Front End Refresh - oh oh

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Well in an effort to get my Z ready for a rally I decided to address the tired front suspension... In particular the Ball Joints, Outer Tie Rods, sway bar bushings, T/C rod bushings, and control arm bushings.

Things started off nice enough...

All bolts came off with no issues. I still have to remove the steering knuckle, but I am sure an impact wrench will make quick work of it.

Well I had the OEM bushings pressed out the of the front control arms and immediately hit a snag.

One of these things is NOT like the other...

Well DRAT! They look like they came from two totally different cars in this picture. I have no idea which one is right for my car. The left or right...

Now I am not sure what I am more upset about. Having to find another set, or the fact that I paid to have the bearings pressed out of what was obviously a bent lower arm.

Guess I am on the hunt for another set. Actually, the one that was bent was the driver side, and that was the only side I had rubbing on the body work when I ran 205/60/15's rubber. I wonder if that had anything to do with it?

Guess I will find out. Now I need to source another set. I really would rather NOT pay for the Arizona Z car set up. Just too much money for a street car.

Edited May 30, 2012 by Zedyone_kenobi

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Doing some research, I found that www.futofab.com the folks who bring us the VTO wheels, sell a front lower control arm and TC rod kit. It is found here for reference:

http://www.futofab.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=28&Itemid=86

The problem it is not really cheap and I do not really think it is needed for a street car. It may be a big overkill.

[GreenZZZ]

Totally off topic, but your garage looks fantastic...

[Captain Obvious]

Haha!! I was thinking the exact same thing! I was so distracted by reflections off the floor that I didn't even read the text. Is there something wrong with his car?

the fact that I paid to have the bearings pressed out of what was obviously a bent lower arm.

Seriously though... Are you sure that it was bent before it went on the press?

[zKars]

Seems you found the only pot hole in Houston. That's not easy to do. Must have been a real nice one.

Love my azc control arms....

And there's no way a garage that clean gets used for anything serious

and I have spare controls arms if you need one. Some may not even be bent!

Edited May 31, 2012 by zKars

[tlorber]

I put techno toy tuning lca's and traction control arms on my car. Talk about overkill- the company owner told me they are engineered for off road rallying. I'll be diving under them during our next earthquake.

The benefit is that you can adjust camber and castor, which corrects significant shortcomings in the stock version

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Double DRAT

I was cleaning parts to reassemble and the TC rod on that side is also slightly bent. SO it would seem now I need an entire side replaced. I can promise you I did not hit anything. What I think happened is that somebody jacked up the car on that side once upon a time. There is a slight bend on the bottom.

now having said that, I am NOT sure it was not bent before I let the group of Cletus's (no offense to anybody named Cletus out there) at this machine shop press it out. But no way I can prove it and no way they will admit to anything so we still come back to where I am at. I need a new lower control arm and TC rod. I already purchased the Poly bushings for the lower control arms, AND the ball and socket TC rod ends (which will replace the hard as hell poly bushings people warned me against when I first installed them).

The AZC and the FutoFab gives similar adjustments tlorber. Here is the thing though. Those types of adjustments are only good if you KNOW WHAT your doing. I use to autocross my subarus rather extensively in SCCA type stuff a couple of years ago. I kept my suspension pretty much stock and just kept practicing while my friends tinkered with adjustable this, adjustable that every run and never got anything settled in hoping for that magic WOW moment where the suspension would make up for ham fisted driving.

I would pony up for the Futofab or the AZC or the techno Toys, if there was a good baseline setting I could get her close to OEM but maybe a bit better. If not, I could easily do more harm than a well sorted OEM fitment.

As for my garage, yeah, I keep it mopped and shined up before during and after every job. In about 3 weeks there will be an engine/tranny swap. But that is an entirely different thread!

Edited May 31, 2012 by Zedyone_kenobi

[Zedyone_kenobi]

So techno toys = 595 dollars

Futo Fab = 465

AZC = ?????

Just buying the OEM lower control am and TC rod from Zcarsource.com = 140 bucks

Still the new fancy shiny stuff is enticing!

[GreenZZZ]

Get a sandblaster and some POR!

Gallery Link

[cbuczesk]

So techno toys = 595 dollars

Futo Fab = 465

AZC = ?????

Just buying the OEM lower control am and TC rod from Zcarsource.com = 140 bucks

Still the new fancy shiny stuff is enticing!

I should have a spare LCA and TC rod. How's $50 shipped for the set?

Chuck

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Just let me know how you want payment!!!

paypal

certified check

passenger pigeon

rare earth minerals

Old NASA space hardware

You have a deal bud

[cbuczesk]

Passenger pigeon it is! Maybe PayPal is more reliable? I should be able to box it up tonight and ship it tomorrow. Sound good?

Chuck

PayPal: cbuczesk@comcast.net