Steering And Suspension Upgrades

keep your shims together. upper a-arm bolts are like a wheel stud,try to wiggel them out. remove nuts, clean threads,hand tighten nuts and work bolts out find good alignment shop. set between floating on freeway and hard to steer in a parking lot. 0 camber +3 .5 caster, 1/16 toe in is a good start. adjust camber - and caster +for tighter feel.
 
lmt87 said:
keep your shims together. upper a-arm bolts are like a wheel stud,try to wiggel them out. remove nuts, clean threads,hand tighten nuts and work bolts out find good alignment shop. set between floating on freeway and hard to steer in a parking lot. 0 camber +3 .5 caster, 1/16 toe in is a good start. adjust camber - and caster +for tighter feel.
Click to expand...
^^^ This is why I've decided to hand the front suspension work off to a pro. I gotta find a guy that knows these cars well to change out the bushings and align it afterwards. I know my limits.
 
hawkfan said:
^^^ This is why I've decided to hand the front suspension work off to a pro. I gotta find a guy that knows these cars well to change out the bushings and align it afterwards. I know my limits.
Click to expand...

If you haven't already you should post where your from and maybe even post in the regional section to find someone near you that can help.
 
Augusta, Georgia. I already searched the 'Southeast' section of this forum and didn't find much. Benny Bennett(Statesboro, GA) was the closest TR guy I could find and I think he was exclusively an engine/drive train guy.
 
I noticed something strange while swapping out the sway bar. The rear springs are NOT the same length. After I put the car on stands and let the jack down, the driver side spring just kinda rolls around loose while the passenger side stays tight. I did some searching and found out these are actually drag springs. Even though they are different lengths, the car doesn't sit crooked. They don't have spring isolators so they squeak a little over bumps, but I haven't noticed any handling issues yet. I have noticed that the car doesn't lean at all during WOT throttle blasts and stays flat, but I'm pretty sure the Helwig sway bar has something to do with that. Anybody else out there running these?

Oh, and it turns out the front springs aren't as 'new' as I first thought. I'm still finding stuff out about this car as I work on it and drive it on the weekends. The car crashes HARD over railroad tracks right now, so some new front springs are may be in order. The stock replacement springs I had in mind are the Moog 5600 for the front and 5379 for the back(If I decide to dump the drag springs). I take it the stock replacement springs will soften up the ride some over bumps?
 
hawkfan said:
:D I did read that and that's exactly why I decided to not do this myself. A man has to know his limitations. The rear suspension is cake compared to the front. What's your take on poly vs rubber bushings for the moving parts of the front suspension? How about the graphite impregnated poly bushings in the Kanter kit? I'm torn between the rubber vs. poly because I want to have competent handling but I don't want a rock hard ride either. That's one of the reasons I don't want to lower the car.
Click to expand...

If I can do it...outside...on jack stands....between work for the Navy....you can!!!! Oh..and I'm lazy. Had to overcome that! :)
 
Funny that you posted that...I was literally about to email you a link to a thread I JUST posted...hit up the lounge when you get a chance.
 
WH1_T-Type said:
If I can do it...outside...on jack stands....between work for the Navy....you can!!!! Oh..and I'm lazy. Had to overcome that! :)
Click to expand...
I was just re-reading the 'guide' last nite. The guide really makes it look doable. I've been trying to convince myself to give it a shot. Best case scenario, I save a bunch of $$$ and learn something in the process. Worst case scenario, I end up having it towed to a pro in pieces. Here's the list of 'wear' items I want to replace:

inner and outer tie rods
center link
idler arm
upper and lower ball joints
sway bar end link kit x 2
sway bar bushings 32mm or 1-1/4
upper and lower control arm bushings

Is there anything else I might need? After jacking up the front of the car to install the frame braces, It looked like all the parts are factory original except the shocks.
 
