lower setup?

 

One more thing, although I did speed read this whole thread, I don't think I caught whether or not you mentioned why you didn't section off the struts. Looks like you only cut the bumpstops and that was it???

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