hawkfan said:
I was just re-reading the 'guide' last nite. The guide really makes it look doable. I've been trying to convince myself to give it a shot. Best case scenario, I save a bunch of $$$ and learn something in the process. Worst case scenario, I end up having it towed to a pro in pieces. Here's the list of 'wear' items I want to replace:

inner and outer tie rods
center link
idler arm
upper and lower ball joints
sway bar end link kit x 2
sway bar bushings 32mm or 1-1/4
upper and lower control arm bushings

Is there anything else I might need? After jacking up the front of the car to install the frame braces, It looked like all the parts are factory original except the shocks.
Click to expand...

at the very least I would think springs front and rear as well. Just realize that if you do, and you replace with stock height front springs, there is a good chance your car will LIFT in the front due to the difference of your old worn out ones and the new stock height ones.

I can't think of anything I didn't cover in the how to post...though if you discover anything in the process I do encourage you to post the tid bit in the thread!
 
WH1_T-Type said:
at the very least I would think springs front and rear as well. Just realize that if you do, and you replace with stock height front springs, there is a good chance your car will LIFT in the front due to the difference of your old worn out ones and the new stock height ones.

I can't think of anything I didn't cover in the how to post...though if you discover anything in the process I do encourage you to post the tid bit in the thread!
Click to expand...
I have some new Moog stock height springs for the front and rear (5606 and 5379). My current height from rocker to garage floor is 9.5" which is within spec so hopefully it won't be too much higher than that after it settles. The only thing that worries me is the spring compressor. It seems downright dangerous, but necessary for the front springs. I plan to rent one from Advance and hope it is one of the heavy duty ones.
 
respect that spring. take time to line up your spring and compressor. tap it a few times befor you pick it up. make sure it does not slide. may also need lower balljoint press. summit racing iec90200
 
lmt87 said:
respect that spring. take time to line up your spring and compressor. tap it a few times befor you pick it up. make sure it does not slide. may also need lower balljoint press. summit racing iec90200
Click to expand...
I probably won't even use the spring compressor to get the old springs out. I have a good floor jack that I can let down slooooow and some tall 6 ton jack stands, so I should be able to use the jack method to get the springs out. The less I have to use the spring compressor, the better. If I can't rent a ball joint and bushing press, I'll just take the arms to the machine shop.
 
G body Upper AND Lower A Arms?

I was all set to use the original a arms and just have the ball joints and bushings installed in them. But I noticed that G body sells tubular upper and lower control arms for $600 with bushings and ball joints installed. I'm leaning in this direction due to the ease of installation since I won't have to go to a shop to have the bushings and lower ball joints pressed in or have the arms blasted and coated. Plus the upper arms already come with heat resistant bushings. I know the G body upper arms are proven around here, but I couldn't find any real info on the lower a arms. Anybody using the G body lower arms out there? Any issues?

http://www.gbodyparts.com/product_i...d=715&osCsid=7b973b6d9cf4afbc8dcbc35e387ff97c
 
While it definitely would be easier to have the lower arms ready to go...I just don't think you are going to need the tubular lower control arms. I don't think you would do the kind of driving that requires that (road racing).

You could order new lower arms from speedway and have your new equipment installed in those, then be able to swap them into place as easily as if you had the new tubular lower arms. You could then clean up and powder coat your old ones and sell them on here for probably pretty close to what you bought the new ones for.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

V6-Sauce
Question about Hooker blackheart steering shaft installation?
Replies
3
Views
415
'87 Turbo "T"
'87 Turbo "T"
Azrial89
Suspension for twisties.
Replies
6
Views
1K
Azrial89
Azrial89
NoVA_87_GN
Bleeding Front Brakes
Replies
4
Views
778
NoVA_87_GN
NoVA_87_GN
SETXTurbo
Help Diagnosing a Hard Contact Point/Noise
Replies
9
Views
738
AN/GSC-52
AN/GSC-52
GNVYUS 1
Ford 9" with Disk Brakes vs 8.5 & Stock Drums Length, Any Wheel Back Spacing Differences?
Replies
1
Views
541
Chuck Leeper
Chuck Leeper
Top